JEWISH COMMUNITY BLOG

Kosha Dillz performs at Oy Vey! Showcase on March 15, 2025 at SXSW. Credit: Wendy Goodman  By Wendy Goodman  Curated by indie rap veteran Kosha Dillz, the Oy Vey! Showcase returned to SXSW 2025 for its eighth year, where Jewish identity and cross-cultural music share...

Downtown Austin skyline during SXSW 2025. Credit: Allison Teegardin  By Allison Teegardin  In the Narrative Short Competition with a running time of 14 minutes, Unholy, written and directed by Daisy Friedman stars Danny Burstein and Olivia Nikkanen. The film is about...

Marlee Matlin addresses the audience at the SXSW screening of “Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore” on March 11, 2025. Credit: Wendy Goodman  By Wendy Goodman  At this year’s South by Southwest Film & TV Festival, the world got a closer, more personal look at Jewish...

L-R: Benjamin Sakhai, Jonathan Churi, Dillon Shipper of Schmooze Club at their SXSW Event at Wanderlust in Austin. Credit: Allison Teegardin  By Allison Teegardin  On Friday, March 9, the Austin Jewish community was invited to attend a free unofficial SXSW Shabbat...

SXSW signage during the SXSW conference and festival on March 7, 2025 in Austin, Texas. Credit: Amy E. Price  By Allison Teegardin   Taking center stage at the Austin Convention Center on March 9 were "Severance" Director & Executive Producer Ben Stiller and...

Writer and director of Death of a Unicorn Alex Scharfman speaking to the audience at SXSW 2025. Credit: Allison Teegardin  By Allison Teegardin  For SXSW 2025, a Hyatt Regency ballroom was transformed into a movie theater complete with stadium-style seating for 300,...

“Fantasy Life” actors Alessandro Nivola, Amanda Peet and writer, director, actor Matthew Shear address the audience at the March 8 world premiere on SXSW. Credit: Wendy Goodman  By Wendy Goodman  “Fantasy Life,” which premiered at the 2025 SXSW Film Festival on March...

Rabbi Mendy Levertov addresses the crowd at SXSW OpenShabbat on March 7. Credit: Wendy Goodman  By Wendy Goodman  As the sun set on Friday, March 7, hundreds came together in downtown Austin for OpenShabbat, an annual community Shabbat hosted by Tech Tribe and Chabad...

When I speak to people from out of town or who have recently moved to Austin, they are in awe of the beautiful 40-acre Dell Jewish Community Campus. A beautiful urban oasis in the heart of Austin and Northwest Hills, the Dell Jewish Community Campus has become a hub...

TOP TO BOTTOM: JCC building, c. 2000s; First event held on the proposed site of the Dell Jewish Community Campus celebrating Israel's 45th Anniversary, May 2, 1993; Construction of JCC building on the Dell Jewish Community Campus, c. 1999-2000. Courtesy: Shalom Austin...

Participants at the Jewish Population Study Group Meeting held at the Dell JCC on Sunday, February 2, 2025. Credit: Amanda Septimus By Amanda Septimus  Austin’s rapid population growth has been a headline in local and national media for quite some time. As the city...

Shalom Austin officially renames the Jewish Austin Men Dinner and Speakers Forum as the Burt Kunik JAMen Forum in honor of its founder and chair. Credit: Andrew Holmes On October 30, Shalom Austin officially renamed the Jewish Austin Men Dinner and Speakers Forum as...

RAISE participants of Shalom Orlando. Courtesy: RAISE Shalom Austin Jewish Family Service is proud to announce the upcoming launch of RAISE—an exciting step forward in supporting adults with disabilities as they develop essential job and social skills. The employment...

On January 30, 2025, Shalom Austin CEO Rabbi Daniel A. Septimus, on behalf of the Austin Jewish community, receives a proclamation honoring International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Credit: Wendy Goodman By Wendy Goodman   On January 30, 2025, members and leaders of...

Robyn Sperling. Credit: Andrew Holmes Robyn Sperling has been a dedicated Jewish community leader in Austin for the past three decades, making a lasting impact. This year, her efforts are being recognized at Mosaic, Shalom Austin Women’s Philanthropy signature event,...

Austin Lions gather during one of the plenaries at the International Lion of Judah Conference. Courtesy: Shalom Austin By Shana Creeger  In January, 25 proud Lions of Judah from Austin joined more than 1,700 Lions, community leaders and allies from 90 communities,...

Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows, second from left in front, with members of the Texas delegation at the 2025 Jewish Communities Day at the State. Courtesy: Sharyn Vane By Sharyn Vane  Dozens of Central Texas Jewish advocates joined their counterparts from across...

The cast of Unveiled with choreographer, Jesee Smart (center in white shirt). Courtesy: Glenna Bowman By Allison Teegardin    Unveiled, a musical inspired by the story of Queen Esther, will be presented in March 2025 at the historic Austin Scottish Rite Theater. As...

L-R: Rabbi Amy B. Cohen, Maura Kinney, Rabbi Melanie Levav, Audrey Burnett, Rachel Wimberley, Matt Medina. Courtesy: Matt Medina By Audrey Burnett  Almost everyone has or knows of topics that they would rather avoid. For many, talking about death is at the top of that...

Rabbi Brian Leiken and his wife, Shara Abraham, have two sons, Kaleb and Ari. Courtesy: Rabbi Brian Leiken By Corrie MacLaggan  Congregation Beth Israel has selected Rabbi Brian Leiken to be its next senior rabbi.   For the past 13 years, Leiken has served Temple Beth...

Credit: Eelco Bohtlingk via Unsplash By Linda Aronovsky Cox  Descendants of Holocaust survivors have an important voice in countering hate and antisemitism and keeping the history of the Holocaust relevant in today's world. With few Holocaust survivors left to tell...

Austin chapter ninth graders during their recent training seminar. Courtesy: Gili Meidan By Deborah Fuchs  In less than three years, the Israeli Scouts (Tzofim) in Austin have achieved what many might have thought impossible. From a small group of enthusiastic...

Austin Jewish Academy students participate in Teffilah. Credit: Jon Kniss This fall, the community marked the heartbreaking anniversary of October 7, followed by powerful Yom Kippur reflections and then a joyful Sukkot. Jewish day school education is a critical piece...

Eddie Vane. Courtesy: Austin Jewish Academy By Kari Loya  Austin Jewish Academy's mission is to inspire its students to transform the world. The school recently began profiling its alumni, who are currently attending top colleges and universities across the United...