Essay Contest
In 2019, the Amirim program launched a socially oriented essay contest. Twice each semester, students in the program are invited to submit their academic papers, which are then evaluated by a committee of their peers. The winning essay is awarded a prize of 1,000 shekels, to be donated by its author to a social organization of his or her choice.
2022/23Academic Year
The winning essay in the first contest was "To read, to write, to know," by Yuval Ungar (class of 2023). Yuval chose to donate the prize money to the "Her Academy" organization. For more details, click here.
The winning essay in the second essay contest was "All the World's a Stage? Tourism as Performance" by Michal Shoahm (Class of 2023). Michal chose to donate the prize money to "Freedom Farm Sanctuary". For more details, click here.
2020/21 Academic Year
The winning essay in the first contest was "Houses are deemed to sink, they are not deemed to stand," by Yonadav Samet (class of 2022). Yonadav chose to donate the prize money to the Yeruham Charitable Foundation. For more details, click here.
The winning essay in the second essay contest was "'As latkes between the bubbles': On food, memory and revolt in Shaul Tchernichovsky's idyll 'Levivot'" by Neta Goldfein (class of 2022). Neta chose to donate the prize money to the "Her Academy" organization. For more details, click here.
The winning essay in the third essay contest was "Dangerous Childhood: On Agency, Risk and Hazard in Poor Children's Representation in Nineteenth-Century Paris" by Or Aroch (class of 2021). Or chose to donate the prize money to the Common Ground Association. For more details, click here.
2019/20 Academic Year
The first essay contest was dedicated to the film "A Whore Like Me," screened as part of the Amirim Club. The winning essay was a response to the film written by Yonadav Samet (class of 2022). Yonadav chose to donate the prize money to Woman to Woman, a Jerusalem shelter for battered women. For more details, click here.
The winning essay in the second contest was "In a Suit and a Keffiyeh: King Hussein as a Hybrid Leader," by Niv Sagi (class of 2021). Niv chose to donate the prize money to the Lotan's Way organization. For more details, click here.
The winning essay in the third essay contest was "'That Someday I Will Become One of Them': The Fans of Hapoel Jerusalem from an Optical Perspective," by Or Ben Harush (class of 2021). Or chose to donate the prize money to the Tebeka organization. For more details, click here.
The winning essay in the fourth and final essay contest was "Testing the Sincerity of a Relationship: Evaluating Love with Bureaucratic Tools," by Yarden Lichterman (class of 2021). Yarden chose to donate the prize money to the Achoti (Sister) - For Women in Israel organization. For more details, click here.
2018/19 Academic Year
The winning essay in the first contest was "The Heroes of Our Time: Perceptions of Active and Passive Roles in Homosexual Sex - Osher Sabag's Performance as a Study Case," by Asaf Roth (class of 2019). Asaf chose to donate the prize money to the Ma'avarim organization. For more details, click here.
The winning essay in the second contest was "Shefita's Performance as Blasphemy," by Talia Vekshtein (class of 2019). Talia chose to donate the prize money to the Lissan organization. For more details, click here.
Social Involvement in Exchange for Academic Credits
Students in the Amirim program are encouraged to participate in the Social Involvement in Exchange for Academic Credits program run by the Dean of Students Office. Students are invited to join select social organizations over the course of the academic year, and in exchange, receive two academic credits. For more details, click here (Hebrew).