Be'er - a writer's platform for graduates of the mechinot

Be'eri Zimmerman was one of the outstanding activists of the Jewish renewal in the kibbutz movement and in the secular sector. Be'eri was a poet, commentator of the Bible, lecturer at 'Alma' College and a beloved teacher in the Bnei Zion Mechina. Our vision is to:

1. To honor Be'eri's memory with a, creative literary event, renewed in the spirit of his writing and personality.

2. To expand and deepen the connection to Jewish heritage and the Jewish past and the boundaries of renewing Jewish-secular identity through creative writing.

1. The competition took place in the two categories of writing that characterized Be'eri 's writing.
a.            Hebrew poetry (on any subject)
b.            Essay - social thought and criticism inspired by the sources of Judaism, an interpretation or an actual midrash with social value from Jewish sources

2. Authors who have not yet published a book in any type of publication or who have published up to one book may submit entries to the competition.

3. The winning composition in each category will be posted on the competition's special website and other media. All the essays, recognized by the jury as worthy, will be published on the site and in a special booklet to be published in honor of the event.

4.In addition, the winning writers will receive a flight ticket and funding for a week of writing and inspiration on the Greek island of Samothraki - at the Orpheus Hotel in the village of Therma - the place where Be'eri wrote his latest book, "Shiri Samothraki.

Yuval Kahan (44) has for the past 25 years taught and educated Israeli teens at various formal and informal institutes, most notably the Shalom Hartman institute in Jerusalem.

In 2007 Kahan founded the "The Israeli Leadership Academy Bnei Zion".