HILLEL
SAN ANTONIO
Hillel’s network of dedicated student leaders, professionals and volunteers have encouraged generations of young adults to celebrate Jewish learning and living, pursue social justice (tikkun olam and tzedek) and connect to their peers and the global Jewish people. By participating in life-changing trips and campus initiatives, students learn to make a meaningful impact on the future of the Jewish people and the world while they grow intellectually, socially, and spiritually.
Our Mission: Enriching the lives of Jewish students so that they may enrich the Jewish people and the world.
Our Vision: We envision a world where every student is inspired to make an enduring commitment to Jewish life, learning and Israel.
PROGRAMS
Students desiring to get involved and connect with other Jewish students and the wider community can do so through our diverse programming opportunities. Hillel San Antonio's program pillars are:
JEWISH LIFE & LEARNING
“Jewish Campus Life” is all about empowering Jewish young adults to strengthen their Jewish identity in whatever way connects with them at this point in their journey.
Hillel provides meaningful Jewish experiences to hundreds of thousands of Jewish college and university students around the world. Over 90% of college-aged Jews in the United States attend an institution of higher learning, and we envision a world where every Jewish student is inspired to make an enduring commitment to Jewish life, learning and Israel. The future of the Jewish people rests on the next generation’s confidence in charting their own Jewish life, and we provide that foundation.
SOCIAL JUSTICE
College students want to change the world. They are building homes around the world. They are saving lives through bone marrow donations. They are planting trees, volunteering in soup kitchens, and raising money for charity. But college students can’t do all of this amazing work alone. That’s where Hillel comes in.
We help students explore the intersection of universal and individual values. Hillel:
Connects students to service and social justice opportunities
Convenes like-minded organizations and student groups
Creates engaging resources for Jewish service learning and reflection.
ISRAEL
Israel is at the heart of Hillel’s work. Our goal is to inspire every Jewish college student to develop a meaningful and enduring relationship to Israel and to Israelis. Whether they want to engage in deep dialogue or are politically active in mobilizing others to support Israel, we enable students to share a rich connection to Israel and to each other as a people. Engaged and educated students can become committed Jewish adults who are passionate supporters of Israel.
STUDENT LEADERSHIP & ENGAGEMENT
Hillel’s goal is to engage our Jewish peers on issues that matter to them and create more meaningful Jewish experiences. These interactions can shape their Jewish identity and provide a foundation that they can build upon for the rest of their lives. Hillel provides leadership opportunities for those students interested in becoming part of the planning and implementation process for all that goes on in our organization. There are several ways to get involved!
CAMPUS BASED INTERNSHIPS
The Student Interns strive to expand and enhance Jewish life in San Antonio by ensuring diverse opportunities for Jewish expression, developing student leaders, and promoting a welcoming, pluralistic community.
- Management Intern
- Engagement Intern
- Social Justice Intern
- Webmaster & Communications Intern
-Management and Campus Initiatives Intern
FYSH & MISHPAHA
First Year Students of Hillel (FYSH) is a student-led program that aims to create an instant community for incoming students, whether a freshman or transfer student. FYSH welcomes students at any year in their college career that are looking to make a connection in their Jewish community. Each member of FYSH is mentored by a returning active member of Hillel. Each mentor is paired with approximately 2-4 FYSHies, acting as a small family unit within our larger Hillel community.
ISRAEL SCHOLARS
Israel Scholars inspires students to have a greater sense of Jewish pride and in the state of Israel. The program deepens one’s understanding of Israel, through exciting and interactive sessions.
The topics that will be covered are: History/ Democracy and Shared Values/ Israeli Government and Policies, Diversity in Israel, Education and Innovation, and Israeli Pop Culture & Israel Defense Forces.
JEWISH LEARNING FELLOWSHIP
The Jewish Learning Fellowship (JLF) is a 8-week conversational seminar for students looking to deepen their understanding of Judaism on their own terms. JLF adds two critical components to traditional study: 1) It builds a cohort of students within each class who befriend one another and support each other in their entrance into Jewish communal life, and 2) it teaches classical Jewish texts by drawing on the life experience and intuition of college students.
FRESHMAN LEADERSHIP SERIES
Hillel San Antonio’s Leadership Series is a 3-session course designed for emerging Jewish freshmen and sophomore leaders. Students will have opportunities to explore leadership topics, get to know other Jewish students from other schools, connect with Hillel San Antonio staff and current student leaders, and learn more about Hillel.
Hillel is one of the largest, successful, and strongest organizations on campus and internationally. There is no commitment beyond simply participating in this series, you will learn more about leadership and become more involved in Hillel and Jewish life on campus.
BIRTHRIGHT
Birthright Israel is a not-for-profit organization providing the gift of a 10 day educational group trip to Israel for Jewish young adults between the ages of 18 to 32. Our 10-day trip is an enhanced experience with Israeli peers for all 10 days, visits to army bases, and a hand-picked itinerary tailored to our students. Get ready to make 40 new friends and have the experience of a lifetime!