It had all the trappings of a rock concert. Hundreds of young people gathered in an auditorium, cheering loudly, waving signs and generating boundless enthusiasm, as only kids know how.

The energy in the room was electrifying, and the current seemed only to intensify as the opening of the program drew near. When, at last, the participants ascended the stage, the decibel level soared even higher, as the crowd went wild with delight, looking forward to some good, old-fashioned entertainment.

Who could have imagined a group of schoolkids nowadays getting so worked up over a Bible contest? And yet, that is precisely what occurred, as the children of Ra'anana's Noam school convened last week for an annual competition held to test their knowledge of the Book of Genesis.

And test it they did, because the questions, as Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof once put it, were enough to "cross a rabbi's eyes."

"Name two figures that donned a disguise," and "Identify two people who got drunk," were, believe it or not, two of the easier ones that were asked that day. (The answers, in case you were wondering, are: Tamar and Jacob, and Noah and Lot.)

Or how about this one: "State two of the mitzvot [blessings]that are found in the first book of the Bible." (An answer given by a 10-year-old contender; circumcision and the prohibition against eating the tendon from an animal's thigh.)

Other questions were posed in a format somewhat similar to riddles, testing not just the pupils' textual knowledge, but also their ability to think through and grapple with, the material. "They made Laban run," went one (that would be Eliezer. Abraham's servant, and Jacob).

Upon hearing their names called, the young contestants would glance somewhat uneasily over at the judges' table. Some children offered their replies with a palpable sense of nervousness, while others responded quickly and with confidence. With their friends and family offering vocal, and often vociferous, encouragement, the event was as lively as it was enlightening.

FOR MANY of the adults in attendance, it was also eye-opening, as they were astonished to see eight- through 12-year-olds demonstrating a mastery of the Bible they themselves would be hard-pressed to muster. It was somewhat similar to the feeling one gets when learning to ski, and a young child whooshes past, making it all look just so dam easy.

"I think it's amazing," one mother told me, "how the Torah is so much a part of these kids. For them," she added, "it isn't just a book which they study. Here in Israel, it is a part of them, it is something which they live."

Adding to this feeling is the fact that the places mentioned in the Bible are not some far-off spot on a map, but just a short car ride away. So not only do the kids get to learn about the place where Abraham pitched his tent, or Jacob built an altar, but they can actually visit these sites too, which brings it all to life in a very deep and meaningful way.

There was, to be sure, something reassuring, even heartwarming, about the entire scene. While children elsewhere in the world dedicate their energies to learning every last detail of Harry Potter's adventures, or Britney Spears's social life, these kids were busy poring over the ancient Hebrew text, repeatedly reviewing it in anticipation of the big day.

Sure, they enjoy a good film now and then, and perhaps even the latest music as well, but they also make time for more serious pursuits, with knowledge of their ancestral faith chief among them.

In other words, they are "normal" kids in every sense of the term, with a love of sports, a passion for playing, and a tendency to fight and bicker with their siblings at every possible opportunity. But there is also a side of them that is much deeper and more profound, with a strong Jewish identity and character that is steeped in the Bible and its wisdom and shaped by living in Israel.

With a deepening recession, ongoing terrorism, and the looming threat of war with Iraq, Israelis can, unfortunately, find many reasons to worry about what may lie ahead. The uncertainty at times, can be overwhelming.

But in that auditorium last week, in that room full of Jewish children getting excited about Torah, I can honestly say that I saw the future - Israel's future, and that of the Jewish people. And it is a bright one indeed.

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