The miracle of life comes from somewhere else. Judaism says that we have a part of G-d within us, and that is our soul. Souls are immortal; when we die, Judaism says the piece of G-d within us rejoins G-d. There would be no way to tell the instant that a piece of G-d leaves a human though. But it may be claimed that the human consciousness is a manifestation of our soul. Our consciousness is our essence; it holds our memories, aspirations, thoughts, and questions. It is what makes us, for lack of a better term, us. Everyone’s brain anatomy is the same, and all brains work the same way. But every consciousness is utterly unique. Perhaps it is that in the absence of the human consciousness, there is no life. In brain stem death, consciousness is absent.

2nd Place Paper: The 7th Commandment

Michelle Berlinger `13 

Thus, I believe that it is important to study and understand the 7th commandment, in order to use it as a moral reference point to analyze and potentially fix the growing rates of adultery in the United States. Wisdom from the torah is not infused with jaded cynicism, as most sources of knowledge and advice are, and can provide fantastic insight. A good place to start understanding Jewish views of adultery is in the Talmud.  

3rd Place Paper: The Observance of the Shabbat in Light of Modern Technology and Culture

Lauren Pace `12 

Before receiving the commandments, we were slaves. After, we are free. The Ten Commandments are thus a beacon of freedom and serve to remind us that in freedom we have a responsibility to ourselves, to our people, and to the Creator who freed us. It might, then, seem paradoxical that the commandment to keep the Sabbat is riddled with prohibitions. But, much like the Ten Commandments themselves, while on first glance the rules and guidelines of keeping the Sabbat seem restrictive, they ultimately serve to free us in a deeper, more meaningful way.