Samis Foundation

Yom HaZikaron is one of the moments that shapes who our students become. When young people learn to hold memory, loss, and responsibility as part of their Jewish identity, they grow into Jews who are not only knowledgeable, but proud and deeply connected.

This is what it looks like to raise the next generation.

SJCS

We paused together today in remembrance.

Our school community marked Yom HaZikaron with moments of reflection and learning.

Students came together to honor the soldiers who gave their lives in defense of Israel and the victims of terror. By engaging with the meaning of this day in age-appropriate ways and holding the weight of memory as a community.

A moment to remember, to honor, and to carry these stories with us.

“For years, the call has been clear: make Jewish day schools affordable. What’s been missing is the math.”

Grateful to see EJewish Philanthropy share this important piece by our trustee, Deanne Weiss Etsekson. It brings clarity to a conversation that often stays abstract—grounding it in the structural realities and the scale of what it will take.

Prizmah@followers

The price of Jewish literacy For years, some of the most prominent voices in American Jewish life — Bret Stephens, Bari Weiss, Dan Senor — have been making the same argument: the most powerful response to antisemitism and assimilation isn’t defensive. It’s generative.  Fund Jewish day schools. Make them affordable to m...

Julie Ellenhorn and David Ellenhorn, Samis' immediate past chair, have helped shape Jewish life across Seattle for decades. Their perspective carries both leadership and lived experience.

“The best thing we ever did was send our kids to get a Jewish day school education and ground them in Jewish values,” Julie says. “JDS was not only a good academic experience and a good Jewish experience, it was a good social experience as well.” For David, that impact starts even earlier. “This was the most important element of my education," ... “Learning to become Jewishly literate … prepared me for everything.”

JDS and Herzl-Ner Tamid's Barnabie Point is about building on that foundation—bringing schools, synagogues, and community life into closer alignment and creating a shared center for connection. Read the latest news here:
https://myemail.constantcontact.com/April-Newsletter.html?soid=1131273381968&aid=cqAvKEUM5lI Prizmah JDS Jds Jaguars

This is community —students learning together across schools JDS, SJCS, Seattle Hebrew Academy and Torah Day School and bringing the Jewish calendar to life. Moments like these deepen connection and reflect the power of partnership. Thank you to MMSC for hosting Matzah Factory and getting us in the Passover spirit. Prizmah

More than two years after October 7, Jewish communities in Israel and North America continue to face fear, polarization, and deep moral questions.
Join Bob Sulkin in conversation with Yehudah Kurtzer of the Shalom Hartman Institute for a thoughtful discussion about Jewish moral leadership in difficult times — and how our tradition can help guide ethical judgment, responsibility, and a shared Jewish future.
Register here: https://hartman.tfaforms.net/4720779
Shalom Hartman Institute מכון שלום הרטמן

Proud moment for NYHS and our community.
Northwest Yeshiva High School - NYHS senior Elizabeth Gabbay has been named a 2026 U.S. Presidential Scholars candidate by the U.S. Department of Education— placing her among a select group of students nationwide for one of the country’s highest honors for graduating seniors. She is also one of only 9 students from Jewish day schools across the United States to receive this recognition.

Elizabeth’s achievement highlights the unique strengths of Jewish day schools. In small, close-knit learning communities like NYHS, students are known by their teachers, encouraged to pursue their curiosity, and supported in exploring big ideas — from advanced science research to founding clubs and academic competitions.

Mazal tov to Elizabeth and the entire NYHS community on this remarkable recognition.

https://www.mi-reporter.com/2026/03/05/nyhs-senior-gabbay-named-a-u-s-presidential-scholars-candidate/

Prizmah

NYHS senior Gabbay named a U.S. Presidential Scholars candidate - Mercer Island Reporter Northwest Yeshiva High School (NYHS) senior Elizabeth Gabbay is proud and honored to be named one of the 2026 U.S. Presidential Scholars candidates by the U.S. Department of Education.

What happens when educators from day schools, camps, synagogues, and youth movements learn side by side?

Stronger students. Stronger community.

19 Seattle educators joined 130 peers from across North America to deepen how we teach about Israel — grounding students in knowledge, connection, and moral clarity at the Unpacked for Educators conference in LA.

11 Seattle institutions learning in the same room, challenging one another, and deepening their work — so our students encounter stronger teaching and a more connected Jewish community across every setting.

At its core, this work reflects love of Israel, commitment to Jewish peoplehood, and investment in the next generation’s confidence and resilience.

Seattle is leaning in — together.
https://samisfoundation.org/what-19-seattle-educators-learned-about-teaching-israel/

JDSBBYO, Herzl-Ner Tamid, Temple De Hirsch Sinai, Temple B'nai Congregation Beth Shalom Seattle SJCS Seattle Hebrew Academy MMSC Day School Northwest Yeshiva High School - NYHS Camp Solomon Schechter Unpacked Media Foundation for Jewish Camp Evergreen Region BBYO

What 19 Seattle Educators Learned About Teaching Israel - Samis Foundation by Ariel Lapson and Melissa Rivkin l February 2026 What happens when 130 Jewish educators from across the United States and Canada gather to rethink how […]

Camp scholarships available! and the deadline is approaching.
We don’t want cost to stand in the way of sending your child to a Jewish summer camp. Scholarships and incentive grants are designed to make camp possible for more children in our community.
Jewish camp isn’t just summer fun. It’s confidence. It’s independence. It’s Shabbat under the trees, Hebrew songs, deep friendships, and a sense of belonging that carries into the school year and beyond.

Grants are available through the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle.
Application deadline: Friday, February 27, 2026.
Apply here:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSexqqxv-tCv57Vpullfz3F8RRzDqE-GavqU8BQOCVOgLJUQ_g/viewform

Foundation for Jewish Camp Sephardic Adventure Camp Camp Solomon Schechter URJ Camp Kalsman

Mazal tov to Northwest Yeshiva High School - NYHS Lions! Lots of first and records for the team this year! Go Lions! Check out this story in the Mercer Island Reporter.

NYHS boys basketball squad having a stellar season - Mercer Island Reporter Northwest Yeshiva High School’s boys basketball team recently won a pair of SeaTac 1B League tournament playoff games against Redeemer...

At the Unpacked for Educators Israel conference, 19 Washington State Jewish educators from 11 organizations — spanning day schools, synagogues, camps and youth programs — came together with colleagues across North America around a shared challenge: how do we help Jewish young people navigate complexity, hold identity with confidence, and engage thoughtfully with Israel and the story of Jewish self-determination as the Jewish homeland and state while staying connected to peoplehood in a noisy, emotionally charged world?

Students don’t just need information — they need trusted teachers who help them build identity resilience, hold moral complexity, and see people behind headlines.

As Abraham Joshua Heschel z"l taught, the personality of the teacher is the text students never forget. This is where real field leadership lives, and it will shape how the next generation understands themselves, their community, and Israel. Grateful to Unpacked for Educators for creating space for this level of learning and conversation. SJCS MMSC Day SchoolCamp Solomon Schechter Herzl-Ner Tamid Temple De Hirsch Sinai Congregation Beth Shalom Seattle JDS Northwest Yeshiva High School - NYHS Seattle Hebrew Academy Evergreen Region BBYO BBYO C-Teen Camp Temple B'nai Torah Prizmah