Moshe Admon, lead attorney at Admon Law, PLLC, is a trial attorney with a busy practice here in Seattle. When he heard that StandWithUs was seeking help for an Israeli-American student at the University of Washington, Moshe stepped up. The student was expelled from her dorm room after her pro-Palestine roommate made false allegations against her. Moshe cleared his calendar and took immediate action to support his 19-year-old defendant pro bono. He joined her at an administrative hearing, and his strong advocacy helped her get through the episode. The student was found innocent of the charges and was allowed to return to her dorm. The false accuser was subsequently put into another room. In both his personal and professional life, Moshe has long been a champion for the underserved and always stands up for individuals, families, and communities against injustice.

Ari Hoffman, the radio talk show host on Seattle’s AM 570 KVI and West Coast Editor for The Post Millennial, uses his media presence locally and nationally to provide his audience with facts about Israel and the Jewish people. Ari has also worked with politicians across the state to combat antisemitism and educate them on Jewish issues. According to John Lebovitz, who nominated him, “Ari is a warrior for Israel and the Jewish people. His broadcasts increase awareness and appreciation for Israel's situation in the Middle East and shed light on both local and global antisemitism. His logic and passion help educate, bring awareness, and ultimately change minds." Ari is the president of Congregation Bikur Cholim Machzikay Hadath (BCMH), a proud community partner of StandWithUs. Ari also works with Jewish organizations in Seward Park to enhance community security.

Michal started the BTH (Bring Them Home) WhatsApp community right after the October 7 massacre as a place for the community to find ways to take action in support of Israel. Rally notices, petitions, donations, lectures, and vigils are all posted and shared on BTH. With her BTH community, Michal has gone above and beyond to bring awareness to the hostages. She has planned and executed numerous rallies and hostage exhibits, including a large rally at Climate Pledge Arena and a hostage poster exhibit in Kirkland, WA. Michal continuously updates and posts action items for the BTH WhatsApp community. In addition to her advocacy for Israel, Michal is a Legacy Speaker for the Holocaust Center for Humanity and a board member for Jewish Mothers of Metropolitan Seattle, an organization dedicated to bringing Jewish women with children to Israel.

When local Israelis saw the world change following the October 7 massacre, they immediately acted. They founded "Washingtonians for Israel," a group aimed at uniting the Israeli and American Jewish communities to visibly support Israel’s cause. They have tirelessly organized public rallies throughout the greater Seattle area and brought in community leaders, city officials, pastors, and other allies. The WhatsApp group they created has more than 700 members and effectively mobilizes the community in calling for the release of the hostages and demonstrating support for Israel. We honor the founders of WFI, Ronit Bohrer Hillel, Arza Mimon, Matan Goldman, Dafnit Soffer, Shlomi Ezra, and Karen Biran, as well as current leaders Anat Lissak, Liran Gross, and Judy Sholman.

Iris is the tireless organizer of "Run for their Lives," which consists of weekly walks or runs on the Eastside. Iris organizes these events consistently, rain or shine, and inspires our community to spread education and raise awareness about Israel and the hostages through walking and positivity.

Amit Fridman, this year’s Israel Fellow at UW Hillel, has been a beacon of resilience and advocacy for Israel in the aftermath of October 7. Despite losing two close personal friends in the attack, Amit returned to the U.S. after attending their funerals, and he immediately went to work. From arranging a Nova survivor's poignant testimony at a Shabbat dinner to leading a cookie bake fundraiser that raised over $3,000 for victims to personally meeting with over 50 students one-on-one, Amit’s tireless dedication to Israel advocacy at the University of Washington has been a shining light at a tough time for many Zionist students. His commitment to fostering dialogue extends beyond traditional avenues, including a Zoom session connecting students with the families of October 7 victims and organizing events to raise awareness about hostages —both on and off campus. He held nuanced conversations with Palestinian and Egyptian students, underscoring his deep commitment to promoting a broader understanding and dialogue. Prior to coming to the U.S., Amit was a social worker and mentor at multiple nonprofits and holds dual BA degrees in history and social work from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

Aviva Jaffee joined the IDF in December 2015 at the age of 21. She served as a lone soldier (a soldier without family in Israel to support them) in the co-ed combat battalion, the Jordan Lions, where she trained and prepared for the possibility of war. After October 7, Aviva saw that many of her friends from her unit were being called to reserves, so she called her commander from active service and insisted on being drafted. While she waited to be drafted, she raised funds to return to Israel. Aviva arrived with donations of urgently needed medical supplies as well as necessities for IDF soldiers fighting on the frontlines. Getting placed into IDF reserves proved to be difficult, so she found a volunteer opportunity to protect a small yishuv (community) in the West Bank. She reached out to the head of the yishuv and was told “If you have a uniform, put it on and come now!” and that’s precisely what she did. 

Rabbi Chaim Levine epitomizes selfless service. As the founder and president of Brothers for Life (BFL), an organization that supports wounded Israeli soldiers, Chaim has devoted his life to helping soldiers heal. After October 7, he uprooted his life in Seattle to care for IDF soldiers and run BFL from Israel. Chaim has spent every day since October 7 with injured soldiers and their families. Before the Hamas invasion, Brothers for Life was already working with 1,000 combat soldiers. Since then, Chaim has made it his goal to visit every single injured soldier and their family in every hospital across Israel. Brothers for Life is based on four principles: financial assistance not otherwise available to wounded soldiers through other agencies, projects and mentoring, job placement, and educating and inspiring love of Israel. 

arol Schiller is the founder of Rumble Marketing and a lecturer in communications at UW. The day after October 7, she opened her home to a displaced Israeli family of seven, including five children ranging from an infant to 13 years old. In the true spirit of Am Yisrael, Carol welcomed this family as her own for the next three months. Carol is also a rare public voice among the UW faculty, proudly Zionist and advocating for Jewish and Israeli student safety. In addition, Carol is the founder of 1ActionDailyWA, a pro-Israel WhatsApp community exclusively focused on Washington State. She posts one simple action each day that members can take to advocate for Israel and combat antisemitism in five minutes or less (email 1ActionDailyWA@gmail.com to request access to daily action posts).

Hagar Levi-Carr has a long history of social activism within the Israeli community. As a former resident of Kiryat Gat, a city directly impacted by the war, and a former IDF Sergeant in the northern brigade of Gaza, Hagar felt it was her duty to contribute in any way she could after October 7. She helped organize the first rally in support of Israel on October 9, the December 10 march across the I-90 bridge with Israeli flags, and helped organize various other demonstrations. Additionally, Hagar orchestrated the Northwest Yeshiva High School musical tribute fundraiser that raised thousands of dollars to be given to three prominent Israeli nonprofit organizations dedicated to strengthening Israeli society.

Jared was on a family trip to Israel in 2006 when Gilad Shalit was captured by Islamic militants. That experience changed his life. When he returned to the United States, he became a dedicated pro-Israel advocate, lending his time and talents to organizations like AIPAC and StandWithUs. Currently a member of the AIPAC Washington State board, Jared is passionate about educating elected officials so that they can vote on legislation with an in-depth knowledge of the issues. Since October 7, Jared has ramped up his activities, hosting several events to teach others how to be effective pro-Israel activists. In addition to organizing these educational events, phonathons, and fundraisers, Jared calls Congress daily, and updates and disseminates a well-written script with talking points for a large list of pro-Israel advocates. A StandWithUs supporter for years, he also believes that educating our young people in high school and on campus gives them the tools to respond to the lies and anti-Israel rhetoric with confidence. All this is in addition to his busy job as a Technical Program Manager and as a proud father to four children under the age of six!