Mrs. Rosenzweig

The Annual Kaplun and Asher Essay Contest

Write an expository essay on:

My favorite hero or heroine, Biblical, historical, or contemporary, and his or her influence on Jewish history and/or Jewish values.

Due Dates:

· Thursday, October 22^th Choose a hero or heroine by this date.

Begin researching immediately, taking notes.

Research how this person influenced Jewish

history and/or Jewish values.

Be careful to write all notes using your own

words, unless you use quotation marks.

· Thursday, October 29 Opening creative paragraph due; it must conclude

with a three pronged thesis statement (This will be

explained in class) There will be a hand-out

explaining and illustrating how to do this.

SAVE on your computer AND memory stick!

· Thursday, November 5 Corrected opening paragraph due + 3 body

paragraphs, each beginning with a clear topic

sentence . (This will be taught in class.)

SAVE on your computer AND memory stick!

· Thursday, November 12 Corrected opening paragraph+ corrected 3 body

paragraphs + concluding paragraph due.

SAVE on your computer AND memory stick!

· Thursday, November 19 Final fully corrected paper due

A GUEST IN HIS TENT

The scalding desert sun beats down mercilessly on the bleached

coverings of his tent. Though it would be more comfortable if the sides

of the tent were folded to protect him from the suffocating dry heat, he,

nonetheless, sits with not only one side of his tent securely rolled, but all

four. He selflessly watches for travelers from all four directions, anxious

to welcome them into his home and to refresh and serve them , sharing

the many blessings he has been given, This man is our forefather,

Abraham, who welcomed guests into his tent from four corners of the

Earth. How we would be inspired being guests in his tent today! We,

today, are also weary and thirsty travelers, traveling through life. The

values of Abraham, our forefather, inspires us to have faith and

commitment, to perform acts of chesed and selflessness, and to sustain

ourselves with optimism and hope for the future.