JEWISH COMMUNITY BLOG

Denise Breard, a patron member of the Austin Jewish War Veterans Post 757, sits in the golf cart donated by Jewish War Veterans Post 757 to the Austin Veterans Administration. Credit: Cynthia Baihlah Rubin By Denise Breard During a time when Central Texans are dealing...

Shalom Austin Volunteer Gladys Chandler. Courtesy: Gladys Chandler By Allison Teegardin  Gladys Chandler moved to Austin in June 2022 from the Bay Area in California. In California, Chandler was active at Temple Beth El in San Mateo and also attended many programs at...

You don't need meat to enjoy schwarma in a pita. (Photo Credit: Emanuelle Lee. Cover design by Shalom Austin) By Emanuelle Lee (JTA) — This recipe originally appeared on The Nosher. Pita bread is often stuffed with spiced, shaved shwarma meat or crunchy, deep-fried...

Zucchini Baba Ganoush. Credit: JTA By Sonya Sanford (JTA) — This recipe originally appeared on The Nosher. Like eggplant, the traditional baba ganoush base, zucchini will easily blend up into a creamy dip. Unlike eggplant, it makes for a lighter, airier and softer...

In May, we gathered to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Dell Jewish Community Campus and Shalom Austin. What an extraordinary moment it was — to be gathered, side by side, as a community, to reflect on and celebrate all that we have built together. Looking around...

Dell Jewish Community Campus. Courtesy: Shalom Austin By Allison Teegardin and Wendy Goodman 25 years ago, a vision took root — a dream of a community united in faith, learning, and connection. What was once an idea, became a reality, a sacred space where generations...

L-R: Ma'ayan Lifshitz, Lauren Patten, Heather Krol, Lecia Sud, Frances Meltzer, Jennifer Koppel, Tammy Stone. Credit: Margaret Praderas By Margaret Praderas In May, Shalom Austin Women’s Philanthropy installed its 2025–2026 committee. This dynamic group of female...

This year’s Annual Meeting was a celebration of 25 years of impact, growth and community for Shalom Austin as well as the Dell Jewish Community Campus. By Wendy Goodman  This year’s Annual Meeting was a celebration of 25 years of impact, growth and community for...

Yom HaAtzmaut at the Dell Jewish Community Center. Credit: Jon Kniss By Alachua Haskins and Michal Ilai Every year, the period of time affectionately referred to as “The Yoms” gives the Jewish community an opportunity to mourn collective pain, celebrate triumphs, and...

Leadership at the speaker training event: top row, L-R: Hy Penn, Houston Holocaust Museum; Diane Jacobs, DOHS chair; Steve Fintel, DOHS; front row, l-r: Simon Wellner, DOHS; Lucy Katz, DOHS; Sandy Lessig, Houston Holocaust Museum; Linda Cox, DOHS. Credit: Geri...

Austin's delegation at the 2024 JCC Maccabi Games. Credit: Ira Rozen By Lauren Halpern Caroline Corson was 14 when she traveled to Omaha for The JCC Maccabi Games in 2010. She arrived with 30 other Jewish teens from Dallas, each competing in their favorite sport....

Campers come together and make lasting memories at Greene Family Camp. Courtesy: Greene Family Camp By Jessica Ochs Shalom Austin is a proud supporter of Jewish overnight camp and the meaningful role it plays in shaping the next generation. They are deeply committed...

Coach Bobby and AJA's Boys Varsity Basketball team after winning the championship. Credit: Stephanie Cousins By Natalie McKee Coach Bobby Schwartz is the athletic director and head football and basketball coach at Austin Jewish Academy, where he turned around a...

Julie Mirliss and David Finger in Montana for Togethering experience. Courtesy: Julie Mirliss By Alachua Haskins Last fall, Austin was invited to be a pilot city for “Togethering,” the Jewish Federations of North America’s immersive travel experience for young, mixed...

Forever Lions - Lions of Judah who have endowed their Lion gift to ensure a thriving Jewish community for generations to come. Credit: Andrew Holmes By Rachel Jamail On March 27, 2025, Shalom Austin hosted its 21st Mosaic Luncheon, an event that brought together over...

Jewish Federations in Texas visited the Capitol for Jewish Communities Day at the State on Feb. 4, 2025. Credit: Andrew Holmes By Emily Bourgeois The Texas Legislature closed out their legislative session on June 1, 2025. This year, Texas lawmakers put forward a list...

Tzlil Sadeh (owner) at Shevet Cafe. Courtesy: Tzlil Sadeh Big news was announced to Dell JCC members on April 21. The grand opening of Shevet Cafe at the Stephanie & Jeff Miller Family JCafe at the Dell JCC opened, bringing the first and only kosher food cafe to...

Attendees at the Burt Kunik JAMen Forum held at the Dell Jewish Community Campus. Credit: Rebecca Golden The Burt Kunik Jewish Austin Men Forum, Shalom Austin’s dinner and speaker series, finished its eighth season on May 21 featuring special guest Daniel Lubetzky,...

Kir Kraus, AJA Graduate currently studying at Cornell University. Courtesy: Kari Loya By Kari Loya AJA Student Alumni Is Thriving at Cornell University. Austin Jewish Academy’s mission is to inspire its students to transform the world. The school recently began...

Leaders from Temple Beth Shalom attend the Legacy PREP series. Credit: Andrew Holmes By Jennifer Kohn Koppel The Shalom Austin Jewish Foundation is proud to celebrate the success of Legacy PREP, a capacity-building series designed to strengthen local organizations...

Members of JWV Austin Post 757 enjoy a successful Memorial Day Poppy Drive at the Dell Jewish Community Center. Courtesy: Steve Krant By Steve Krant Members of Post 757, Jewish War Veterans of the USA, observed Memorial Day this year in the Jennifer & David...

Shari and Craig Jankowsky, HFLA Monthly Donors. Courtesy: Shari Jankowsky.  David Cohen with wife Kimberly, Member of the Full Circle Club - Former Borrower turned Donor. Courtesy: David Cohen By Debbie Cohen and Hannah Lapin At Hebrew Free Loan of Austin (HFLA), they...

Marc Wormser (Texas A&M class of 1964) speaks with current A&M students, Ilanit Algranatti, Rachel Smet, and Dylan Mandel, about student life at Hillel. Courtesy: Sheldon Lippman By Marilyn Lippman, Member, TJHS Board of Trustees The Texas Jewish Historical...

Event Chairs Jennifer Failla, Lauren Hamer, and Tracy Solomon with Elica Le Bon at the Women for Israel Cocktail Party. Credit: Jason Casady On May 7, 2025, over 300 philanthropic “wonder women” united at the Dell Jewish Community Center for Jewish National Fund-USA’s...

Alexander Ben-Esraili (fourth from the left) with other OU Advocacy LIAT Fellows inside the US Capitol. Credit: OU Advocacy Center WASHINGTON D.C. — When Alexander Ben-Esraili, a student at the University of Texas at Austin, walked the halls of Congress in May, it...

Cantor Daniel Cuper and Lorin Mor. Courtesy: Congregation Beth El Congregation Beth El is thrilled to welcome Cantor Daniel Cuper to the Congregation Beth El family! With a voice that uplifts and a spirit that inspires, Cantor Cuper, joins Beth El from Santiago,...

In a meaningful step forward, Shalom Austin has completed its annual grants process, which was guided by its strategic plan. The result: over $165,000 awarded in impact grants to a diverse group of organizations to fund innovative program initiatives requiring support...

The labyrinth on the Dell Jewish Community Campus. Credit: Allison Teegardin Shalom Austin is grateful to Matthew and Lori Steinberg for their inspiration in creating the newest addition to the walking trail on the Dell Jewish Community Campus, a labyrinth. Inspired...