{"id":84108,"date":"2016-04-20T15:57:53","date_gmt":"2016-04-20T12:57:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.technion.ac.il\/blog\/student-built-machines-tell-passover-story\/"},"modified":"2016-04-20T15:57:53","modified_gmt":"2016-04-20T12:57:53","slug":"student-built-machines-tell-passover-story","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.technion.ac.il\/en\/blog\/student-built-machines-tell-passover-story\/","title":{"rendered":"Student-Built Machines Tell Passover Story"},"content":{"rendered":"

Student-Built Machines Tell Passover Story (Inspired by Technion Rube Goldberg Video)<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Four teams from schools around the world took high honors in the Technion Jewish Day School Challenge, created jointly by RAVSAK and the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology. Their mission: to build a Rube Goldberg machine in the spirit of Pesach (and inspired by the intricate 2015 Technion Rube Goldberg machine<\/strong><\/a><\/span>)<\/strong>. For the uninitiated, a Rube Goldberg machine is a contraption or device that is deliberately over-engineered to perform a simple task in a complicated fashion, generally including a chain reaction.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Technion is thrilled to have launched this new initiative together with RAVSAK,\u201d said Technion President Professor Peretz Lavie. \u201cIn an ever-changing world we need to find new and relevant ways to connect younger generations of the Jewish people with Israel. What better way to do so than a thought-provoking, fun competition that has a strong STEM education focus? Congratulations to all who participated. I hope to see you all at the Technion \u2013 as students \u2013 in a few years,\u201d he concluded.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn partnership with Technion\u2014Israel Institute of Technology, we were able to create an amazing new opportunity for students to blend their commitments to Jewish learning with the sciences, foster a connection to post-secondary education, and prompt them to apply their knowledge of Pesach traditions in a completely innovative way,\u201d said Dr. Marc N. Kramer, RAVSAK\u2019s Co-Executive Director.<\/p>\n

More than 600 students from 41 Jewish day schools \u2013 located in Europe, North America, Australia, and Africa \u2013 participated in the Challenge. The judges marveled at the incredible entries received from around the world, noting with pride and appreciation the amount of time, energy and thought the students put into their creations.<\/p>\n

Students followed a rigorous rubric, which called for the machines to ultimately reveal a Seder plate. In the weeks leading up to the Challenge deadline, students tinkered away, and got insider tips from world-renowned Technion Mechanical Engineering Professor Alon Wolf and other Technion faculty.<\/p>\n

“I am delighted to see the Technion\u2019s role in inspiring all of the participants to do such great work,\u201d said Prof. Yoram Halevi, Dean of the Technion Faculty of Mechanical Engineering. \u201cYou have inspired us, as well, and we hope to see you grow and succeed in your science paths.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the closely contested High School category, first place went to the team from Abraham Joshua Heschel High School, in New York City<\/strong><\/a><\/span>. <\/strong>The <\/strong>judges cited their use of successful energy transfer elements and high creativity level as main reasons for their selection. Second place went to The Weber School<\/strong><\/a><\/span> in Atlanta, whose entry showed a true understanding for the mechanics involved to create a visually stunning display.<\/p>\n

There was a tie for first place in the Middle School category. The entry from the 7th grade team from<\/strong> Bialik College, in Melbourne, Australia<\/strong><\/a><\/span>, <\/strong>was <\/strong>well-thought out, with many different types of energy transfers \u2013 some of which were very unusual for Rube Goldberg machines. The submission of the 6th grade team<\/strong> from Scheck Hillel Community School (North Miami Beach, Florida)<\/strong><\/a><\/span> was lauded for its creativity, and for energy transfer aspects that were executed properly and efficiently.<\/p>\n

Photos\/Videos:<\/strong> Videos of the winning Technion Challenge machines can be viewed on the Technion YouTube channel<\/strong><\/span><\/a> and you can follow all the conversations across social media via #TechnionChallenge<\/a>.<\/p>\n