TACOMA — A former Ph.D student of the University of Washington was among at least 22 Americans killed during the attacks by Hamas in Israel, according to AP News.
Family members describe 34-year-old Hayim Katsman as jack-of-all trades. He was a scholar, musician, DJ, activist and an advocate for peace, Hayim’s sibling Noy Katsman, told The News Tribune in an interview.
Noy, who is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns, said that their parents are having a tough time coping with the loss of their son, especially since they are still waiting for Hayim’s body to be released to them.
“Each one is coping in their own way and sometimes it’s not easy to understand how it’s good for you to cope with these things,” Noy said. “You can’t be ready for something like this, ever.”
Noy said Hayim returned to Israel after graduating from UW in 2021 because “he had his community there.”
Noy said they last spoke with their brother on Saturday after getting word that there was something happening in Israel.
“I just texted him if everything’s OK, I mean, I just didn’t really understand what’s going on and he told me that, ‘yes, the terrorists came, but it’s very quiet’,” Noy said.
Noy was in Germany at the time that the attacks occurred and didn’t know how serious that the situation was, so they did not worry when hours had gone by and their brother had not responded to their text messages.
Noy said they began to worry once their mother said she hadn’t heard from Hayim. They said friends and family searched for Hayim, but then they received a call from their father at 4 a.m. on Sunday to inform them that Hayim had been found dead.
Hayim lived in a Kibbutz Holit near the border with Gaza. Noy said Hayim’s neighbor told them she was hiding with him in a closet inside of his home when he was shot by member of Hamas.
“They shot him, but she was saved,” Noy said. “I’m just happy he was in the place he lived in and loved for so many years.”
Noy expressed their frustration, fear and concern about the ongoing situation in Gaza and said they believe that Hayim would’ve shared the same feelings, especially being that he was a peace advocate.
“It’s terrible that my government is using this death, the death of people like him and other people as an excuse, as a justification to killing innocent civilians,” Noy said. “I understand people are angry, but this isn’t what’s going to bring safety to us. I mean, I don’t feel safe.”
Noy said Hayim, who had a goal of becoming a professor, was very active in different groups in his community that aligned with his ideologies of peace, and took part in groups that helped Palestinians displaced by Israeli settlers.
“He helped where he could. He helped organizations that support his ideology, and it’s so sad, it’s such a loss for us because we sadly don’t have enough people in this country who are calling for peace and just want there to be a better life for everyone,” Noy said.
Hayim’s life in Washington
The University of Washington held a vigil on campus this week to honor Hayim as well as others that died during the attack by Hamas.
Hayim graduated from the University of Washington’s Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies with a PhD in international studies. Noy said Hayim lived with his paternal grandfather while he attended UW.
Noy said they remember Hayim telling them about a course that he was able to teach at UW about Israel. They said their brother had a good time in Washington state and at the university.
The Association for Israel Studies released a statement in which they outlined Hayim’s successful academic career and his community service and described him as, “an emerging scholar in the field of Israel Studies.”
