Texas A&M Hillel Provides Numerous Student Travel Opportunities Throughout the Year

The  2010 Spring TAMU Hillel Panama and Peru trip

March 2010 saw TAMU Hillel students making their third trip to Peru with a stopover in Panama where we viewed the Panama Canal.  This year's journey centered on three aspects. From a tourism perspective the students visited multiple archaeological sites including the world famous Chavin site where the head archaeologist provided an in-depth private tour.  After multiple adventures the group arrived in Huánuco where Hillel students helped with the conversion ceremonies of over forty people, worked on the synagogue and participated in six wedding ceremonies.  Hillel students return to the United States not only appreciating the economic advantages that the US offers but understanding what it means to be Jewish and how many people around the world travel great distances and sacrifice both time and money in order to become part of the Jewish people.

In 5771 (academic year 2010-2011) during the Winter Break Hillel hopes to expand its Latin American Jewish programming to both Bolivia and Brazil.

During Academic Year 2010-2011 Hillel is organizing its first ever trip to the Brazilian island of Itaparica (not far from Salvador de Bahia). Students will spend a week exploring their Jewish heritage, learn about Latin American Jewish life and also visit the birth place of Brazil's famous Macumba (black magic).  During this spiritual journey the days will be dedicated to workshops such as:  International Jewish Brazilculture and History,  An Intensive Study of Jewish Life in Latin America, and The Role of Judaism in the Developing World.  Time will be set aside for a daily minyan, and a special sunset Kabbalat Shabbat Service.  Participants will also have the opportunity to improve the physical skills, with a soccer workshop and a whole array of aquatic activities.
 
If interested in this Brazilian-Jewish journey contact Hillel at hillel@tamuhillel.org.

 2011 Spring Break to Huánuco Peru

Texas A&M Hillel now offers this exciting spring break travel opportunity on an annual basis. The Spring Break trip is organized by Hillel Rabbi Peter Tarlow, and brings students to the heart of the Peruvian jungle where they are helping to build the new Jewish Community. You can read about how this opportunity began with the Huanuco Story, and can see photos from the last 3 years through our recent 2010 Spring trip here .
 
Both trips to Brazil and Peru are part of Hillel's Leading, Learning, and Succeeding Jewish Travel Series. These experiences are an incredible opportunity for our students to learn about the International Jewish Community, get to know each other and form strong bonds with their fellow Jewish Aggies, and contribute to the development and unification of Jewish communities around the world.

If interested in this incredible travel opportunity contact Hillel at hillel@tamuhillel.org or write directly to our Program Director at melanie@tamuhillel.org.

MAY 2011 Jewish Heritage Tour to Portugal

SUMMER/WINTER

Each Summer and Winter, Hillel organizes a Birthright Israel trip. Birthright Israel is a program that helps Jewish young-adults age 18-26 travel to Israel for free. You can read more about this amazing program at www.birthrightisrael.com or contact Melanie, Program Director for more information. Registration for the 2010 summer trip is now open. Keep checking for more information regarding future Birthright trips.

Summer 2011 Underground Jerusalem

Next summer our own Dr. Jessie Pincus of Texas A&M will lead a group of interested participants for summer research opportunities in Jerusalem. Learn 1st and 2nd Century history from an engineering, architectural, and archaeological perspective at Ground Zero in the Old City of Jerusalem. You can learn more about this exciting opportunity at www.mnemotrix.com/crasl/summer.html or contact Jessie Pincus, Scientific Coordinator, for more information. 

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We are always in the process of raising funds to support these travel opportunities for our young people, and we need your help! If you would like to donate to these trips please visit our paypal page below. We appreciate any and all support of these invaluable programs.