Texas A&M Hillel

Texas A&M Hillel is the oldest Hillel Foundation organization in the United States. The organization was founded in 1920, three years before the national Hillel Foundation was organized at University of Illinois. Texas A&M Hillel began as the "TAMC Menorah Club" and was organized in 1916 by Dr. Jacob Joseph Taubenhaus (the chief of plant pathology and physiology at the Agricultural and Mechinical College in College Station), and his wife Esther Taubenhaus. In 1920, the group was transformed into the "TAMC Hillel Club" with assistance from Rabbi David Lefkowitz of Dallas. [ [http://books.google.com/books?id=abwSjUgVQwIC&pg=PA160&dq=texas+a%26m+hillel&sig=ACfU3U30Xh9TCM_YhhQJ2GihECDKVRsaGA From Christian Science to Jewish Science: Spiritual Healing and American Jews] Oxford University Press page 160] [cite news | url=http://www.jewishweek.org/news/newscontent.php3?artid=10860 | publisher=The Jewish Week | title=A Cushy Fit In Bush Country | author=Gabrielle Birkner | date=2005-05-06 | accessdate=2007-12-30] [ [http://www.tamuhillel.org/about/history/ Texas A&M Hillel History] Texas A&M Hillel Retrieved on 2008-07-09]

In 1958, Texas A&M Hillel opened up a building of its own. During this period, some members of Temple Freda in Bryan, Texas left to attend services at the Hillel building in College Station, Texas. Presently, Temple Freda's Torah is under the care of Texas A&M Hillel. [ [http://books.google.com/books?id=oXOnaWM4NBMC&pg=PA191&dq=texas+a%26m+hillel&sig=ACfU3U1ZLTQUYjBJVLS2ySnk9ekDLJvoIA Lone Stars of David: The Jews of Texas] University Press of New England page 191]

Texas A&M Hillel sponsors campus wide activities such as "Holocaust Week" and interreligious football Sundays, also known as "G-d's Cup." They offer bar mitzvah training, a Hebrew language class, and a course of study called "Jews-by-Choice (JbC)". [cite news | url=http://www.dallasjewishweek.com/dallas-jewish-week-4736.html| publisher=Dallas Jewish Week | title=Spring at Texas A&M Hillel| author= | date=2002-02-28 | accessdate=2008-07-06] Texas A&M Hillel sponsors regular festivals and Sabbath services. In November of 2007, officers from the “Proactive Police Task Force” of College Station, who were studying under Rabbi Dr. Peter Tarlow, gave a presentation called “Know Your Rights” in lieu of a Shabbat sermon. Another service in November of 2006 was dedicated to a presentation on "the culture of Hispanic Judaism." [cite news | url=http://www.jhvonline.com/default.asp?sourceid=&smenu=128&twindow=Default&mad=No&sdetail=3518&wpage=1&skeyword=&sidate=&ccat=&ccatm=&restate=&restatus=&reoption=&retype=&repmin=&repmax=&rebed=&rebath=&subname=&pform=&sc=1291&hn=jhvonline&he=.com| publisher=Jewish Herald-Voice | title=‘Know Your Rights’ Shabbat at Texas A&M| author= | date=2007-11-15 | accessdate=2008-07-06] [cite news | url=http://media.www.thebatt.com/media/storage/paper657/news/2006/11/17/News/Hillel.Opens.Eyes.To.Hispanic.Judaism-2466890.shtml| publisher=The Battalion | title=Hillel opens eyes to Hispanic Judaism| author=Cristine Mayer| date=2006-11-17| accessdate=2008-07-06] [cite news | url=http://media.www.thebatt.com/media/storage/paper657/news/2005/03/07/News/Rabbi.Explains.Spirit.Of.Shabbat-887289.shtml| publisher=The Battalion | title=Rabbi explains Spirit of Shabbat| author=Liang Liang| date=2005-03-07| accessdate=2008-07-06] The organizaiton awards two scholarships annually. [cite news | url=http://texasjewishpost.com/default.asp?sourceid=&smenu=1&twindow=&mad=&sdetail=2782&wpage=1&skeyword=&sidate=&ccat=&ccatm=&restate=&restatus=&reoption=&retype=&repmin=&repmax=&rebed=&rebath=&subname=&pform=&sc=1128&hn=texasjewishpost&he=.com| publisher=Texas Jewish Post | title=Texas A&M Hillel announces scholarship winners| author= | date=2008-01-03| accessdate=2008-07-09] In 2008, Texas A&M Hillel was asked by a community in the Huánuco Region of Peru to come to Peru and help build a synagogue. [cite news | url=http://www.jhvonline.com/default.asp?sourceid=&smenu=128&twindow=Default&mad=No&sdetail=4184&wpage=1&skeyword=&sidate=&ccat=&ccatm=&restate=&restatus=&reoption=&retype=&repmin=&repmax=&rebed=&rebath=&subname=&pform=&sc=1291&hn=jhvonline&he=.com| publisher=Jewish Herald-Voice | title=Aggies to help build synagogue| author= | date=2008-02-28 | accessdate=2008-07-06]

Rabbi Dr. Peter Tarlow, an expert in tourism security, has been the executive director of Texas A&M Hillel since 1983. [cite news | url=http://www.jewishweek.org/news/newscontent.php3?artid=10860 | publisher=The Jewish Week | title=A Cushy Fit In Bush Country | author=Gabrielle Birkner | date=2005-05-06 | accessdate=2007-12-30] [cite news | url=http://media.www.thebatt.com/media/storage/paper657/news/2004/06/30/News/Senate.Approves.20.Million.For.Ams.Nerrtc-690476.shtml | publisher=The Battalion | title=Senate approves $20 million for A&M's NERRTC | author=Lacy Ledford | date=2004-06-30| accessdate=2007-12-31] [ [http://www.tamuhillel.org/about/history/ Texas A&M Hillel History] Texas A&M Hillel Retrieved on 2008-07-09]

ee also

*History of the Jews in Brazos County, Texas

References

External links

*Official|http://www.tamuhillel.org/