Keith and Aviva Siegel, who were abducted from Kibbutz Kfar Aza during the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack and later released, walked their daughter Shir down the aisle at her wedding. During the ceremony, Shir prayed for the release of remaining hostages and for peace in Israel.
Rabbi Natan Levy has been announced as Syracuse Hillel’s new campus rabbi and the Jewish chaplain at Hendricks Chapel on campus. Rabbi Levy is an internationally respected religious leader and bridge-builder with extensive campus experience, having served as university Jewish chaplain for Western England and Wales. Levy looks forward to learning from his new colleagues and creating “spaces for transformation now and into the future.”
Binghamton University’s Jewish a cappella group Kaskeset, supported by Hillel International, gives students a safe place to express their Jewish identity and lean into tradition through music. For students like Jordi and Mya, Kaskeset is a “time capsule of Jewish joy, pride, and togetherness.” Kaskeset is releasing its first EP in five years, featuring songs in both Hebrew and English and contemporary hits.
Olivia Mitchel, a third-year medical student at the University of Arizona College of Medicine–Tucson, was awarded the Shirley D. Curson Medical Student Scholarship by University of Arizona Hillel, a two-year merit-based scholarship that recognizes Jewish students with a history of social or civic responsibility, community involvement, and service. Mitchel is considering a career in obstetrics and gynecology and was the lead coordinator for the Women’s Clinic at the College of Medicine, which offers free health care.
Carolyn Klausner and Jacob Rond, Jewish students from Wayne State University, have been named as the recipients of the prestigious 2025 Elaine C. Driker Award — given to Hillel of Metro Detroit students committed to Jewish life in Detroit. Klausner, a third-year physical therapy student, is dedicated to educating others about Israel and celebrating Israeli culture. Rond, a sophomore mechanical engineering student, is dedicated to engaging with the supportive Jewish community.
The Brooklyn Nets made NBA history with back-to-back first-round picks when they drafted Israeli point guard Ben Saraf at number 26 and Yale University and University of Michigan center Danny Wolf number 27.The Nets selections instantly doubled the number of Jewish players in the league, with Saraf and Wolf joining Domantas Sabonis (Sacramento Kings) and Deni Avdija (Portland Trail Blazers). Both Saraf and Wolf embrace their Jewish heritage and see their careers as an opportunity to challenge stereotypes.