Dr. Hayim Katsman Z”L

Dr. Hayim Katsman – the distinguished winner of the 2019 Kimmerling Award for Best Graduate Paper – was murdered in his home in Kibbutz Holit on Saturday.

Dr. Katsman was an emerging scholar in the field of Israel Studies, having received his Ph.D. in international studies from the University of Washington’s Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies in 2021 at 32. His research centered on the Religious-Zionist communities and current trends in Religious-Zionism and its relationship to radicalism.

His works have been featured in various scholarly publications, including the Israel Studies Review, and in edited volumes such as the “Routledge Handbook of Religion and Political Parties.” He won the AIS Kimmerling Award for his paper, “The Hyphen Cannot Hold: Contemporary Trends in Religious Zionism,” which he presented at the 2019 AIS Annual Conference at Kinneret College.

Beyond his academic achievements, Hayim was deeply committed to community service and engagement. His volunteer activities spanned various roles, including Co-Coordinator of the Israel/Palestine research group at the University of Washington, Board Member at The Center for Young Adults, Eshkol Regional Council, and committee member in Kibbutz Holit.

Hayim was a well-loved Lecturer in the Department and taught a course on the History of Political Thought.

Although Hayim was an American citizen, he chose to live in Israel on Kibbutz Holit, a community near the Gaza Strip, where he was brutally murdered by terrorists on October 7th, while protecting his neighbor.

Hayim was a dedicated educator, and cared deeply about his students and other people in general. He was known to initiate each lecture with a few moments of quiet meditation to enable the students to focus. Hayim was a multi-faceted individual: he was also a passionate farmer, gardener, handyman, and also a talented DJ.

May his memory be a blessing.