A small flame, a long table,
a wide-open door.
In 2014, Rabbi Tal and Chava Shaul moved to San Antonio with a question: could Israelis in Texas still feel at home on Friday night? A decade later, the answer is spelled out in challahs baked, candles lit, and guests around the table.
Rabbi Tal & Chava Shaul
Founders · Est. 2014
Tal grew up in Israel and studied in yeshivot in Jerusalem and New York before being sent to San Antonio as the city's first Chabad shaliach dedicated to the Israeli community. Chava runs the kitchen, the Hebrew Academy, and the half of the household that actually keeps everything running.
Between them they speak Hebrew, English, a little Spanish, and the universal language of "sit down, eat something, tell me what's on your mind."
דלת פתוחה, שולחן ערוך, לב רחב
Why “Israeli Center”?
There are several wonderful Chabad houses in San Antonio — and we're proud to stand alongside them. We were founded to fill a specific gap: a home for the hundreds of Israelis and Hebrew-speaking Jews who live in, work in, or pass through South Texas, who want a Shabbat that sounds, smells, and tastes like home.
At the same time, we welcome American Jews, converts, travelers, students at UTSA and Trinity, and curious neighbors. If you've never set foot in a shul before — that's fine. We'll put a glass of wine in your hand and figure it out together.
“I walked in expecting a service. I left with a rabbi, a rebbetzin, three new friends, and a container of Chava's rugelach. I'm still not sure what happened.”— Eitan, Tel Aviv → San Antonio
What we stand for
Unconditional warmth
No membership. No dress code. No test at the door. Whatever Judaism you bring is the right one.
Israel in our heart
We are proud, open Zionists. We celebrate Yom Ha'atzmaut loudly, we say tehillim for our soldiers every week, and the Israeli flag and the American flag hang side by side above the door.
Serious Judaism, unseriously served
We take Torah, Chassidut, and halacha seriously. We do not take ourselves too seriously. Those are two different things.