Long Island Young Scholars Compete in Port Washington

Young Jewish scholars from across Long Island gathered at Chabad of Port Washington for the Long Island JewQ Championship, one of many regionals taking place across the globe leading up to the International Championship at the CKids Shabbaton on March 30.

The atmosphere was electric at Chabad of Port Washington on Sunday, as young Jewish scholars from across Long Island gathered for the annual Long Island JewQ Championship.

The event, a high-energy competition testing students’ knowledge of Torah, mitzvos, and Jewish life, brought together students representing 15 Chabad Hebrew schools across the region including, Great Neck, Hewlett, Brookville, Oceanside, Lake Success, Long Beach, the East End and host town of Port Washington, were among the many who took part in this spirited display of learning and Jewish pride.

The competition, open to students from third to seventh grade, featured two rounds of rigorous quizzing. Using a Kahoot-style digital quiz, competitors demonstrated their mastery of Jewish prayers, holidays, and history. The challenge escalated in the second round, where students had only 60 seconds to list as many facts as possible on a given topic.

“This is an incredible program,” Rabbi Berel Paltiel of Chabad of Port Washington, who emceed the event, told the Long Island Press. “I get a thrill from the humor and entertainment aspect of taking something serious and making it fun. The kids have worked so hard to get here, and they truly deserve this moment.”

The competition culminated with six champions, each representing their respective grade levels:

• Grade 3: Zoe Shlivko of Chabad of Brookville
• Grade 4: Allison Berger of Chabad of Port Washington
• Grade 5: Naomi Cohen of Chabad of Great Neck
• Grade 6: Eli Rowshanrad of Chabad of Lake Success
• Grade 7: Nathaniel Moirzadeh of Chabad of Great Neck and Sammy Dubey of Chabad of the East End (co-champions)

Among them, fourth-grader Allison Berger achieved the highest overall score and will advance to the JewQ International Torah Championship in New Jersey on March 30. She will be joined by the highest-scoring qualifiers from each participating Chabad, competing against students from 25 countries worldwide.

Preparation for the JewQ competition began months in advance. Students studied the textbook “Living Jewish: A Handbook for Life”, which serves as the foundation of the JewQ curriculum. They then took three qualifying exams, either at home or in school. Only students who scored at least 70 percent across all tests were eligible to participate in the regional championship.

Rabbi Zalman Baumgarten of Chabad of Great Neck, whose students participated in the event, shared, “We are incredibly proud of how hard these children have worked. They are shining examples for their peers, proving that commitment and perseverance pay off.”

Chabad Hebrew schools across Long Island have seen growing participation in JewQ, as more students opt to take on the extra study and preparation required to compete. One such school is Chabad of the Beaches – Aleph Academy, which sent ten students to the championship. The program has been particularly popular among students who do not attend Jewish day schools, offering them a structured yet engaging way to deepen their connection to Yiddishkeit.

“It’s an unbelievable program,” Beila Goodman, co-director of Chabad of the Beaches, told the Long Island Herald. “These kids are voluntarily taking on extra Jewish learning, and they’re excelling. That speaks volumes.”

“If they want to be ‘super Jews’ and really know their stuff, this program is the way to do it. They study for months, and by the time they compete, they’re like miniature rabbis,” said her husband, co-director of Chabad of the Beaches, Rabbi Eli Goodman.

The event was about more than just winning—it was a celebration of Jewish pride and Torah learning. Many parents and community members attended, creating an uplifting and supportive environment for the young scholars.

“With so much going on in the world, a strong understanding of one’s heritage is a key way to raise confident, resilient children, said Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, Executive Director of Merkos 302. “When they truly connect with their roots, they stand on a firmer foundation and feel proud of who they are.”

The top qualifiers from Long Island will now prepare for the JewQ International Torah Championship in March, where they will compete against students from over 250 cities worldwide.

For these young scholars, the journey does not end with the competition. Many will continue studying and deepening their connection to Torah and mitzvos long after the event concludes.

As Rabbi Paltiel summed it up, “At the end of the day, every child who participated is a winner. They have taken ownership of their Jewish learning and made it their own. And that’s something truly worth celebrating.”