Voices of a New Generation

For 22 years, Jewels of Elul has offered daily sparks of reflection - words to uplift and inspire. With voices ranging from the Dalai Lama to Lady Gaga, Rabbi Sharon Brous to Archbishop Tutu, Mayim Bialik to President Obama, these brief insights have found their way into sermons, classrooms, and quiet moments at home. Published during Elul-the 29 days before the Jewish Holy Days-Jewels invites us to pause, reflect, and grow.

 This year, Anne Frank LA and Pico Union Project proudly present Still, I Believe: Voices of a New Generation-a special edition of Jewels of Elul. In a time of division and unrest, this collection amplifies the voices of young people seeking courage, clarity, and connection. 

Still, I Believe features selected essays from the Anne Frank Day: Your Story Matters Essay Contest. Students ages 12 to 18 reflected on quotes from Anne Frank's diary and their meaning today. Their writings are honest, brave, and deeply personal-exploring hope, discrimination, ambition, and loneliness. Since its first publication in 1947, Anne's diary has offered a powerful lens into the Holocaust. While her story is singular, it reflects the lives of 1.5 million Jewish children who were murdered during that time. 

Because every day is an opportunity to learn, grow, and rediscover what matters.