Roots project wins international competition

Mount Scopus Memorial College student Zoe Scharf has won the Manuel Hirsch Grosskopf “My Family Story” Competition, organised by Tel Aviv’s ANU – Museum of the Jewish People.

It is the third time a Scopus student has taken first prize in the competition.

Scharf’s project was developed as part of the year 8 curriculum last year, when she spent months documenting her family history and creating an heirloom. The college nominated her project to represent Mount Scopus in the international competition, which this year featured entries from 31 countries. The winners were announced earlier this year at an online ceremony broadcast from Israel.

Scharf’s winning project explores how a legacy of tzedakah (charity) passes between generations, shaping personal identity. At its centre is a tzedakah box made of transparent acrylic and engraved copper coins, each detailing family portraits, historical documents and family values.

Scharf drew on her family history, including her great-grandmother, who survived a World War II labour camp in Siberia while caring for her younger brother. She also drew on later generations of her family, including doctors and volunteers involved in community work.

“Just as a tzedakah box fills gradually, identity is built step-by-step, coin-by-coin and value-by-value. It is part of a long chain of compassion, courage and mutual responsibility linking my family story to the larger story of the Jewish people,” Scharf said.

As first-place winner, Scharf’s project will become part of the collection at the ANU Museum in Tel Aviv. It will be preserved in the museum’s digital archive and featured in an interactive exhibit in the museum’s main lobby.

In a letter to Scharf, ANU’s leadership team wrote: “Your project impressed our international panel of judges through its creativity, thoughtful research, artistic excellence, and the meaningful way it connects your family’s unique story to the larger story of the Jewish people.