The District 2 Bialik High School’s team of five budding physicists are off to the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel, to compete against some of the best young minds from the world over at the final round of the Weizmann Institute’s International Shalheveth Freier Physics Tournament. Their victory in the Eastern Regional Canadian Semi-Finals, hosted by Weizmann Science Canada, and held at Bialik High School, was announced by the Consul General of Israel, Yoram Elron. Along with the Western Regional winners, the two teams will be representing Canada in Israel.

Their victory in the Eastern Regional Canadian Semi-Finals, hosted by Weizmann Science Canada, and held at Bialik High School, was announced by the Consul General of Israel, Yoram Elron. Along with the Western Regional winners, the two teams will be representing Canada in Israel.

The winning team of David Benrimoh, Chad Cohen, Samantha Creme, Madison Goldberger, Erica Shrier, coach and Bialik grad Shawn Bramson ’08, and teams from the competing schools (Hebrew Academy, Herzliah, St. George’s School of Montreal, West Island College, and the Study) were given a box and a lock mechanism and tasked to build a safe that operated on the principals of physics. The teams were allowed only 10 minutes per safe to figure out how to crack the lock. A panel of nine esteemed judges, including head judge Professor Vicky Kaspi, astrophysicist, and 2006 winner of the prestigious Steacie Prize in the Natural Sciences, carefully analyzed all the entries and scored for their being pick-proof, and also for aesthetics and originality. Moreover, prior to a final decision’s being rendered, the judges interviewed all the teams individually for 20 minutes to ensure that the teams had a firm grasp of the science in their projects.

"I have so much admiration for the work, creativity, and ingenuity displayed by the students," Consul General Elron stated afterwards. "These students give me such optimism for the future." The staff advisor to the winning Bialik team, Judy Stein, beamed. "It's been quite the process from the first brainstorming ideas for the physics back in November. I have marveled at your creativity, enthusiasm, and teamwork throughout the process. Next stop—Israel!"

Thanks to a very generous anonymous donor, most of the costs are provided for each team and a chaperone for the trip of a lifetime to represent their country. Bialik High School is fortunate to participate in several additional Weizmann Science Canada programs, including Math-By-Mail and the Dr. Bessie F. Lawrence International Summer Program.