Texas Hillel staff and student executive cabinet, in front of the Texas Hillel building, get ready for Kickoff Shabbat on Aug. 28.
Published•
Thu, Sep 10, 2026
Campus is a place of constant motion – every year, half the population turns over. Texas Hillel feels that even more, as staff and students head into both the new school year and Jewish New Year.
Hillel doesn’t take a break during the summer. While it wants to make sure that staff members get some well-deserved downtime, summer is packed.
Among the activities are Birthright Israel and Birthright Israel Onward trips (the largest cohorts this year, despite the disruption of world events, exclusively for UT students); orientation meet-ups; ongoing outreach to student leaders planning for the year ahead; new students (and families) preparing for college life; and more.
The school year begins as summer programs end with everything from Tacos at the Tower and Grillel (monthly kosher cookout, this time featuring Jewboy Burger’s chef/owner Mo Pittle) to inspiring Shabbat services, Torah study, grad student gatherings and now preparation for the High Holy Days.
Sometimes, it feels like campus life and Jewish life are pulling in opposite directions. Yet, at Texas Hillel and across the Hillel movement, there is deep engagement in Jewish life that leads to long-term success and satisfaction on campus and beyond.
College is when students discover who they are, what values drive them, what communities they want to be a part of. Texas Hillel is where these conversations and connections happen.
Texas Hillel wishes that their students – and all of us – go from strength to strength, from an amazing summer to an outstanding year ahead.
For Texas Hillel’s High Holy Days service schedule and related programs, go to texashillel.org.