Women attend Wine Down at the Dell JCC on August 20, 2023. Credit: Allison Teegardin

By Allison Teegardin 

The sweltering summer heat did not prevent more than 100 women from attending Wine Down poolside at the Dell JCC on Sunday, August 20. Wine Down is one of Shalom Austin Women’s Philanthropy’s annual events which always draw a great crowd and kicks off the programming year. The event aims to engage new and existing community members with the many philanthropic opportunities available through Women’s Philanthropy. This year, Wine Down was chaired by Suzanne Sloan.

Sloan moved to Austin five years ago and shared how her involvement with Women’s Philanthropy helped her quickly feel at home in a new town. “I knew if I could find other Jewish Women, I would find my community because that is what we do as women and as Jews, we build community,” said Sloan. “It doesn’t matter whether you were born into the community or you have chosen to join the community, you are welcome, you are wanted and you are needed.”

Also speaking at the event were Val Newberg and Kim Schocket, co-chairs for Shalom Austin’s first-ever Mission Trip to Israel taking place in November 2023. Highlighting the Mosaic Luncheon on Thursday, August 26, were co-chairs Vicki Osherow and Julie Waltzer. Osherow and Waltzer revealed this year’s event theme, centered around the rituals celebrated during Shabbat, is “there’s always a seat at our table.”

To learn more about Women’s Philanthropy, visit shalomaustin.org/women.