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