JEWISH COMMUNITY BLOG

Alex proudly embraces his daughter in the hospital, shortly after her birth. Courtesy: Hebrew Free Loan of Austin By Debbie Cohen Late in 2025, Alex became a father. At 36 years old, having moved to Austin from Massachusetts in 2020, Alex welcomed his daughter Hannah...

Jewish Federations of North America Emergency Leadership Fly-In to Washington, D.C. in June 2025. L-R Andy Dooher, Jennifer Failla, Phil Loewy, Nora Lieberman, Emily Bourgeois. Courtesy: Emily Bourgeois By Emily Bourgeois, Shalom Austin Public Affairs Director When...

People gather at Temple Beth Shalom for Mitzvahpalooza. Courtesy: Temple Beth Shalom By Susan Laves Temple Beth Shalom hosted its annual Mitzvahpalooza on Sunday, January 18, 2026, bringing together approximately 150 participants for a morning of hands-on service...

Active attacker response training hosted by Shalom Austin. Credit: Wendy Goodman Over the past two weeks, a series of incidents has left many in our community feeling unsettled. We have witnessed a troubling uptick in antisemitic activity. These include the...

L-R: Lauren Patten, Beth Sher, Kim Schocket, Emmanuel Acho, Amy Antonacci, Jennifer Failla, Mae Levitan at the 2026 Lion Pomegranate event in January 2026. Credit: Andrew Holmes By Madeline Scharff Shalom Austin Women’s Philanthropy kicked off the 2026 Campaign by...

Tu B'shvat Seder at Moishe House Austin. Courtesy: Moishe House Austin Contributed by Mem Global Jewish young adults have a new place to engage in Jewish life and build friendships in Austin with the opening of Moishe House Austin in East Austin. Like other Moishe...

Challah. Courtesy: Jewish National Fund NEW YORK, February 18, 2025— Thousands of individuals across the United States, Canada, Israel, and around the world will unite at private residences, synagogues, and community centers on April 24, 2026, for “Shabbat for...

Rabbi Marc Sack. Courtesy: Texas Holocaust, Genocide, and Antisemitism Advisory Commission (THGAAC) By Scott Kammerman Students from Huston-Tillotson University in Austin will travel to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., this spring...

Rachel Stern. Credit: Andrew Holmes On March 12, Shalom Austin announced the appointment of Rachel Stern as the next CEO. On behalf of the Board of Directors, we are proud to share an exciting announcement! Guided by our tradition of values-driven leadership, we are...

Photo credit: Andrew Holmes By Wendy Goodman     After nearly a decade, Shalom Austin CEO Rabbi Daniel A. Septimus will step down this summer, marking the close of a chapter defined by growth, resilience and deep commitment to the community. He will begin a new role...

ECP children learn and play in a garden. Credit: Juanita Dillard By Christiana Huerta and Risa Ferdman The Zeifman Family Early Childhood Program’s beautiful new Amy & Kirk Rudy ECP Play Area features a range of outdoor activities, including garden beds which have...

By Allison Teegardin  Earlier this year, Shalom Austin Jewish Family Service announced it was doubling its Nurse-Patient Advocate service, a program designed to help guide clients and families through challenging healthcare situations. “For many of our Jewish Family...

Attendees at Z3@Austin in 2025 listen to featured speaker Adela Cojab Moadeb. Credit: Rebecca Golden By Alachua Haskins and Jessica Ochs For the third year in a row, Z3@Austin is bringing the community together for a day of bold ideas, diverse voices, and meaningful...

Participants enjoy the social and health benefits of Zumba at a Mega Zumba event at the Dell JCC. Credit: Andrew Holmes By Erika Cervantez On a vibrant January morning, the Dell JCC hosted its much-anticipated Mega Zumba event, drawing in over 140 participants eager...

The 2025-26 Winter Perspectives Group volunteers with Save a Child’s Heart in Holon. Courtesy: Jordenne Parker & Matan Weitz By Jordenne Parker & Matan Weitz During UT’s winter break, Texas Hillel brought 21 student leaders to Israel and the West Bank as part...

Children enjoy arts and crafts as part of the programming for The Social Players!. Courtesy: Shalom Austin Since the 2020 pandemic lockdowns, parents have worried about the impact that isolation and Zoom classrooms would have on their children. In a recent Gallup...

1 Left. Yohay Sponder, entertainer for IGNITE! 2026. Courtesy: Yohay Sponder 2 Top Right. Lawrence Maze, Joseph Krassner Campaign Leadership Award Recipient. Credit: Andrew Holmes 3 Bottom Right. Jennifer Failla, Hymie & Louise Samuelson Leadership Award...

Rabbi Brian Leiken formally installed as Senior Rabbi at Congregation Beth Israel. Courtesy: Oliver Bernstein By Oliver Bernstein Congregation Beth Israel shook with excitement November 14-15 as hundreds of community members poured in for the installation weekend of...

Former AJA eighth-grader Sidney Nisenfeld giving a presentation on Code Talkers on Portfolio Day 2024. Courtesy: AJA By Abby Rapoport Each year, students at Austin Jewish Academy step into a role many adults find daunting: publicly presenting their academic work to an...

Rabbi Amy B Cohen. Credit: Andrew Holmes In May, Shalom Austin Jewish Family Service announced Rabbi Amy B. Cohen, who served as Shalom Austin Chief Social Services Officer and JFS Executive Director since 2020, was transitioning to a new position as Community...

Volunteers with Shalom Austin Women's Philanthropy at the Inspired Aging Hanukkah Luncheon. Credit: Andrew Holmes By Allison Teegardin  Every year, volunteers with Shalom Austin Women's Philanthropy dedicate their time and pour their hearts into helping create...

DJ Olsson celebrates 25 years as a staff member at the Dell JCC. Credit: Allison Teegardin By Allison Teegardin  Reflecting on the past 25 years of the memories made on the Dell Jewish Community Campus, several members have been a part of the Dell Jewish Community...

Local clergy and JFS therapists attend In Shared Memory as part of JFS Suicide Prevention Awareness programming. L-R: Maura Kinney, Audrey Burnett, Rabbi Kelly Levy, Cantorial Soloist Sarah Avner, Rabbi Eleanor Steinman, Rabbi Rebecca Reice, Rabbi Amy B. Cohen....

The older division high school counselors at the year Opening Seminar. Courtesy: Gili Meidan By Deborah Fuchs The past few years have tested the strength of Israelis everywhere. After the isolation of the pandemic, the political turmoil, and the devastating war, many...

Emilie Rosenfeld and Carli Price with author Yardena Schwartz. Credit: Andrew Holmes By Allison Teegardin  On November 13, 120 people attended Shalom Austin Women’s Philanthropy Book Lovers Breakfast featuring award winning journalist and best-selling author Yardena...

Attendees listen at the Burt Kunik JAMen Forum. Credit: Alachua Haskins By Alachua Haskins The Burt Kunik JAMen Forum, a signature initiative of Shalom Austin, launched its ninth season in November with a dynamic and thought-provoking evening that brought together 130...

Festival supporters Peach and Cynthia Reynolds model this year’s AJFF T-shirts at the closing reception on November 9 at the Dell JCC.  Credit: David Finkel Photography Contributed by David Finkel  The 23rd Austin Jewish Film Festival (AJFF) shone brightly,...

JWV member Jerry Silverman (z”l) returns a snappy salute from an unnamed patient at the Dallas VA Medical Center, ca. 2019. Credit: Retired Air Force photojournalist MSgt Patrick Nugent By Steve Krant, US Air Force (Retired), Commander of Jewish War Veterans...

Members of Austin Post 757, Jewish War Veterans of the USA march on Congress Avenue at the 2025 Veteran’s Day Parade. Credit: Steve Krant By Steve Krant, US Air Force (Retired), Commander of Jewish War Veterans Department of Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana & Oklahoma...