Yeshiva College girls Dani Hovsha (first) and Dayle Disler (second) are off on an all-expenses paid trip to Israel to compete in the finals of the International Chidon HaTanach (Bible Quiz) after winning the SA leg.

And they will be coming up against some very famous competition.

“Hearty mazeltov to Dani and Dayle,” says Yeshiva High Schools’ Principal, Denese Bloch. “They narrowly beat some of our other participants, Ari Chipkin and Rachel Goldberg who tied for third place, and Daniel Hirschowitz who came fourth. Both Dani and Dayle will, please G-d, be going to Israel to compete in the international round of this very prestigious competition. We wish them a hearty mazeltov and good luck for the next round. Mazeltov to all who participated in this very worthwhile endeavour,” says Mrs Bloch.

A proud Dean Vecheshbon, Rabbi Ra’anan, recounts: “After a nail-biting two rounds, the third round was completed [last] week. [In round three,] Dayle Disler placed third, Ari Chipkin came second and Dani Hovsha edged him out by half a mark to come first.”

“Combining the scores of the other rounds,” R. Ra’anan wrote in the scool’s newsletter, “this is how our five finalists performed: Daniel Hirschowitz placed fourth, Rachel Goldberg and Ari Chipkin tied third, Dayle Disler came second and Dani Hovsha came first. A massive ‘yeyasher kochechen’ to all who participated throughout the contest.”

Ben Gurion’s sole armament

R. Ra’anan says that it is the Torah that defines our identity and destiny; it’s the Torah that is the essence of our freedom. It therefore comes as no surprise that the sole asset David Ben Gurion armed himself with when going to present our case for an independent country before the United Nations was a Tanach.

“It is also very fitting that out of 12,000 high school contestants in Israel, the current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s son won the Israeli National Bible Quiz competition,” says R. Ra’anan.

So, Dani and Dayle will be representing SA against Netantyahu junior as well as other teens representing countries across the world in the International Chidon HaTanach.

“Behatzlacha to Dani and Dayle who, be’ezrat Hashem, will be going to Israel for the International Chidon Hatanach on Yom Ha’atzma’ut where nothing short of well deserved regal treatment awaits,” says their proud Dean Vecheshbon.