The arrest was condemned internationally, but it appears the North Korean authorities only released Mr Warmbier because his health had deteriorated severely.
Rabbi Jake Rubin, the University of Virginia’s Hillel director, told JTA in an email that Mr Warmbier got involved with the campus’s Jewish community after a Birthright trip to Israel in 2014.
The rabbi described Warmbier as “a beloved member of our Hillel community.
“He was a regular at Bagels on Lawn, celebrated Shabbat and holidays at Hillel, and even led a Seder for other students that focused on issues of environmentalism and sustainability,” the rabbi wrote.
“In the simplest interactions Otto always found something of interest and would make you smile. At every stop on Birthright he would try some kind of new food, strike up a conversation with someone new, or find some unique thing to bargain for. He loved life and it was infectious.
“He was always interested in learning more about the world and the people around him. He put everyone at ease with his humour and genuine interest for others,” the rabbi wrote.
