Jewish Studies 2025 Graduate Award Ceremony
Dear Jewish Studies students, staff, faculty, and friends:
For those of you who were unable to attend the class of 2025 Jewish Studies Graduate Awards Ceremony, we have a recording of the special event for you to view and share.
We are so proud of you, our graduates, and we encourage you to stay in touch with us. Alumni are featured on the Jewish Studies website and we welcome profile updates as your lives evolve. To update your information or add you photo and bio to our website, click the link below and become a part of the history of KU Jewish Studies.
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Class of 2025
The Jewish Studies Graduation Recognition and Award Ceremony took place on Friday, May 16th. This special event included a musical program provided by Jewish Studies major and graduate, Molly Handelman, who sang Somewhere Over the Rainbow and Olam Chesed Yibaneh. The student address was provided by graduating senior and Jewish Studies major Bree Katz. As always, the graduate awards ceremony was a poignant and meaningful event. For those who were unable to attend, a video recording is forthcoming. Mazel tov to our graduates:
- Eric Fischer - BA Jewish Studies (Honors), Religious Studies, Psychology
- David Franke - BA Environmental Studies, minor Jewish Studies
- Abigail Friedland - BA Speech-Language-Hearing, minor Jewish Studies
- Molly Handelman - KU Honors; BA Jewish Studies (Honors), Music
- Charlie Johnson - KU Honors; BA Global & International Studies, History, Political Science, & Religious Studies; minor Arabic, Jewish Studies, & Middle East Studies
- Bree Katz - BA Jewish Studies (Honors), Applied Behavioral Science, minor Psychology
- Rachel Kricsfeld - BA Jewish Studies, Visual Art
- Sam Naudet - BA Religious Studies, East Asian Language & Cultures, minor Jewish Studies
- Katherine Strane - BA Jewish Studies, English
- Sarah Sutton - BA Religious Studies, Jewish Studies, minor History
Student Awards
We are proud to recognize the following award recipients:
- Kit Strane received the Jewish Studies Appreciation Award for her outstanding volunteerism, including her service on the hiring committee where she brought patience, professionalism, and invaluable insight.
- Bree Katz was awarded the Danciger Service Award for her dedication as both a student and staff member, significantly contributing to the program’s success.
- Rachel Kricsfeld received the Shelley M. Rissien Award for Hebrew Language for her deep commitment to Hebrew studies and her creative senior capstone project Scenes from the Start.
- Eric Fischer was awarded the David and Sharyn Katzman Award for academic excellence in Jewish Studies. A true mensch, Eric graduated with departmental honors and will pursue his MA at the University of Illinois.