Israeli Middle Schoolers Earn Global Honors at Yale Debate Championship

The event included roughly 2,500 competitors representing dozens of countries across Asia, Europe, North America and the Pacific.

By Shula Rosen

An academic delegation from Petah Tikva returned to Israel this week with distinguished awards from the World Scholar’s Cup finals at Yale University, marking one of the strongest showings ever by an Israeli middle school team on the international stage.

Fifteen students from Ehad Ha’Am Middle School, trained by Vardina Oss and coached by Yaffa Gluska, spent months preparing for the contest before joining roughly 2,500 competitors representing dozens of countries across Asia, Europe, North America and the Pacific.

The event drew teams from places as varied as Indonesia, Qatar, Australia, Canada, Japan, Germany and the United Kingdom.

Organizers closed the multi-day academic tournament with a ceremony in which the Israeli flag was displayed before thousands of students, families and educators.

By the end of the night, the Petah Tikva group had secured a long list of distinctions, including third place in the Team Challenge, a top-three overall global ranking and multiple first-place finishes in debate and additional academic categories. Their final count included 10 trophies and many gold medals.

Much of the delegation had spent more than half a year practicing high-level academic English to compete against native speakers in debate rounds, writing tasks and subject-based challenges.

Student Ori Tovis told Ynet the moment their achievements were announced felt surreal. “It was incredible to represent Israel and our school at such a high-level competition,” he said. “Sitting with over a thousand students from around the world during the awards ceremony and seeing our names was an amazing feeling.”

Classmate Yael Literat described the week as “full of excitement and unforgettable experiences,” adding that the results “made it completely worth it.” Another student, Neri Alon, recalled the tense countdown of rankings. “When they start counting down the rankings—1,000, 500—you worry, ‘What if I didn’t make it?’ Then your name appears, and it’s a huge relief.”

Coach Gluska told Ynet the atmosphere toward the Israelis was notably positive. “This competition is proudly non-political, and the support was mutual,” she said, noting that the group traveled with security, “though thankfully it wasn’t needed.” She said the warm welcome, especially given current sensitivities, left a strong impression on the team.