As I write this column, the school year is ending, and preparations are underway for the summer season and camp. I am also preparing for a long-anticipated sabbatical, my first as I begin my 18th year in the rabbinate, that will begin in mid-June and conclude toward the end of August. I look forward to sharing more about my sabbatical experience when I return.  

At the Dell JCC, we recently installed a timeline of Austin Jewish history on the Bradley & Kimberly Schlosser Family Landing on the second floor of the new building. In the 1980s, our Jewish population was projected to be around 4,500 total Jewish community members, mostly concentrated in the Northwest area of Austin. According to the most recent estimate, we now have over 39,000 Jewish community members located across a rapidly expanding geographic region.  

While we are blessed by this incredible growth, we also know it comes with challenges that we need to address as a community. First and foremost, the Dell Jewish Community Campus, while the hub of organized Jewish life in Austin for many, is not accessible to thousands of Jewish community members on a regular basis who live beyond the catchment area of the campus. While some congregations, most notably, Congregation Beth Israel and Shir Ami, have physical spaces in closer proximity to other areas of Austin, Jewish community members continue to move farther away from the center of Austin.  

Finding accessible ways to engage in Jewish life remains a challenge that institutional life in Austin is trying to address. Congregations have historically and continue to provide different ways to engage Jewish community members beyond the walls of their buildings. These initiatives have led to more engagement of community members.  

Chabad, which is featured in this issue, is providing experiences in a variety of places throughout our region, fulfilling an important need.  

Additionally, per estimates provided by the Israeli-American Council, we believe there are over 1,000 Israeli families in Austin. Finding more and more ways to engage our Israeli community will remain an important focus, and we appreciate our partners in the Israeli community.  

Shalom Austin embarked on a new strategic plan with an emphasis on curating Jewish experiences for community members regardless of where they live in partnership with Jewish institutions just as we have with Shalom Families and PJ Library engagement experiences. As Shalom Austin prioritizes resources toward addressing our geographic challenges, we hope that we can work together as a community to inspire a record number of Jewish journeys in our community. 

L’Shalom, 

Rabbi Daniel A. Septimus