Moment Magazine's Elephant in the Room Contest Sparks Discussion on Taboo Topics

INAUGURAL TOPIC: WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE JEWISH WITHOUT BELIEF IN GOD?

WASHINGTON, Aug. 15, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Moment Magazine today announced The Elephant in the Room Contest, a new 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 there are important conversations they are afraid to have," says Nadine Epstein, Editor and Executive Publisher of Moment. "These are the kind of topics that can lead to ugly fights. Unfortunately, there are very few venues where these discussions can comfortably occur."

The 2011 question is: What does it mean to be Jewish without belief in God?  "This is a subject people think and talk about in private among friends," says Epstein. "Given, however, the deepening political and religious polarization of the Jewish community and the nation in general, civil public discourse on the topic has become nearly impossible. We think it crucial to provide a safe forum that encourages a full, nuanced spectrum of opinions."

This year's contest runs through October 7. Participants are invited to submit a 500-word essay on the topic. Three winners, selected by a panel of judges, will receive an iPad 2, and the winning essays will be published. The September/October issue of Moment will include a Symposium of nationally recognized figures discussing this topic, including: Joseph Lieberman, Felix Posen, Noah Feldman, David Klinghoffer, Robert Putnam, Avraham Infeld, Rebecca Newberger Goldstein, David Wolpe, Adin Steinslatz, and Marcia Falk. The conversation continues online on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/momentmag) and Twitter (@MomentMagazine).

Moment Magazine is committed to portraying intellectual, political, cultural, and religious debates within the community, and 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 "In the Moment" blog (http://www.momentmagblog.com/). Moment also sponsors other annual contests, including Publish-A-Kid, the Moment Magazine-Karma Foundation Short Fiction Contest, and the Moment Magazine Memoir Contest.

For more information about The Elephant in the Room, visit www.momentmag.com/elephant.html.

SOURCE Moment Magazine