Challenges and Resilience: Building Up and Protecting Jewish Communities. Austin Community Leaders Travel to Germany and Israel for Leadership Mission
L-R: Jennifer Failla, Shana Creeger, Frances Meltzer at the Peres Center for Peace and Innovation. Courtesy: Shana Creeger “My most recent mission trip to Berlin and Israel left me with such pride and hope for all the hard work being done to build and protect our...
Remembering Rabbi Monty Eliasov
JRabbi Monty Eliasov z”l. Courtesy: Barbara Taft By Abraham Davidson Rabbi Arnold Montgomery Eliasov ( z”l), affectionately known as “Rabbi Monty,” passed away peacefully on Shabbat, July 20, 2024, after a sudden illness. In his final hours, he was surrounded by...
Local Jewish Summer Camp Gives a Big Texas Welcome to Israeli Campers
Campers2gether campers creating a bunk tallit for Shabbat t’filah blessings. Courtesy: URJ Greene Family Camp By Allison Teegardin In July, 26 Israeli teenagers who were displaced when their community Kibbutz Zikim was attacked on October 7, were welcomed to URJ...
Congregation Beth Israel’s New Interim Rabbi Focuses on the Fun in Judaism
Rabbi David N. Young and his wife, Cantor Natalie Young, in Chicago. Courtesy: Rabbi Young By Corrie MacLaggan Congregation Beth Israel has a new interim rabbi who believes passionately in making Judaism fun, leads a Dungeons & Dragons group for rabbis and...
ECP Family Opens Their Home to Israeli Guests
Amit Kanfer and his family. Courtesy: Amit Kanfer Twenty years ago, at the age of 22, right after the Israeli Army and just before college, Amit Kanfer was offered to travel to four states in the U.S. as part of the JCC Maccabi Games program. This offer didn’t come...
Esther the Clever Queen: A Retelling for the 21st Century
Trinidad Agosto will be King Ahasuerus. Courtesy: GSA Queen Esther will be performed by Amy Selby. Courtesy: GSA Austinite Ira R. Forman. Courtesy: Ira R. Forman By Diane Radin Many have read the whole megillah and watched a Purim spiel or two. What more is...
National Council of Jewish Women Kicks Off a Big Year with Multiple September Activities
Top Row: Joan Maniere, Marty Henderson, Rabbi Rebecca Reice, Sharon Krumholz, Ruth Ann Plotkin, Merle Dover, Beth Payan, Raquel Schuster, Marcelle Friedman, Melissa Drexler, Ettie Baranoff, Suzanne Newberg Second Row: Michele Schwartz, Paula Friedman, Christine...
Austin Women Bond Over Volunteer in Israel Experience
Lauren Halpern, Heilla Lain, Terry Benaryeh, and Michelle Rechenberg (far right) with an Israeli local. Courtesy: JNF By JD Krebs Terry Benaryeh, Lauren Halpern, Michelle Reichenberg and Heilla Lain have all known each other for decades. From Pilates classes to...
Shalom Austin’s Generous Grant Fuels New Mental Health and Disability Loan Program
Goodman Family of five from left to right: Greg, Ezra, Meadow (z"l), Eden, and Lulu. Courtesy: Greg Goodman By Debbie Cohen (CONTENT ADVISORY - Mentions of suicide.) In an extraordinary act of community support, Shalom Austin has provided a generous grant to fund...
AJPR Prepares for Big Influx of Refugee Families in the Fall
Nancy Wolf, AJPR co-founder and board member, speaking about volunteer opportunities in front of a previous gathering. Courtesy: Bettie Forman By Bettie Forman Austin Jews and Partners for Refugees estimates they will be helping to support and settle around 200 new...
Two Austin Teens Selected to Serve on National Federation of Temple Youth Board
Frogby Sachs and Shayna Levy. Courtesy: Sandy Dochen By Sandy Dochen Not one but two Austin teenagers who grew up at Temple Beth Shalom are serving as national board members this year for the National Federation of Temple Youth, or NFTY, associated with the Union...
Congregation Shalom Rav Remembers Beloved Rabbi
Rabbi Monty Eliasov z"l. Credit: Tahni Handal By Salkana Schindler, MSN, RN Arnold Montgomery Eliasov (z”l), known to most as Rabbi Monty, was born in 1946 in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. He came from a family of Jewish merchants and farmers; he grew...
Krasoff Jewish Family Service Building Opens Soon
By Rabbi Amy B. Cohen Shalom Austin Jewish Family Service is thrilled to be opening their central office later this summer on the Dell Jewish Community Campus. The beautiful new building will house over fifteen staff members including counselors, case managers, the...
Next Step Foundation’s Upili Program Is Impacting Youths with Disabilities in Nairobi
Team Upili from left to right: Peter Simiyu, Carla Birnberg and Mariam Ndegwa at Joytown Special School in Thika, Kenya. Credit: Carla Birnberg For the past four years, Chief Storyteller for the Next Step Foundation, based in Austin and Nairobi, Carla Birnberg's...
Inspiring Jewish Journeys across a Growing Greater Austin
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...
Journey of Growth: Chabad’s Growth the Austin Jewish Community
Cover Photo: From left to right: Rabbis & Rebbetzins Levi Levertov, Menucha Levertov, Nechomele Levertov, Shmuly Levertov, Rochel Levertov, Yosef Levertov, Mendy Levertov, Mussy Levertov, Rikki Hertz, Mendel Hertz, Mendel Marasow, Mussi Marasow. Not pictured are...
Austin Community Rocks at IGNITE!
From left to right: Marty Davis, Robin Davis, Lainie Polland, Jonathan Polland. Credit: Lindsay Thorne Photography By Margaret Praderas On Sunday, April 7, 2024, more than 1,000 community members gathered for an evening of celebration and commemoration at Shalom...
Shalom Austin Honors Achievements and Milestones at 2024 Annual Meeting
From left to right: Community gather in the Epstein Family Community Hall for Shalom Austin's 2024 Annual Meeting on May 21, 2024. Credit: Andrew Holmes By Wendy Goodman Shalom Austin held their 2024 annual meeting on May 21 with more than 100 community members in...
Shalom Austin Allocates $269,000 in Grants to Non-profit Community Partners
Shalom Austin’s Impact Grants Categories for 2024 By Amanda Sokolosky In a record-setting cycle, Shalom Austin recently distributed $269,000 in grants to twenty-one local nonprofit organizations whose missions and objectives align with six key focus areas...
Shalom Austin’s Meaningful Month of May Holds Even More Meaning This Year
Community members dance and enjoy musical performance by the Dayan Family at Yom HaAtzmaut celebration at the Dell JCC on May 19, 2024. Credit: Rebecca Golden By Alachua Haskins The Jewish people are held by their calendar. They celebrate together, mourn together,...
Strategic Growth: Shalom Austin Adds Two Key Positions and New Departments
(Left) Shalom Austin's Senior Israel Educator Michal Ilai. Credit: Andrew Holmes (Right) Shalom Austin's Public Affairs Director Emily Bourgeois. Credit: Andrew Holmes By Rachel Stern Recently, Shalom Austin’s Bernard & Audre Rapoport Center for Jewish Culture...
From Colombia to the Dell JCC: Los Papis’ Journey to Austin Jewish Community
The Zumba Papis at The Dell JCC. Credit: Jolie Estes By Mark Pattis Los Papis, also known as the Zumba Papis, have brought new energy and boundless smiles to the group exercise program at the Dell JCC. “Sergio and Andrew bring a dynamic to our staff and to our...
IAC Austin’s B’not Mitzvah Program Celebrates Three Years of Empowering Young Women
B'not Mitzvah challah baking with Nathalie Miller. Credit: Ofir Hagay Nevel By Devora Fuchs The Israeli American Council Austin’s (IAC) B'not Mitzvah program has become a cherished part of the local Jewish community over the past three years, marking a milestone in...
Austin Jewish Academy Empowers Community Through Parent Education Events
By Kari Loya Last spring, Austin Jewish Academy (AJA) hosted two parent education events on important topics related to developing social and emotional intelligence in children. Just before the Pesach holiday, Shayna Feldman Barksdale, LCSW-S, presented at a lunch...
That’s a Wrap: JAMen Forum Season 7 in Photos
Community members and leaders at the JAMen Forum Season 7 event in May 2024 with JAMen guest speaker Rodney Terry, Texas Longhorns Men’s Basketball Coach, University of Texas at Austin (center). Credit: Andrew Holmes By Jay Rubin The Shalom Austin Jewish...
Dell JCC Celebrates its Members with Two Milestone Events in April and May
Members enjoy a Mega Zumba event to celebrate the Dell JCC's one-year anniversary on April 26, 2024. Credit: Dalia Galpern By Thy Hooks and Wendy Goodman The Dell JCC celebrated the first anniversary of its new building opening on April 26, 2024. To mark the...
Efforts to Fight Campus Antisemitism Welcomed by Texas Commission
The Texas Holocaust, Genocide, and Antisemitism Advisory Commission (THGAAC) welcomes Governor Greg Abbott’s recent executive order to fight antisemitism at colleges and universities and ensure a safe learning environment for Jewish students and all Texans. “We are...
Memorial Day Mitzvah: Jewish War Veterans Post 757 Honors the Fallen
From left to right: Gregg Philipson holding bugle; Alana Pompa and Bob Kaplan beginning to hoist the flag. Credit: Steve Krant By Steve Krant, U.S. Air Force (Retired) In a time-honored tradition, Austin’s Post 757, Jewish War Veterans of the USA (JWV) performed a...
National Make-A-Will Month Inspires Legacy Planning
By Jennifer Kohn Koppel The long list of official commemorative months is filled with curious tributes: National Bread Baking Month, National Smile Month, National Novel Month, but National Make-A-Will Month in August is one that everyone should stop and think...
From Borrower to Donor: A Journey of Financial Empowerment with Hebrew Free Loan of Austin
Kristin Fine has gone full circle from borrower to donor with Hebrew Free Loan of Austin. Courtesy: Hebrew Free Loan of Austin By Hannah Lapin Life often presents unforeseen challenges, putting one’s resilience to the test. For Kristin Fine, a resident of Austin, her...
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