STUDENT VIDEO CONTEST
The phrase "fit to eat" comes from Jewish dietary laws, which determine whether food is kosher. This contest asks a different, related question: How might Jewish values influence the choices we make about food today?
Food choices affect people, animals, and the planet. We invite middle and high school students to create a video exploring how Jewish values connect to the foods they eat and the food systems they participate in, for the chance to win a $300 gift card.
There is no single "right" answer—we want to hear your ideas, questions, and perspectives.
Contest Overview
WHO CAN ENTER
Track 1 is open to U.S. middle school students (grades 6-8) and Track 2 is open to high school students (grades 9-12)
VIDEO LENGTH
Videos should be 2 minutes maximum to succinctly answer selected prompt
ENTRY WINDOW
Submissions accepted between August 24-September 22, 2026
PRIZE
$300 gift card per winner (4 total)
2 will be selected per age group
1 will be selected by popular vote, 1 will be selected by judges
See below for FAQ with more information on the contest.
Steps to Submit
1. Choose your prompt
Select 1 of the 2 prompts from your age group and review related resources to formulate your answer and video script.
For prompt options click here.
2. Record your video
Film yourself speaking to camera, or create a short slideshow and record your presentation, picture-in-picture style. Max length is 2 minutes, clear audio and video are required. See video tips below.
3. Upload your video and submit with your guardian’s permission
Head to the contest landing page, on Shortstack, to upload your video in one of the approved file formats and make sure your parent or guardian signs the release form.
Download entry form to be signed by parent/guardian and submitted with video here.
FAQ
If you have any questions not answered by the information on this page, please reach out to CJFE’s staff at Shalom@JewishFoodEthics.org.
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The contest is open to students in grades 6-12, ages 11-18, who reside in the United States. Middle school students compete in Track 1, high school students compete in Track 2. Parent or guardian approval is required for entry.
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Videos must be submitted on Shortstack between August 24 and September 22, 2026.
Public voting will take place between September 24 and October 11, 2026.
Winners will be notified by email by October 19, 2026.
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There will be 2 winners selected from each track—1 chosen by judges based on the rubric and 1 chosen by popular vote.
Voting takes place between September 24-October 11, 2026.
Each of the 4 winners will receive a $300 gift card.
Winners will be contacted via email given on entry form and must respond within 4 days to claim their prize.
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Suggested food systems learning and reflection resources can be found in the Entrant & Contest Info resource packet here.
You can also visit JewishFoodEthics.org/learn for helpful articles.
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The public voting period begins September 24, 2026. Approved submissions will be displayed on the contest page. People can vote 1x/day until voting closes on October 11, 2026.
VIDEO TIPS
Do:
Keep the length under 2 minutes and focus on addressing your chosen prompt
Record yourself speaking directly to a camera or use a platform to record a Powerpoint presentation that captures you speaking (picture-in-picture style)
Offer citations or credit if presenting any statistics, direct quotes, or references to existing work (for example, you can say “according to [Source]” in your video, info from CJFE materials doesn’t need to be explicitly named)
Speak slowly and clearly, consider using a microphone or check that your recording equipment picks up your voice at an appropriate volume
Keep background images, music, sounds, or on-screen edits minimal so as not to distract from your presentation and message
Use public domain materials, royalty-free music, and images purchased from stock materials companies
Use lighting should clearly illuminate your face or any materials being presented
Double-check that the elements of your video meet the provided rubric
Make sure your final video’s file type, size, and aspect fits upload requirements on Shortstack and is uploaded before 11:59 pm on September 22, 2026
Do NOT:
Use generative AI (like ChatGPT, Claude, Google Gemini, etc) for writing your video script or to create or alter video content (Generative AI will result in your entry being disqualified).
Use or include copyrighted material, like clothing labels, sports teams, company logos, music, and other identifiers.
Obscure your face in the video or use a filter that alters, distorts, or covers your face.
Include too much personal identifying information in your video or in the background (like address or exact location, school name, license plates, etc)