Rabbi Stephanie Max, Executive Director

Rabbi Max is thrilled to be joining the Texas Hillel family in late July 2023. Born in Dallas and raised in Rochester, New York, Rabbi Max has a love for hot summers and snowy winters – but she’ll survive without the latter.

Rabbi Max has served as the Associate Director at Brandeis Hillel for the past five years, working alongside students and staff to transform the organization, growing student engagement and programming, strengthening university partnerships, expanding the professional staff, and launching new program initiatives. She recently participated in fellowships with the Avodah Institute for Social Change and the Shalom Hartman Institute.

Rabbi Max previously served as Associate Director & Director of Content for Convergence on Campus, Program Director of the Interfaith Youth Initiative, and Rabbinic Fellow at Tufts Hillel. Rabbi Max received ordination in 2019 from Hebrew College.

During rabbinical school, she spent two years in Israel, studying at the Conservative Yeshiva, Pardes, the Shalom Hartman Institute, and BINA, where she also taught in their post-college program. Rabbi Max holds a BA in Sociocultural Anthropology and Hispanic Language and Literature from Boston University.

Prior to attending rabbinical school, Rabbi Max was a chef in Boston, Austin, and Upstate New York. She is always happy to share recipes and stories! Rabbi Max and her husband, Andrew Max, are excited to get to know the Austin Jewish community. Andrew is an avid football fan and is eager to cheer on the Longhorns and help the rabbi understand what’s happening during the game.

She looks forward to getting settled in Austin and working with our students, staff, lay leaders, and community members.

Email: smax@texashillel.org

Jordenne Parker, Assistant Director

Jordenne grew up in Southern California, but considers Austin to be home. She served as the Operations Manager with Texas Hillel for almost two years before transitioning to Assistant Director in July 2020. Jordenne has an extensive background in student affairs, operations, and event planning, and is excited to use this knowledge to continue serving students at Texas Hillel!

Jordenne earned both her Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology and her Master’s Degree in Higher Education Administration from UT. She began her professional career as an Academic Counselor in the Athletics Department at UT, where she was responsible for operations, event planning, student resources, programming, and academic advising for student-athletes. She then went on to serve as part of the Masa Israel Teaching Fellows 2017-2018 cohort in Netanya, Israel, where she was able to participate in Masa’s leadership programming and the Masa Hillel Fellowship.

Jordenne completed her 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training in June 2019 and loves helping others connect with yoga in a way that helps them feel good. In her free time, you’ll find her spending time with her husband, Chris and their dog, Pancake, swimming laps, practicing pilates and yoga, trying to speak Hebrew, cheering on the Longhorns, and appreciating all the breakfast tacos Austin has to offer.

Email: jparker@texashillel.org

Rabbi Andy Weissfeld, Rabbi & Senior Jewish Educator

Rabbi Andy grew up in Pittsburgh, PA. but considers many places, including Washington DC, New York City, Jerusalem, Palmer (MA) and Austin second homes.  He earned his Rabbinic ordination and a Masters in Jewish Education from the Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS) in May 2023. While at JTS, Andy served as a Rabbinic Fellow at Hunter Hillel and Dayenu: A Jewish Call to Climate Action. He also interned at Congregation Beth El in Vorhees, NJ and as a Chaplain for survivors of elder abuse with the Jewish Association Serving the Aging in Brooklyn.  Rabbi Andy graduated from University of Maryland, with a degree in Jewish Studies and Sociology. It was at Hillel, where Andy met many of the people who would become his close friends. Following a couple years of Hillel BBQs, spring break trips, and shabbat onegs, those same friends convinced Andy to work with them at Camp Ramah, where he has served as a unit head for the last seven summers. Lastly, Rabbi Andy had the chance to learn and live in Israel twice, once after high-school with the Nativ gap year program and, more recently, at the Conservative Yeshiva and JTS from 2019-2020. 
 
In his free time, Andy loves to cook, root for his hometown Pittsburgh Steelers, watch sci-fi TV, and go on walks, runs, or bike rides. He lives in East Austin with his fiance Emma and his super friendly dog Derek. 
 

Ayala Huber, Operations Manager

Ayala grew up in Houston, Texas and is a proud Texas Ex. She studied Government and Middle Eastern Studies before graduating from UT in 2019. She previously served as the Shabbat chair on our Student Executive Cabinet and as the Jewish Student Life Intern during her time as a student at Texas Hillel. Ayala has been active in the Austin Jewish community since her time as a student and looks forward to the opportunity to continue to serve the community through Hillel.

Email: ahuber@texashillel.org

Ty Langley, Springboard Social Justice Fellow

Ty grew up in sunny Los Angeles, CA, before attending Lewis and Clark College in “not-so-sunny” Portland, Oregon. Ty majored in Religious Studies and minored in Gender Studies. Ty’s passion for Jewish Education began at an early age as a camper at Wilshire Boulevard Temple Camps. She spent seven summers as a camper, followed by stints in counseling, logistics, and programming. She attended the Cornerstone Seminar in 2019 as part of the camp leadership team. Ty was also honored to participate in the Experiential Education Internship with The Jewish Federations for North America, where she deepened her creative programming skills.
 
When not focused on her studies and non-profit work, you can find Ty sitting in a coffee shop
drinking an iced honey lavender latte (with oat milk, of course) and journaling. She is an avid
thrifter and never passes up an opportunity to make a great find. She is also a lover of the outdoors, from hiking to running and occasionally camping. Ty is thrilled to be starting a new role as a Springboard Fellow in Austin, Texas, in August 2022. She is excited to meet the students and find inventive and intentional ways to make an impact at Texas Hillel.

Aviva Mangista, Jewish Agency Israel Fellow to Texas Hillel

Aviva grew up in Netanya, Israel and just finished her third year studying Diplomacy and Strategy at IDC Herzliya. During her studies, she completed a two-month internship at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC. It was a very interesting and special experience for her. In the course of her time at IDC, she has taken part in a number of clubs including the Language Club, the Ambassadors Club, Women’s Entrepreneurship, the Forum for the Advancement of Political Students, and more. She is a graduate of the Bnei Akiva Youth Movement and also worked for them, and she credits many of her values, especially for Zionism and Judaism to the movement.

Her hobbies are reading, spending time with family and friends, traveling, and meeting new people. Aviva really wants to learn a variety of languages and is a big believer that food is something that can connect and bring people together. She is very excited to be in Austin and can’t wait to learn from the students and staff at Texas Hillel!

Email: amangista@texashillel.org

Sade Storthz, Birthright Israel IACT Coordinator

Sade is in her second year as Texas Hillel’s IACT Coordinator and has loved every minute of her time in Austin.  She was born and raised in Arkansas and studied English and Education at the University of Virginia, where she became very involved with their  Hillel.
 
Sade has travelled around the world, has tried hot chocolate in over 20 countries, and lived in Tel Aviv prior to becoming our IACT.  She loves long walks around Ladybird Lake and hosting tea parties.  So, if you want to walk/run, spill some חי tea, travel with her (#Birthright) or be in a Hillel Tik Tok-reach out!
 

Helaine Wolf, Development and Family & Alumni Relations Manager

Helaine is a proud second generation Longhorn. Fourteen members of her family have attended the University of Texas at Austin, including all four of her sons.  Helaine holds a B.A. in marketing from McCombs and had a long career in mall marketing and management before starting her own customer service and mystery shopping company.  After years of extensive volunteering for various Jewish organizations, PTAs and Booster Clubs, Helaine joined Texas Hillel in 2018.  She can often be found at Shabbat spoiling our students with extra challah.  Plus, her brownies are legendary at Hillel.

 

Email: hwolf@texashillel.org

 

Emily Siegler, JFS/Hillel Counselor

Texas Hillel is thrilled to announce an exciting new partnership with Jewish Family Service in Austin, with the hiring of Emily Siegler as the JFS/Hillel Counselor. Emily will be available to students for one-on-one therapy, by appointment, and will be offering group sessions and educational workshops as well. If you are a current student in the Austin area and are interested in scheduling a session with Emily, please complete this interest form: JFS/Hillel Counseling Interest Form

This partnership is made possible with the generous support from the Jarrell and Shirley Rubinett Family Foundation, the Houston Jewish Community Foundation, and the Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas.

More about Emily: Emily Siegler completed her undergraduate education at the University of Kansas and received a Master’s degree in Human Development Counseling at Vanderbilt University.  Emily has experience working with adolescents and adults struggling with chronic pain, severe mental health concerns, as well as facilitating mindfulness-based psychoeducational group therapy.  Emily utilizes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and a sensorimotor approach in her work with clients as well as relational and mindfulness-based techniques.  

Emily is a Licensed Professional Counselor-Associate and is receiving supervision from Emma Howitt, LPC.

Emily recently moved to Austin from Nashville, TN. She enjoys Barton Springs, playing tennis and good ice cream. Emily is excited to join the JFS/Hillel community!