A contest has been announced offering a total of $100,000 in prizes for essays by residents of the United States between 16 and 22 years of age on the topic of ?Reaching Common Ground” between Jews and Christians. The competition is funded by Elizabeth Goldhirsh, a student at Harvard Divinity School and heir to a family fortune, and co-sponsored by the Institute for Christian & Jewish Studies, Baltimore, Maryland. Ms. Goldhirsh has stated that the controversy over the Mel Gibson film ?The Passion of the Christ” inspired her to undertake this initiative in an endeavor ?to shift the context of the traditional Jewish-Christian relationship to more openly reflect the shared history, similar beliefs and spiritual bonds of the two faiths, while also respecting their distinct differences.” The deadline for submission of essays is July 30, 2004.
Jewish-Christian Relations