Facility Renovation Campaign 2026
Since 1940 Hillel engages students in Jewish life and learning. As the only egalitarian, inclusive, and pluralistic Jewish campus organization at Rice University, we create a space of belonging for LGBTQ+ participants and those from interfaith backgrounds.
Rice Hillel 1950
Jewish Herald Voice 1940
Today
Engages undergraduates and graduate students primarily at Rice University in addition to more than a dozen other schools throughout Southeast Texas. Each year Hillel engages more than 600 unique individuals in more than 4,000 interactions.
Campus lunch at Rice University
Festival dinner at the Hillel Student Center
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As a student at South Texas College of Law, I learned in a very personal way how Hillel provides students with a welcoming and supportive home away from home.
During my first year at STCL my wife, Lily, and I received her stage 4 cancer diagnosis. Hillel immediately became a source of emotional and practical support and comfort for us. Rabbi Kenny Weiss and his incredible staff went above and beyond to help us in any way they could. The Hillel Student Center also played an important role in our healing. Within its walls we found a space to pray, reflect, and connect with others. We attended Shabbat and holiday celebrations and other events that provided us with a sense of normalcy and joy during a very difficult and dark time. After two years of careful consideration, Hillel’s Board of Directors and I believe it is time to fully renovate our outdated and inadequate facility. A major renovation will provide a modern and welcoming space for students to gather, learn, grow, and receive emotional and spiritual support. Hillel is a home for Jewish students where they can find themselves and each other, and it is a source of support and comfort for those who experience difficulty. A renovated building will ensure that Hillel continues to provide a welcoming and inclusive environment for all who seek it. I believe that Hillel plays a vital role in promoting Jewish life on campus and in the wider community. Lily and I are proud to be part of this important organization and capital project. Grant Beiner (Rice ‘08, STCL ‘19) Hillel Board President Capital Campaign Co-Chair Grant Beiner and Scott Friedman
Hillel introduced me to my bride when the Hillel Student Center opened its doors for Sangria in the Sukkah, an event celebrating the fall holiday of Sukkot.
Having a compelling physical space for young people to be and do Jewish is imperative. Events on campus or around the city are fine, but we need to create an updated communal space for Hillel that shows our roots, looks fresh, and feels welcoming. Hillel’s Board of Directors recognized this goal and made a commitment to renovate our current facility for our students. From undergraduate and graduate students, current and former staff and other stakeholders we heard a shared energy around the prospect of an updated gathering place for today and the future. Thank you for supporting a life-changing Sangria in the Sukkah evening, a pre-Shabbat challah baking meet up, and Hillel’s next (and next and next) creative and inclusive initiatives. Scott Friedman Hillel Immediate Past Board President Facility Renovation Committee Chair
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“At Talmud Tuesdays I really appreciate how Justin and I have been able to choose the topics and lead the conversation in directions that are relevant to us. Our small group size has allowed us to get to know each other and build a sense of community, which allows me to comfortably share my own ideas and interpretations. We always walk away with a deeper understanding and a renewed sense of curiosity.” Hannah Guffrey Rice University, 2029 “Rice Hillel has been part of my life for 21 years. When I was in college and then as a graduate student Rice Hillel was a place I could always go and feel safe and welcomed unconditionally.” Kendall Toarmina Rice University 2010, 2017 VP Hillel Board of Directors
“I first came to Rice Hillel to meet other Jewish students (and get a free meal). Now, I keep coming back to see friends and enjoy Shabbat dinners, which are such a great time to forget about weekly stresses and just relax and have fun with other Jewish students.” Andrew Cherry Rice University, 2027
“For me, Rice Hillel is different than other student groups because there is nothing at Rice that makes me feel more at home and at ease than a Jewish space, and Hillel never fails to create those spaces in every corner they can.” Sam Forman Rice University, 2027
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Join Houston Hillel as we Build for the Future Houston Hillel requests your support for the renovation of the Hillel Student Center. Your participation will have a lasting impact not only on the lives of Jewish students at Rice University, but also for much smaller campus communities throughout Houston and Southeast Texas. Since its establishment in 1997, the Hillel Student Center adjacent to Rice University has provided a home for countless Jewish college students, particularly Rice students who frequently walk over for Shabbat dinners, Jewish learning, and other events and programs. However, generations of student use have taken a toll on Hillel’s facility (a 1930s house enveloped by a 1980s addition) as maintenance and repair costs continue to mount. The consensus of Hillel’s Board of Directors is that a major renovation of our facility is necessary to serve students, honor the legacy of those donors whose generosity enabled us to acquire our facility more than thirty years ago, and ensure Hillel’s future success. The deteriorating condition of Hillel’s current building increasingly distances students who find the building run-down and unattractive. Among the challenges, Hillel’s staff members must work remotely for much of the year because the air conditioning systems cannot sufficiently cool the facility during the summer and fall, and with each rainstorm leaks in the roof and HVAC ductwork make interior spaces unusable. We plan to fully renovate the Hillel Student Center’s interior spaces, including the floors, ceilings, and many walls. We will replace our leaking roof and HVAC systems. We will create beautiful exterior spaces that invite students to spend time with each other. We will add interior and exterior security features to provide a safe environment. Our plans for a renovated facility have energized students, alumni, and community stakeholders, who shared their thoughts and opinions during focus group sessions our leadership held during the visioning phase of our project. Rice students in particular tell our staff that they see a renovated facility as a welcoming place close to campus to gather and study, and feel that they will use our newly renovated Student Center with greater frequency than today. Our renovation budget goal is $3.5 million, of which we have raised more than $2 million from more than 100 donors. We also have opportunities to build Houston Hillel’s endowment, which is currently more than $1 million. We are pleased to share that 100% of Hillel’s Board of Directors and both of Houston Hillel’s senior professional staff members have made pledges to our Capital Campaign. Thank you for considering a gift to Hillel’s facility renovation.
Rabbi Kenny Weiss Executive Director
Grant Beiner and Rozanne Rubin Capital Campaign Chairs
Scott Friedman Facility Renovation Committee Chair
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Diverse gathering spaces and meeting rooms for a wide range of programs Welcoming environment for off-campus studying and remote work State of the art technology
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Kosher teaching kitchen for cooking classes and pre-Shabbat challah baking Inviting coffeehouse environment for casual socializing and studying Comprehensive security enhancements
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Hillel Board of Directors Officers Grant Beiner, President (Rice ‘08, STCL ‘19) Marcy Rothman, 1st VP (UH Law Ctr ‘88) Rachel Grady, VP (Rice ‘18) Jeremiah Leventhal, VP Ido Machol, VP Chelsea Roy, VP Armin Weinberg, VP Rabbi Gideon Estes, Secretary Jeff Berlat, Treasurer (SHSU ‘89, UH ‘94) Paul Brokhin, Treasurer (UH ‘09, ‘13) Scott Friedman, Past President
Hillel Staff Directors Jordan Argamany Steve Block Marvin Blum Michael Burgower (UH ‘18) Terry Cweigenberg Wayne Dorris Flora Farago Scott Friedman Sandy Jackson Abby Lestin Lou Mizis Daniel Pickelner (UH Law Ctr ‘97, UH ‘05) Larry Reader Rozanne Rubin Ethan Schultz (Rice ‘99) Lauren Smith Kari Stein Cory Weinberg
Rabbi Kenny Weiss Executive Director Ulrika Shragge Assistant Director Gaile Bondoc (UH ‘26) Springboard Fellow Rotem Tertman Jewish Agency Israel Fellow to Houston Hillel Hannah Kass QJews Program Director Anna Ashburn JFS Counselor for Houston Hillel Zach Sachs Campus Marketing and Development Manager
Rice Hillel Shabbat at Rice President DesRoches’ home
Hillel staff receiving the 2022 Award at the Hillel International Global Assembly
Rabbi Kenny Weiss with a Sammy the Owl challah he baked for Rice Shabbat
Houston Hillel enriches the lives of Jewish undergraduates and graduate students so that they may enrich the Houston Jewish community, the Jewish people and the world.
Grant Beiner and Rozanne Rubin Capital Campaign Cochairs
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Rabbi Kenny Weiss, Executive Director 713-526-4918 kweiss@ricehillel.org ricehillel.org