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Travel with Hillel

Each year, Texas Hillel provides students with multiple avenues to travel outside of Austin and gain new perspectives. Many of these trips are highly subsidized and Texas Hillel works with students who demonstrate financial need to ensure they have the ability to participate.

Texas Hillel has both a summer and a winter Birthright Israel Trip, staffed by our IACT Israel & Community Engagement Coordinator, Israel Fellow, Jewish Student Life staff members, and young alumni. Birthright Israel is a free, 10-day trip to Israel for Jewish students. We handle all the planning and booking flights from New York to Israel, accommodations, itineraries, and activities. We work with our trip provider to make sure that we build out an exciting and meaningful itinerary for students. Students get to explore Israel and its multifaceted culture while forming friendships and memories that last a lifetime. Students also have the option of extending their trip for up to 90 days and spending more time in Israel or traveling around after the trip concludes. Check out our upcoming trips here and contact us to learn more!

Birthright Israel Onward is an immersive internship program offering resume building placements in a wide variety of opportunities in the greater Tel Aviv area. Students can build their resume through a high-level internship based on their skills, interests, and future plans. Students will intern 4-5 days a week and immerse themselves in contemporary Israeli society through the many activities and programs offered by Birthright Israel Onward. During their free time, participants can explore Tel Aviv’s exciting nightlife, beaches, the foodie scene, and culture. They will also have the opportunity to meet peers from around the world at a breakout seminar and explore all that Israel has to offer on the weekends. Learn more here or contact us to talk more about Birthright Israel Onward and the application process. Please note that internships through the Onward program are highly competitive and spots fill up quickly. Texas Hillel is the only Jewish organization on campus that offers an official Birthright Israel Onward cohort. Applications for each summer Onward Israel Internship program will open in November of the fall semester.

Texas Hillel also leads an annual Perspectives Campus Leadership Trip. The Perspectives trip gives campus leaders the option to explore Israel and the Palestinian Authority and learn about the conflict first-hand. This trip affords a diverse group of exceptional campus leaders the chance to travel to Israel for the first time along with a small group of student leaders with previous Israel experience. This immersive trip is open to student leaders who want to deepen their knowledge, engage in challenging conversations, and help to create an environment of dialogue on campus. This is an exclusive opportunity to explore one of the most discussed issues in the world today. Spots on this trip are limited and applications will be considered on a rolling basis. Following the application process, candidates will be invited for an interview. Those who are chosen for the trip will be required to attend two mandatory orientation sessions as well as at least one speaker event prior to the trip. Participation in this program is highly subsidized and airfare, hotel, and program costs are covered for students. *This trip is focused on student leaders who have not been to Israel and will be returning to campus for at least two semesters. Campus leaders can apply for the next trip here. Contact Jordenne Parker for more information.

Texas Hillel aims to provide meaningful service learning trips each year. Our staff works with students and various communities to build trips that provide an outlet to practice the Jewish value of Tikkun Olam, or repairing the world. Some past opportunities have included:

  • JDC Inside Jewish Hungary & Romania with Texas Hillel (Budapest, HU – Bucharest, RO)

  • Give Kids the World (Kissimmee, FL)

  • Repair the World (Brooklyn, NY)

  • JDC Entwine Insider Trip (Buenos Aires, Argentina)

  • Center for Ethical Living and Social Justice Renewal (New Orleans, LA)

If you are interested in participating in a service learning or alternative spring break trip, contact us for more information.