Announcing: November Shorts Contest – “Beyond the Mechitza”

We are now accepting submissions for the Unpious November Shorts Contest: “Beyond the Mechitza: Moving beyond boundaries and enclosures.”

This contest is for women to tell their stories of moving beyond the confinements and restrictions that have kept them enclosed, literally or figuratively. Whether it was the mechitza in shul or the mechitzas of the mind, we want to hear of the challenges and struggles, and, even more so, the personal triumphs in overcoming and moving beyond externally imposed limitations. We want to hear from women, but men can also submit, describing their own reflections or experiences related to this issue.

A selection of up to ten submissions will be published on the site at the end of November. Winners will be decided via reader poll*, and will receive the honorable title of “Unpious.com November Shorts Contest Winner” as well as a $25 Barnes and Noble gift card.

This is a terrific opportunity for new writers to get published and for accomplished writers to get recognized.

To participate, please read carefully and follow these rules:

1. Submissions should be no longer than 250 words. (We’re going to take this seriously this time, so please do keep it within the limit.)
2. Submissions must be an Unpious** take on the subject of that month’s short. November’s subject is: Beyond the Metchitza: Moving beyond boundaries and enclosures.
3. Submissions can be humor, memoir, essay, investigative report, or any genre of non-fiction prose.
4. Submissions must be received by November 18th.
5. To enter, send an email to submissions@unpious.com, with the subject “November Shorts”. Paste your submission in the body of the email (no attachments please). Clearly state what name you’d like to be published under.
6. Submissions are open to sentient beings of all religions, genders, races and creeds.
7. Submissions must be previously unpublished original works by the submitter.
8. Submissions may be edited by Unpious.com editorial staff before publication.

*Unpious reserves the right to bypass poll conclusions and crown a winner based on the editorial team’s biases and discretion — although we promise to try hard to resist the impulse.
**What makes something “Unpious”? Irreverent and thoughtful examination or bold exploration of any subject related to Chasidic or ultra-Orthodox Jewish life.