The Elephant in the Room is Moment’s newest contest, an annual initiative designed to focus attention on important topics about modern Jewish life that most people think about but hesitate to discuss in public. Our readers tell us that there are important conversations that they are afraid to have; the kind of topics that turn passionate debates into ugly fights. This contest is a venue where those conversations can safely occur.

The 2011 question is: What does it mean to be Jewish without belief in God? 

This is a topic that a lot of people think about and talk about in private among friends. Given, however, the deepening political and religious polarization of the nation and Jews in general, public civil discussion of the topic has become nearly impossible. As a result we think it is crucial to provide a safe forum that encourages a full, nuanced spectrum of opinion.

How to enter

Each entry should include:

1. An original work addressing the given topic. Submissions should be entirely the work of the contestant. Submissions should be sent as attached files and no longer than 500 words. The contestant's name should not appear anywhere on the submission.

2. An email cover  containing the title of the submission, the contestant's full name, address, day, evening and cellular telephone numbers, e-mail address and a three-line biography.

All submissions should be emailed to elephant@momentmag.com. Entries must be received by 5pm EST on Friday, October 7.

Three winners, selected by a panel of judges, will each receive an iPad 2. The winning essays will be published.

Each week in September some of the best essays will be posted on our website.

Moment Magazine is committed to portraying intellectual, political, cultural, and religious debates within the community, and to educating readers about Judaism’s rich history and contemporary movements, ranging from left to right, fundamentalist to secular. Founded by Nobel Prize laureate Elie Wiesel and acclaimed writer Leonard Fein in 1975, Moment is the largest independent Jewish magazine in North America. Today Moment reaches over a million readers through its flagship print edition, digital edition, weekly e-newsletter and itsofficial blog, “In the Moment.”
Readers can also join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.