Each year, Texas Hillel provides students with multiple avenues to travel outside of Austin and gain new perspective. 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 Birthright Israel Coordinator, Israel Fellow, and other staff members. 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 Birthright Recruitment Interns 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 Sade Storthz to learn more!

Onward Israel 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 Onward Israel. 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 an Onward Israel breakout seminar and explore all that Israel has to offer on the weekends. Learn more here or contact Sade Storthz to talk more about Onward Israel and the application process. Please note that this internships through the Onward program are highly competitive and spots fill up quickly. Applications for the Summer 2024 Onward Israel Internship Program will open in the fall 2023 semester.

Texas Hillel also leads an annual Perspectives Trip. 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. Hillel’s goal is to give students an opportunity to see Israel first-hand and to learn from speakers from diverse backgrounds who have many different perspectives. Each student that participates is someone whose aim is to learn and grow so they may help the UT community. Acceptance to the Perspectives program is based on a written application and interview. Participation in this program is subsidized and airfare, hotel, and program costs are covered for students.  Contact Jordenne Parker for more information and to learn about the application process. 

Texas Hillel aims to provide meaningful service learning trips each year. Our Springboard Social Justice Fellow 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 Ty Langley for more information.