St. Johns County Student Wins Gold Medal at International Competition

By Devorah Hamford Chabad of St. Johns County

Three students from St. Johns County have been awarded medals at the International JewQ Competition, which took place in Stamford, CT. Fourth grader, Samantha Rossi, and fifth graders, DJ Becker and Luca Rossi, were the three winners proudly representing Jacksonville. They showcased an impressive mastery of Jewish knowledge.

around the world, Samantha shined as she took home Gold.

Samantha’s success is a testament to the high-quality education that the Grow after-school program provides to its students. GROW focuses on Jewish studies, Hebrew reading, and Jewish culture, and has helped Samantha develop a deep understanding of her heritage.

Expressing his excitement and gratitude for the opportunity to participate after-school program, praised her students’ achievements.

“We are extremely proud of Samantha, DJ, and Luca and their outstanding performance at JewQ,” Sharfstein said. “Their dedication and hard work have paid off, and they are a shining example of what our students can achieve.”

Chabad of St. Johns’ GROW after-school program is where kids dive deep into their Jewishness, get creative and locations - St. Johns and Nocatee, Ponte Vedra.

After excelling in the regional rounds at the GROW after-school program at Chabad of St. Johns, Samantha, DJ, and Luca advanced to the international level. Giving it their all as they competed against other students from around the world, they were finally announced as the recipients of their respective medals. In a knowledge competition with minds from in the competition, DJ couldn’t have been happier.

“I am so happy to have won a medal at JewQ,” DJ said.

“It was a great experience, and I learned so much. I want to thank my parents and Morah Dini at GROW for believing in me and helping me along the way.”

Mrs. Dini Sharfstein, Director of the GROW

discover their Jewish pride. GROW is about how much kids love their Jewish holidays and learn about their strong heritage using STEM skills, art mediums, and Kosher cooking. GROW is where kids enthusiastically fly through the motivational Aleph Champ Hebrew reading program. GROW is where kids are proud and love being Jewish. GROW is conveniently located in