102 | MAY 19 • 2022
A
fter a year of creative pro-
gramming during lockdown,
the opportunity to engage
with Jewish students on campus was
a thrill.
This academic year, I served as
president of Students for Israel at
Wayne State. With the help of my
vice president, Tania Miller, and
Hillel of Metro Detroit’s Arad Kauf,
we pulled off a year filled with amaz-
ing programs. Our goal was to have
an all-encompassing line of pro-
grams, showing off as many pieces
of Israel we could. We had Israeli
Shabbat dinners, Anti-Defamation
League training, a Bedouin bonfire
and plenty of other amazing events.
Personally, my favorite event
of the year was our bonfire night.
Renting out a space in Core City,
a small neighborhood off Wayne
State’s campus, we swung a movie
and a dinner not to be forgotten.
We watched Sand Storm, a drama set
in a small Bedoin town in southern
Israel. We were lucky enough to have
a clear night sky following the film.
While the students caught the movie,
we cooked a delicious meal. The
night helped everyone take a load off
school, COVID and everything else
life throws at us. We all came togeth-
er to see a unique piece of Israel, that
still at its core was Jewish. Keeping a
Jewish focus in all Israeli program-
ming was always a priority for us.
Israel at its heart is unavoidably and
unapologetically Jewish, and that is
what we aimed to be.
Though we were able to meet in
person, we still had to work around
COVID-19 safety protocols. Masks
and 6 feet apart were a priority as
always, but anything is better than
the upteenth Zoom for students.
Classes were hybrid, meaning some
were in person again while others
remained online. So, to do anything
in person, regardless of safety proto-
cols, was welcomed by board mem-
bers and students alike.
When I first came to Wayne, I
made it my mission to meet a diverse
group of students and faculty, with
the Jewish community far from a pri-
ority. I settled into a fraternity, made
friends and found my footing.
When the pandemic hit, Hillel
came to provide dinners and online
programming so we could still
socialize even when we were stuck at
home. The following fall, I hopped
into the Applebaum internship with
Hillel to show others how much
Hillel can do for you. Meeting with
students and helping with events was
a thrill, so much so that when I was
offered a spot with Students for Israel
(SFI), I joined immediately.
This is my last year here at Wayne
State, so I chased after a fulfilling
year as much as possible. Hillel of
Metro Detroit offered me opportuni-
ties left and right, and my president
spot was no exception. It was a chal-
lenge but a treat to lead my board
and create meaningful programs all
year. SFI has taught me plenty, and I
am thankful I was able to contribute
to my local Jewish community. @
Adi Siegmann is graduating from Wayne State
University with a psychology degree.
Wayne State
Celebrates
Israel
Adi Siegmann } jewish@edu writer
Grilling
dinner for
Bedouin
Culture
Night
WSU Students for Israel at Bedouin Culture Night
for college students
by college students