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Es un gran honor para Yeshurun Torá High School contar con el ganador del 2º puesto en su categoría, el alumno Dan Stofenmacher (de 2º año) y una finalista: la alumna Penélope Tebele, de 1er año. Ambos alumnos escribieron dos brillantes cuentos cortos que sin duda merecían ser premiados.
El colegio expresó estar orgullosos de su trabajo y esperan resultados similares en el próximo concurso.
Otras escuelas participantes fueron: Boston College, Colegio Nacional de Buenos Aires, Colegio Oakhill Núñez, Instituto Paideia.
Aquí compartimos sus dos ensayos:
“The letter that changed my life” by Dan Stofenmacher (2ºA)
Even though I don’t remember a thing from my infant years, I had been told that my parents had abandoned me. Father Louis found me, took me with him and raised me. So, I have been living in this monastery since I was a little boy.
I noticed the sun was shining when I woke up that day. The birds were singing and flying up in the sky when the bells started to toll. I got dressed and walked into the church. It was Sunday and we were about to say our prayers.
I have been doing the same thing for more than 10 years, but that day was different from the others: it was my 13th birthday. I guessed that the very moment I stepped in the chapel I would receive a big surprise, and I was right. Father Louis was waiting for me with a really big cake in his hands.
When I went to sleep that night, I realized the night was gloomy and dark, and the moon was in the middle of the sky. At midnight, I heard a scream and I went downstairs to see what was going on. I walked through the dark corridors of the monastery until I reached the kitchen. There was a stranger there. At first I thought he had to be the cook, but definetely he wasn’t, and I could see from the look in his eyes that he had been waiting for me. Suddenly, he said:
“Take this and hide it. Don’t show it to anyone, don’t trust anyone.”
I got the letter, had a look at the envelope and when I looked back, the man was gone. The envelope had a red seal and it seemed really old.
Later, alone in my room, I carefully opened the envelope and tried to read the letter. It wasn’t easy, because the writing was very old. The letter said:
I will be dead by the time you read this letter, and you will be 13 years old. At that age, you become an independent and strong man. I am writing this letter at the concentration camp. You have to know that you are not who you think you are. You are my only child. You are a Jew. I know it is difficult to believe, but it’s the truth. You’ve got the Jewish legacy in your veins.
I love you, Your father.
After reading the letter, I almost fainted. My life had changed for good. I took my things and ran into the garden for the last time. I thought of saying goodbye to Father Louis, but I knew that he would try to stop me from leaving.
I would never again be George, the altar boy, from then on I would be Itzak the Jew.
“Never give up” by Penélope Tebele (2ºB)
The weirdest thing happened one day last year. I woke up and the house was quiet. My family wasn’t at home. Otherwise, I would have heard my brother shouting.
Suddenly, the bell rang. I wondered who it could be. I opened the door and there was nobody there. I tried to close the door, but someone or something pushed it… When I looked down, I saw a dog. It told me: “Never give up”.
At the time I didn’t understand, but now I know that nothing is impossible. Even a talking dog.