Houston Hillel supports student wellness at Rice
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Houston Hillel recently implemented the first part of The LGBTQ+ Religious Experience, a program funded by a Hillel Well Grant award-ed to Houston Hillel by Hillel International. The grant, which was awarded to Houston Hillel just prior to the pandemic, is intended to increase student wellness and will include a panel discussion of students and religious leaders, along with the purchase of materials for Rice’s Queer Resource Center (QRC).
“More than two years ago, I worked with Rice students on the Hillel Well grant application, and we were awarded the grant in November 2019,” said Rabbi Kenny Weiss, Houston Hillel’s executive director. “COVID forced Rice University to transition to remote learning before we could schedule our programs. The students decided to postpone implementation of the grant until students returned to campus, and I’m very excited that we are finally able to provide some of this important support.”
The portion of the grant Houston Hillel implemented is restocking supplies for the Queer Resource Center. Items include condoms, internal female condoms, lubricants, gloves and masks, and paper bags for students to take supplies with them. The grant also provides for dozens of buttons with various pronouns so students can publicly share their pronouns with their peers.
“These materials are vital as a concrete demonstration of ongoing support that Houston Hillel provides to Rice’s queer community,” noted Rabbi Weiss.
Rice’s LGBTQ+ community struggles with acceptance among the campus ministries, with the exception of Hillel, which has earned a reputation at Rice of being the most inclusive and affirming campus ministry. Houston Hillel’s leadership is aware of the students’ perceptions as a result of a student-conducted academic-research project, which focused on opinions and outlooks of Rice’s Jewish LGBTQ+ students.
The Hillel Well grant will foster greater communication regarding sexual health and healthy relationships between LGBTQ+ students and religious traditions. Because of Houston Hillel’s consistent work with Rice’s queer community, students hope that this program will expand the conversation beyond Hillel and not only encourage Rice’s campus ministries to become more affirming, but also lead to students more actively seeking progress in this area from the campus ministries.
“The QRC fills a valuable role for students across campus, distributing tampons, pads, T-tape, safe-sex materials and more,” said Moses Glickman, a Rice University senior and co-president of Rice Pride. “Houston Hillel’s grant helps permit us to keep doing the work that we do, and allows us to direct restock resources to other programming and projects for Rice Pride. We’re very thankful for their assistance, the effects of which will be deeply felt, and we are grateful to all Houston Hillel donors for their spirit of tikkun olam.”
For more information about Houston Hillel’s work with the LGBTQ+ community at Rice University and throughout Houston, contact Rabbi Weiss at [email protected].
“More than two years ago, I worked with Rice students on the Hillel Well grant application, and we were awarded the grant in November 2019,” said Rabbi Kenny Weiss, Houston Hillel’s executive director. “COVID forced Rice University to transition to remote learning before we could schedule our programs. The students decided to postpone implementation of the grant until students returned to campus, and I’m very excited that we are finally able to provide some of this important support.”
The portion of the grant Houston Hillel implemented is restocking supplies for the Queer Resource Center. Items include condoms, internal female condoms, lubricants, gloves and masks, and paper bags for students to take supplies with them. The grant also provides for dozens of buttons with various pronouns so students can publicly share their pronouns with their peers.
“These materials are vital as a concrete demonstration of ongoing support that Houston Hillel provides to Rice’s queer community,” noted Rabbi Weiss.
Rice’s LGBTQ+ community struggles with acceptance among the campus ministries, with the exception of Hillel, which has earned a reputation at Rice of being the most inclusive and affirming campus ministry. Houston Hillel’s leadership is aware of the students’ perceptions as a result of a student-conducted academic-research project, which focused on opinions and outlooks of Rice’s Jewish LGBTQ+ students.
The Hillel Well grant will foster greater communication regarding sexual health and healthy relationships between LGBTQ+ students and religious traditions. Because of Houston Hillel’s consistent work with Rice’s queer community, students hope that this program will expand the conversation beyond Hillel and not only encourage Rice’s campus ministries to become more affirming, but also lead to students more actively seeking progress in this area from the campus ministries.
“The QRC fills a valuable role for students across campus, distributing tampons, pads, T-tape, safe-sex materials and more,” said Moses Glickman, a Rice University senior and co-president of Rice Pride. “Houston Hillel’s grant helps permit us to keep doing the work that we do, and allows us to direct restock resources to other programming and projects for Rice Pride. We’re very thankful for their assistance, the effects of which will be deeply felt, and we are grateful to all Houston Hillel donors for their spirit of tikkun olam.”
For more information about Houston Hillel’s work with the LGBTQ+ community at Rice University and throughout Houston, contact Rabbi Weiss at [email protected].