Like many Israelis, Asaf Bar Natan woke up from the blare of air-raid sirens in the early morning of Oct. 7 2023. Bar Natan, then a special forces commander in the reserves living in Yaffo, had a sense that something major was taking place. But at 8:29 that morning, between fielding messages from his unit and preparing his gear before heading to the battlefield, he sat down to complete his application to Rice University’s MBA program, due days later.  

“I sent them an email, saying ‘I’m sorry there is an emergency. This is my application. I know this is not perfect, but it is what it is. I’m going to the battlefield. And from now, my wife will be in touch with you regarding everything,’” Bar Natan told eJewishPhilanthropy. 

Now, Bar Natan is the first recipient of a full scholarship to Rice University through the Gibborim (Heroes) Scholarship — a Rice University-managed $1 million endowment fund to support Israeli veterans through Rice University’s Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business.

While spending five months in Israel’s reserves, Bar Natan was accepted to Rice University in Houston. Realizing that adjusting to civilian life and moving to the United States would be a challenge, he reached out to members of the Houston Jewish community to create a network for himself upon arrival. One email reached Jay Zeidman, co-founder and managing partner of Altitude Ventures and the scholarship’s creator. 

According to Zeidman, the endowment — nearly halfway to its first fundraising goal — can currently provide a full-ride scholarship to one Israeli military veteran per year. As the endowment grows, that number will hopefully increase, he said. 

“This is a unique and close partnership with the university. They’re the financial stewards of the money, which means it can last beyond any of us, and theoretically, into perpetuity,” Zeidman told eJP. “Why would I go to people and raise money for one student for one school year? Why not look at doing this, you know, on a more permanent basis?” 

According to Zeidman, in the wake of a surge in antisemitism on college campuses throughout America, the scholarship is an opportunity to draw more Israelis to American universities for cultural exchange. While the scholarship provides material support for an IDF veteran to pursue an American MBA, Zeidman hopes the Houston Jewish community will also benefit from the opportunity to connect with the recipient. 

“It’s not just the scholarship. It’s the network. With Asaf, we’re helping him with internships, and having him for Shabbat dinners,” said Zeidman. “He’s plugged into the community. He’s been speaking publicly to communities around the city, like about what he experienced in Gaza and what his troops went through. This is more than just a scholarship. This is, you know, really integrating somebody into Houston’s community.”