“Go on, go up to the stage,” whispered his friend Yanky, sitting beside him. “Get your prize, you deserve it”

“A

nd the winner of this year’s Chiddushei Torah competition is….”

Three hundred boys turned to stare at 15 ½ year old Yitz Green who had won this competition, and every other contest, for the past two years. Rabbi Shulman, menahel of Yeshivas Ohavei Torah in London, paused.

“This year we have a tie. Two winners, boys who have worked hard and proven themselves. We are very proud to announce…” Rabbi Shulman paused again. “The winners are… Yitz Green and Danny Halpern!”

There was a stunned silence. That anybody could possibly tie with Yitz Green seemed not just impossible but almost sacrilegious. Heads turned toward Danny, who sat quietly with his small group of friends, a slow purple blush rising from his neck to his ears. Not all the faces were friendly: The position of winner belonged to Yitz Green and no one else.

“Go on, go up to the stage,” whispered his friend Yanky, sitting beside him. “Get your prize, you deserve it.”

Danny stood up and walked toward the front, shaking with nerves. Everyone could see that he was overwhelmed. He wasn’t special, not like Yitz who was tall and impressive with the kind of face that made you imagine him as a future rosh yeshivah.