Tilia Klebenov Jacobs Religious Essay Prize
First Prize: $100
Second Prize: $50
Third Prize: $25
Category Details
We want to hear from everyone: Jews, Hindus, Wiccans, Muslims, Buddhists, Christians, atheists, and more. We want the voices of preachers and parishioners, rabbis and rabble-rousers: we want every glittering piece of the glorious kaleidoscope that is the experience of religion. In short, we want to hear from you. Our rules are simple: No preaching, no proselytizing, no explaining why your religion is right and everyone else’s is wrong. Yes to thoughtful writing about any of the following: religion in everyday life; approachable explications of religious texts; stories that fill in the gaps in Biblical and other religious narratives. Up to 3,000 words, double-spaced.
About Judge/Sponsor
TILIA KLEBENOV JACOBS (Framingham, MA) holds a Master of Theological Studies from Harvard Divinity School and a BA in Religion and English from Oberlin College. Her nonfiction has appeared in The Jewish Magazine as well as the anthologies Phoenix Rising and The Chalk Circle: Intercultural Prizewinning Essays. Her first novel, Wrong Place, Wrong Time, was an Amazon bestseller, and won the Beverly Hills Book award for Best Thriller. Her most recent book, Casper and Jasper and the Terrible Tyrant, won Runner-Up in the New York Book Festival. Tilia has taught middle school, high school, and college. At present she teachers writing classes for prison inmates. She serves on the board of Mystery Writers of America-New England, and is a reviewer for IndieReader.com. Tilia lives near Boston with her husband, two children, and a pleasantly neurotic standard poodle.
Judge’s Website
Last Year’s (2019) Winners
- First Prize: Sarah Birnbach of Rockville, MD
“The Last Responder - Second Prize: George Such of Barnegat, NJ
“Protecting Myself from Prayer” - Third Prize: Amy Stonestrom of Hudson, WI
“The Prayers of Three Thousand Years”
Honorable Mentions (in alphabetical order)
Lauren Shapiro of Bronx, NY
“Believe”
David Stewart of Palo Alto, CA
“First Communion”
Lois Vidaver of Tonawanda, NY
“Words She Left Behind”