Noa Gomberg poetry winner
Gomberg's winning poem struck a delicate balance between acknowledging current events and maintaining hope.
Noa Gomberg, a 16-year-old student at Mount Scopus Memorial College, has been named the winner of The Australian Jewish News Rosh Hashanah Poetry Competition.
The talented young writer is excited and surprised at the honour.
“I was really not expecting it, I just wrote from the heart, which is what I usually do. It’s just such an honour to have my work be praised like this. It’s special,” she said.
This isn’t Gomberg’s first foray into poetry.
She has previously won online competitions and sees writing as an integral part of her life.
“I definitely want to keep writing for the rest of my life. I don’t think I could live without it,” she said.
Gomberg’s winning poem struck a delicate balance between acknowledging current events and maintaining hope.
She said, “I think right now it’s ignorant to ignore the situation going on in Israel. But it’s also really important that we recognise that it’s not all of our lives … that’s not the way of the Jewish people.”
Despite her obvious literary talents, Gomberg’s academic interests are diverse.
“I really, really love maths,” she said, adding that she also enjoys English and history.
This multifaceted approach extends to her future aspirations, as she’d like to pursue a career in politics.
“I really want to help immigrants in Australia. Being an immigrant myself, I know the struggles, and I want to make the process easier,” said Gomberg, who was born in Brazil and moved to Australia at age nine.
English is her second language, making her accomplishments even more remarkable.
At right is Noa Gomberg’s winning poem.
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