B’nai B’rith Hillel Foundation

I love Texas Hillel. I don’t think there is anything about Hillel that I don’t like. The people are friendly and wonderful, the services are great, and the food is yummy.
Hillel is a wonderful place for students. The library is a great place to study and the «people» chairs are the best places on campus to take naps. (I know, I know. The chairs at the Union are great, but always full.)
Moreover, the high holy day services are the best at Hillel. I can tell you that the reform services are lively, wonderful, and all around fabulous.
If you are looking for Jewish life at Texas, Hillel is the place to find it. Hook’em!

As I continue to fill in the blank spots of my religious past (and present and future for that matter), we come to the t.u. Hillel. As a proud Aggie, I would occasionally visit the «tea sips» in Austin and check in with my good friends at Hillel. Seriously though, Austin is a great city in so many ways!
The 3 most interesting Hillel memories:
A person from the Israeli embassy telling our group adamantly that his government had absolutely no role in training members of the then Shah of Iran’s secret service (!!!).
Dating Sharon L. who I ended up running into her a few years later at a Bucks County (Pennsylvania) shul with her husband. And on top of that, her husband worked for the same company and location that I did. Small world…
Going to a Kinky Friedman (and the Texas Jew boys) concert fundraiser with Sharon L. Kinky was shit faced drunk in fine Jerry Jeff Walker style that night. At times, the Rabbi had to hold him up or retrieve him from back stage. What was also interesting was his «impressive» repertoire of anti-​Semitic jokes. Yet, if I had lived in Texas, I would have voted for him as Governor! His books are very good too.

When I moved here from Oklahoma, I left a very small fledgling, slightly boring Jewish Community. I soon realized I wanted to try to find a religious home base here. I initially went to Hillel for Friday night services and found them pretty inspiring. They keep it short (under an hour,) have orthodox, conservative and reform services, and friendly folks. Of course the service is followed by the most fabulous Shabbat meal ever. Really, I’m not kidding. And its by donation. Hillel services are open to everyone in the jewish community, not just UT students (although they are the main frequenters.) I soon found that I was coming more to Hillel for high holy day services, passover, grad student events etc. And while I do really like the Hillel, I have found it pretty intimidating to actually meet people there. The Jewish population at UT is massive and most folks already know each other, so its pretty daunting. Extra Perk: The director/​rabbi is pretty dang amazing. He is reform and funny and interesting to listen to and speaks well. All in all, really good experiences and I will go back. Now if I could only meet some more people :)