Hayim Katsman

Hayim Yeshurun Katsman (; 3 October 1991 – 7 October 2023) was an American-Israeli peace activist and academic. He was murdered in the Holit massacre in Israel, on 7 October 2023.

Life Katsman was born in Israel on 3 October 1991, one of six children born to Daniel and Hannah Katsman. His maternal grandparents were both Holocaust survivors. in a religious Zionist household. Katsman was an avid reader from a young age. As a teenager he read works by Richard Dawkins, which significantly influenced his decision to stop being religiously observant. At 16, he was expelled from the religious high school he attended after refusing to stop openly criticizing religion despite a request from the school administration. He was sent to attend an external high school program and at age 17 began studying philosophy at the Open University of Israel. He had to pause his studies to do mandatory military service in the Israel Defense Forces. Katsman was drafted into the IDF in 2009 and served in the Combat Intelligence Collection Array of the Border Defense Corps. He served in the West Bank and participated in a number of dangerous missions.

After completing his military service, Katsman moved to kibbutz Holit out of a desire to "revive" the community. He later opened a bar there.

Katsman resumed his philosophy studies at the Open University of Israel following his discharge from the IDF. After discovering that the university did not offer a standalone philosophy degree and that he would need to pursue a double major, he chose political science as his second major. During his studies he developed a passion for political science and decided to pursue further academic studies in the subject. He testified for Breaking the Silence, She was then kidnapped to Gaza by Hamas militants along with two children from the kibbutz, a four-month old baby and a four-year old child. They were abandoned by their kidnappers and Aladjem was able to take the children back to Holit.