Hillel The Foundation For Jewish Campus Life

TEXAS HILLEL FOUNDATION SEEKS TO ENRICH THE LIVES OF JEWISH UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE STUDENTS SO THAT THEY MAY ENRICH THE JEWISH PEOPLE AND THE WORLD.

ISRAEL EDUCATION/TEXANS FOR ISRAEL (TFI) - TFI IS ONE OF OUR STRONGEST AND MOST ACTIVE MICRO-COMMUNITIES. ITS LEADERSHIP AND PARTICIPANTS PARTNER WITH OTHER STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS AND CAMPUS LEADERS TO CREATE ALLIES FOR THE AMERICAN-ISRAEL RELATIONSHIP. OUR JEWISH AGENCY FOR ISRAEL FELLOW LEADS EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND WORKS WITH STAFF AND STUDENT LEADERS ON TAGLIT-BIRTHRIGHT ISRAEL RECRUITMENT AND FOLLOW-THROUGH, STAFFS THE TRIP, ENGAGES STUDENTS ONE-ON-ONE AND PREPARES THEM TO PARTICIPATE IN THOUGHTFUL DISCUSSIONS IN SUPPORT OF ISRAEL. WE SPONSOR ONGOING CONVERSATIONS AND PROGRAMMING AROUND ISRAEL AND STUDY CURRENT EVENTS THROUGH A JEWISH LENS. THESE HELP TO NORMALIZE PEOPLE'S UNDERSTANDINGS OF JUDAISM AND ISRAEL BY RELATING THESE TOPICS TO STUDENTS' EXISTING INTEREST, BUILDING STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS WITH OTHER CAMPUS GROUPS AND SERVING AS THE PRO-ISRAEL VOICE AT UT-AUSTIN. A HIGHLIGHT OF THE YEAR IS OUR ANNUAL ISRAEL BLOCK PARTY, THE LARGEST CAMPUS-BASED PRO-ISRAEL GATHERING IN THE REGION, WHICH ATTRACTS THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.

JEWISH LIFE AND LEARNING - WE OFFER THREE STUDENT-LED CONSERVATIVE, ORTHODOX AND REFORM SERVICES ON SHABBAT AND HOLIDAYS, FREE KOSHER DINNER EVERY SHABBAT, AND HOST ONGOING JEWISH LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES, INCLUDING JEWISH LEARNING FELLOWSHIP (ENGAGES STUDENTS WITH THE TEXT AND CONCEPTS OF THEIR JEWISH HERITAGE IN A MATURE AND SOPHISTICATED MANNER). HOLIDAY WORSHIP AND LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES INCLUDING ROSH HASHANAH, YOM KIPPUR, SUKKOT, PURIM, SIMCHAT TORAH AND PASSOVER.

CULTIVATING COMMUNITY AND LEADERSHIP - WE HOST NUMEROUS EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE ACADEMIC YEAR, WITH THE PURPOSE OF CREATING ONGOING CONNECTIONS BETWEEN STUDENTS AND TO TEXAS HILLEL. SUCH EVENTS INCLUDE FRESHMAN CHILL, MOVE IN BRUNCH, LABOR DAY BBQ, SUKKAH ACTIVITIES, HANUKKAH PARTY AND CANDLE LIGHTING IN THE RESIDENCE HALLS, SERVICE LEARNING AND VOLUNTEERING, SOCIALS AND GRAD STUDENTS' EVENTS. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT/NETWORKING - WE PROVIDE NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES WITH ALUMNI, AND HAVE FIRST IMPRESSIONS INTERNS AND CAMPUS ENGAGEMENT INTERNS WHO HELP BUILD COMMUNITY AND DEVELOP LEADERSHIP SKILLS. STUDENTS ATTEND A VARIETY OF LEADERSHIP AND SOCIAL JUSTICE LECTURES, PANELS AND PARTICIPATE IN FACILITATED LEARNING CENTERED AROUND JEWISH TOPICS OF THEIR CHOOSING.