At the Foundation’s inception, Samis trustees identified Jewish day school education in Washington State as the number one priority of the Samis Foundation. Over the past twenty-seven years, Samis has impacted thousands of Jewish lives through its day school philanthropy providing over $80 million in grants to local day schools. Today, day school philanthropy remains the largest funding area of the Foundation. Samis is proud to support Jewish day schools in the Seattle area, including Jewish early childhood, middle and elementary schools and Jewish high schools. Samis is dedicated to ensuring that local day schools are models of academic excellence, providing the highest quality Jewish and secular education.
-
Graduation Day at MMSC Day School
Graduation Day at MMSC Day School
Photo courtesy of Samis Foundation
-
Torah Day School students having winter fun
Torah Day School students having winter fun
Photo courtesy of Samis Foundation
-
Research continues to report Jewish day school education is integral for preserving and incubating Jewish life. Day schools are the most intensive and immersive educational experience given the sheer number of hours students spend in school, and likewise, the deepest and most worthwhile investment in Jewish continuity. A day school education provides Jewish children a foundation for their Judaism, giving them crucial knowledge about their culture and religion. Students learn Jewish values, interact with other Jewish children, strengthen their Jewish identity and connections to Israel, all while receiving an excellent secular education.
-
Young boy in class at Seattle Hebrew Academy
Young boy in class at Seattle Hebrew Academy
Photo courtesy of Samis Foundation
-
Guided instruction at Seattle Jewish Community School
Guided instruction at Seattle Jewish Community School
Photo courtesy of Samis Foundation
-
Samis is working to strengthen the day school ecosystem in Seattle. Informed by research, data, and analysis, Samis is engaging key leadership, stakeholders, and partners to lead an effort to revive Jewish day school education in the greater Seattle area. While Seattle’s Jewish day schools currently serve a relatively small number of students, Samis’ continued investment and strategic plan to support day school sustainability, vitality and growth will pay dividends for future day school students and the entire Jewish community.
Samis’ objectives in day school education include encouraging collaborations, co-locations, strategic alliances, and reorganizations to increase sustainability and vitality, marking day schools more affordable, increasing day school excellence, and developing a day school partnership strategy across the greater Seattle community with key stakeholders.
Experiential Jewish education features a diverse array of intensive and immersive educational options including camps, Israel experiences, youth groups, and other youth enrichment and engagement experiences. The Samis Foundation has invested nearly $9 million since inception in support of experiential Jewish education. Support for the three Washington State Jewish overnight camps and need-based camp scholarship programs represent the bulk of grantmaking in this area at nearly $6 million. Although Samis has supported other experiential education programs since its inception, in recent years, Samis significantly augmented its experiential education philanthropy by launching two grant pilot programs for teen Israel experiences and youth enrichment and engagement programs.
Jewish experiences in childhood are especially influential as youth move into adulthood, develop Jewish identity, and make important decisions such as choosing to raise Jewish children. Formative Jewish education and experiences increases the likelihood of college students joining a Jewish group such as Hillel or Chabad, participating on a Birthright Israel trip, or taking Jewish Studies or Israel-related college courses. The vibrant and creative field of experiential Jewish education provides families with the opportunity to select the program that best fits the unique needs and interests of their children.
Jewish summer camps are a deeply effective tool for building Jewish identity and continuity, due to their immersive nature. For many youth, camp is their primary Jewish educational experience outside of the home. Camp noticeably increases the likelihood of Jewish engagement in adulthood. As adults, campers are 21% more likely to feel being Jewish is important and 55% more likely to feel emotionally attached to Israel. The impact of camp is arguably greatest for counselors, who are groomed to be role models and whose engagement in Jewish life often continues with Hillel and other Jewish activities as they move through college. Particularly of note, national research conducted by the Foundation for Jewish Camp highlights that camps are the only segment of Jewish education consistently demonstrating growth in enrollment.
-
Campers at the lake at Sephardic Adventure Camp
Campers at the lake at Sephardic Adventure Camp
Photo courtesy of Samis Foundation
-
Camper on the ropes course at URJ Camp Kalsman
Camper on the ropes course at URJ Camp Kalsman
Photo courtesy of Samis Foundation
-
Campers at Camp Solomon Schechter
Campers at Camp Solomon Schechter
Photo courtesy of Samis Foundation
-
Teen Israel experience programs are also have consistent, enduring, and positive contributions on adult Jewish engagement for teens and young adults. Teen Israel travel elevates attachment to Israel, religious activity, and Jewish community involvement. Relative to their peers, program participants also place an increased value on having Jewish friends, Jewish dating, and Jewish in-marriage. Research in the field confirms that meaningful travel to Israel exerts a more powerful impact on adult Jewish identity than camps or youth groups on almost all measures.
-
Teens hiking on the Tichon Ramah Yerushalim teen Israel experience program
Teens hiking on the Tichon Ramah Yerushalim teen Israel experience program
Photo courtesy of Samis Foundation
Youth Enrichment and Engagement
-
Students participating in the Teen NCSY Youth Group
Students participating in the Teen NCSY Youth Group
Photo courtesy of Samis Foundation
-
Organized youth groups have a strong history across the United States. Participants engaging in national youth groups rank highly on Jewish identity, Jewish practice, social-emotional development, communal engagement, and volunteerism. Through youth enrichment and engagement programs, teens form new friendships, learn valuable leadership skills, strengthen their connection to the State of Israel and build community. As youth program offerings expand and adapt to address the passions of new generations, the Foundation is eager to support and help these programs flourish in our local community.
The basis and framework of Jewish identity begins in early childhood and is crystalized in youth and young adulthood. During these formative years it is crucial for youth to gain exposure to Jewish life, belief, and tradition, and build meaningful relationships within the Jewish community. Samis’ objectives in experiential Jewish education include expanding opportunities for Jewish youth to attend Jewish camp, identifying and expanding access to intensive and immersive experiential Jewish youth enrichment programs, and increasing opportunities for Jewish youth to engage in Israel Experience programs. Samis is focusing its efforts on supporting recruitment efforts, program quality enhancements to deepen engagement, capacity building to expand participation, and the establishment of key partnerships to leverage Samis’ impact.
-
In the founding documents of the Samis Foundation, Samuel Israel articulated specific areas of philanthropy to express his commitment to ensuring a thriving and successful State of Israel. The original areas included assisting those on the socio-economic periphery to become independent and contributing citizens through immigrant absorption, college scholarships, and programs for “widows & orphans, because they have lost their provider” (Sam’s words), as well as promoting the conservation and enjoyment of Israel’s rich wildlife resources, and archaeology. Since inception, the Foundation has given over $10 million to organizations and causes in Israel which are making a meaningful and tangible impact in supporting targeted populations on the periphery of Israeli society.
-
Ethiopian Israelis participating in the Olim Beyahad organization which provides support to integrate and succeed in Israeli society
Ethiopian Israelis participating in the Olim Beyahad organization which provides support to integrate and succeed in Israeli society.
Photo courtesy of Samis Foundation
-
In the founding documents of the Foundation, Sam also articulated specific areas of Israel philanthropy to include the conservation and enjoyment of Israel’s rich wildlife resources and archaeology. He expressed a particular interest in fostering opportunities for the public to explore and view wildlife and archeology, and for the Foundation to provide funding in support of archaeological museums. Since inception, the Foundation has granted over $2 million to organizations in Israel to support wildlife preservation and archeology. Most notably, in the area of wildlife, Samis supported the construction of the Jerusalem Aquarium, the country’s first and only aquarium. In the area of archaeology, Samis’ philanthropy has focused on supporting the publications of Ehud Netzer z”l archaeological excavations in Jericho and Herodium.
-
Herodian Quarter Wohl Museum in the Jewish quarter of the Old City Jerusalem
Herodian Quarter Wohl Museum in the Jewish quarter of the Old City Jerusalem
Photo courtesy of Samis Foundation
-
In the State of Israel, Samis provides opportunities for economic mobility and supports health, housing, nutritional wellbeing, and basic educational needs for Israelis experiencing poverty. The Foundation invests in higher education and technical training for needy Israeli students with an emphasis on the periphery, improves the quality of life for widows and orphans, vulnerable women and children who have lost their providers, and supports the successful integration of immigrants. In relation to wildlife and archaeology, Samis’ objectives are to advance the protection and conservation of Israel’s rich and diverse wildlife and the opportunity for people to view it, fund preservation of Israel’s history through archaeology, and provide opportunities for the public to engage with Israel’s archaeological riches. In all six program areas Samis’ is seeking to amplify its impact and the sustainability of the Foundation’s investments through collaboration with funding partners.
-
Interview training at Lauder Employment Center in Israel
Interview training at Lauder Employment Center in Israel
Photo courtesy of Samis Foundation
