Community Giving Guide

Whoever practices charity and justice fills the world with loving-kindness. - B. Sukkah Dear Friends,

We hope you and your family are staying safe and well. During this unprecedented time, we have drawn on strengths ingrained from our history as a resilient people who live by the timeless value of Kol Yisrael arevim zeh bazeh—all Jews are responsible for one another.

In that spirit, the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle has launched Pledge 5. We encourage holders of donor-advised funds and foundations to pledge 5 percent of the principal balance, over and above your annual giving, to support the local Jewish landscape. The time is now. Jewish organizations face acute strain from the pandemic crisis. We are asking you to help.

In this Community Giving Guide, Jewish organizations have highlighted in their own words the good they do for our community. Please consider pledging 5 to support those that call to your heart.

Through Pledge 5, your Federation hopes to be a catalyst for infusing our community with the support that will ensure that Jewish life in our region remains vibrant for generations to come. We invite you to Pledge 5 today.

Stay well,

Nancy B. Greer President & CEO Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle

| 1 Table Of Contents As of July 3, 2020

4 Alexander Muss High School in Israel Anti-Defamation League (ADL) Pacific Northwest Region Bet Alef Meditative Synagogue Bet Chaverim

5 Camp Solomon Schechter at University of Washington Congregation Beth Shalom Derech Emunah The Friendship Circle of Washington

6 Hebrew Free Loan Association (HFLA) of Washington State Herzl-Ner Tamid (HNT) Hillel at University of Washington (Hillel UW) Holocaust Center for Humanity Israeli American Council (IAC)

7 The (JDS) of Metropolitan Seattle Jewish Family Service (JFS) of Seattle Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle Jewish National Fund (JNF)-USA

8 Jewish Prisoner Services International (JPSI) Kadima Reconstructionist Community Kavana Cooperative Kline Galland Kol Ami: A Center for Jewish Life

9 Kol HaNeshamah (KHN) Minyan Ohr Chadash MMSC Day School Moishe House

10 Music of Remembrance Northwest High School (NYHS) Samis Foundation Seattle Hadassah

| 2 Table Of Contents As of July 3, 2020

11 Seattle Hebrew Academy (SHA) Seattle Jewish Chorale SJCS: Seattle Jewish Community School The Seattle Kollel Sephardic Adventure Camp (SAC)

12 Sephardic Studies Program at the University of Washington StandWithUs Northwest Stroum Center for Jewish Studies at the University of Washington Stroum Jewish Community Center of Greater Seattle

13 Temple Beth Am Temple Beth El Temple Beth Hatfiloh (TBH) Temple De Hirsch Sinai Day School of Seattle

14 URJ Camp Kalsman Washington State Jewish Historical Society

15 Seattle Jewish Community Endowment Fund Information

| 3 Alexander Muss High School in Israel | www.amhsi.org

Though AMHSI-JNF’s campus is temporarily closed due to COVID-19, it continues its mission of educating high schoolers and connecting them to the land and people of Israel. After airlifting 282 students from campus so they could return home, the high school study-abroad program resumed teaching its Israel studies classes virtually, educating high schoolers while they are stuck at home. Since March, AMHSI-JNF has been hosting a Zoom series Monday-Thursday called “Israel Education Online”, in which its Israel educators teach a different topic on Israel and . Past webinars can be found here. AMHSI-JNF hosts information sessions virtually throughout each month to recruit families for its fall sessions when campus reopens. JNF-USA has also been leading virtual tours to Israel taught by AMHSI- JNF educators. In order to ensure future generations can experience a semester abroad in Israel, AMHSI- JNF is running its COVID-19 Emergency Muss Fund Campaign.

Anti-Defamation League (ADL) Pacific Northwest Region | seattle.adl.org ADL PNW takes a holistic approach to fighting antisemitism and hate through: empowering the next generation to address bias with local educational programs reaching K-12 students and young professionals; training law enforcement on hate crimes and white nationalism; and legislative advocacy. ADL is the first call when acts of antisemitism occur and educates the public and media about hate in our communities.

Due to COVID, we’ve adapted all K-12 and young professional programs to virtual learning, reaching educators and future leaders with anti-bias training. ADL is responding to white supremacist activity and anti-Asian hate crimes, working closely with law enforcement to provide support. ADL is providing virtual learning opportunities for the general public on civil rights issues with a newly launched Lunch and Learn series. In this time, ADL is in need of financial support for our local work as we face a steep decline in giving and seek to retain our staff.

Bet Alef Meditative Synagogue | betalef.org Bet Alef, founded in 1993, aimed at inviting Jews who have left Judaism to travel other paths, to return home. As such, it set out to offer Jews a chance to (re)discover the millennia-old practice of Jewish meditation as revived in the 1700’s by the Eastern-European Chasidic Masters. It responded to a Jewish yearning for the teachings of these masters in the context of a liberal, progressive community.

Recently we, too, transposed our offerings online. We gather weekly for Shabbat, study Pirkei Avot, host courses in Hebrew and Jewish Mysticism, and offered a Shabbaton meditation retreat. We celebrated Passover and Shavuot and counted the Omer together through daily 30-minute meditation sessions. We are concerned with remaining sustainable as a small community while the economy deteriorates around us. We believe Bet Alef’s unique niche serves a critical purpose in the tapestry of religious/ spiritual offerings of the Jewish community. Please support its important work.

Bet Chaverim | betchaverim.org As the only synagogue in South King County, Bet Chaverim has served the south-end Jewish community for over 30 years. We’re blessed to have Jim Mirel serving the congregation’s religious, spiritual, and ministerial needs, particularly in light of the COVID pandemic. Neil Weinstein occasionally serves as our cantoral soloist for Shabbat services and holidays. Bet Chaverim has been able to shift our services and educational programs to an online, virtual format to meet the needs of the congregation and community. This was not a budgeted or expected expense. Due to the increasing demand of the pandemic-driven economic downturn, we recently held a Shavuot community service project, successfully collecting food for the Jewish Family Service food bank. A small congregation that draws relatively large numbers of participants and attendees from all over the area, we depend on contributions to sustain the services we provide. Any contribution you can make would be greatly appreciated.

Table of Contents | 4 Camp Solomon Schechter | www.campschechter.org Camp Solomon Schechter, an independent Jewish summer camp, has a 66-year tradition of fun, friendship, and Jewish education in the Pacific Northwest. Since the COVID-19 crisis began, we have offered a variety of virtual programming each week ranging from crazy science experiments to Kabbalat Shabbat. In mid-May, we announced that we will not run overnight camp in 2020 due to the CDC health guidelines and Governor Inslee’s phases of reopening. And, most importantly, we did not want risk the health and safety of our community. We plan to expand our virtual camp programming throughout the summer to support our families as they “Stay Home, Stay Healthy!” Initially, camp was looking at a loss of over $850,000 for the year but, with the support from the community and the PPP, we have reduced this debt to less than $150,000 and ask for your support to help sustain camp for future years.

Chabad at University of Washington | www.jewishuw.com Hundreds of students depend on us for social connection, spiritual connection, and educational involvement. Chabad at University of Washington is engaging with students long-distance through online classes, cooking demos, Zoomba classes, leadership training, networking events with leaders in the community, and perhaps most importantly, one-on-one time to connect and be heard. Local students rely on us for Shabbat and holiday to-go packages, which they pick up in adherence to the COVID-19 social distancing guidelines. With the current COVID-19 reality, Chabad UW is raising $18,000 to cover the new COVID-19-related expenses and to support infrastructure. These funds will help students at a time when they need us most. A home away from home!

Congregation Beth Shalom | www.bethshalomseattle.org Beth Shalom is a thriving, inclusive, welcoming, egalitarian Conservative Synagogue, which has made its home in Wedgwood for over 50 years. Our membership is growing, including many younger families. Services are well attended, and Jewish learning and education are a cornerstone of our community. Our early childhood center serves members as well as others in the community seeking quality childcare. The Hebrew school prepares the next generation of Jews for B’nei Mitzvah and a successful Jewish life. Our Social Action Committee is involved with feeding the hungry, and advocating on issues important to the Jewish community in particular and to the larger society in general. Internally, we are increasing wages for our staff to a fair living wage standard. We are actively collecting dues and fundraise annually. We embrace the Jewish Federation LIFE & LEGACY® project. Growing our endowment now is critical to ensuring our continued and future success.

Derech Emunah | www.derechemunah.com Derech Emunah is a Jewish High School for girls looking to learn, grow, and lead. We prepare young women for seminary, university, and a life of service to Hashem and the community. Derech Emunah is a small school where faculty members are supportive, passionate, and adaptable. Our creative educators concentrate on connecting with students, collaborating with colleagues, and providing high-quality learning opportunities for all students. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, we will hire more teachers to accommodate smaller class sizes in order to achieve proper social distancing. Our facility will undergo increased cleaning and disinfecting of frequently touched surfaces several times each day. We will also provide protective equipment, daily, for our faculty and students.

The Friendship Circle of Washington | www.friendshipcirclewa.org For many families with special needs, the COVID-19 pandemic has put a halt to almost all developmental programs and services. As public attention and support have been directed toward fighting the battle at the frontlines, families with special needs individuals have been left to cope with rapid, destabilizing changes due to a loss of services and support systems. Here at the Friendship Circle, we have not, and will not, allow anything to stand in the way of our mission to serve the special needs of our community’s children, teens, and their families. We are here for you. The stay-at-home order in Washington State has brought about a unique opportunity for us to innovate our programming to fill the gap left by school and program closures. We’ve been able to significantly increase our hours, served by leveraging virtual programming and providing added structure at a time when parents are increasingly overwhelmed.

Table of Contents | 5 Hebrew Free Loan Association (HFLA) of Washington State | www.hflawa.org Since 1914, HFLA has been providing interest-free loans to the Jewish community of Washington. We believe HFLA strengthens our community’s financial and communal health. HFLA borrowers are students, seniors, and everyday working people. They need help paying for the basic services and opportunities that many of us take for granted. HFLA loans promote an individual’s ability to take care of themselves. COVID-19: HFLA is providing a lifeline to small businesses, furloughed individuals, and to those whose hours have been cut. Additionally, we’ve made it easier for families to get small loans without guarantors. Education: HFLA launched an education initiative to provide larger sized loans for any education-related expense, allowing more families to make higher education a reality. Giving a loan is the highest level of charity on Maimonides’ ladder. Working people need support more than charity. HFLA provides support while preserving dignity. Please donate today.

Herzl-Ner Tamid (HNT) | www.h-nt.org Herzl-Ner Tamid is serving its community in ways both traditional and totally unprecedented to meet the moment. Taking the stance early that health and safety are paramount, HNT is streaming all Shabbat and holiday services, and has expanded educational outreach for our youth and adult members. We are also discovering new and meaningful ways to celebrate B’nai Mitzvot and to mourn the loss of loved ones. However, it’s our outreach via regular calls from clergy and volunteers (Tele-Mensches) and our weekly Shabbat/holiday meals available at every price point (HaMotzi To-Go) that have kept our community connected in these uncertain times. We remain focused on helping those most vulnerable, supporting local shelters, and recently collecting 4,000 essentials for refugees. In these troubled times when many are struggling, we must do more and be more. To continue our work and remain inclusive to all, we count on the financial support of our community.

Hillel at University of Washington (Hillel UW) | www.hilleluw.org Through our undergraduate and Jconnect programs, Hillel UW annually inspires 1,200 – 1,400 Jewish young adults ages 18-35 to explore, embrace, and celebrate Jewish life and identity. We have now transitioned to offering innovative virtual activities and unique online learning opportunities, while also providing one-on-one emotional support to those in need.

For us to creatively and intentionally deliver meaningful programs to Jewish young adults during these unusual and difficult times, and to ensure that we remain true to our mission, we must invest boldly in our staff. With support from community members, like you, who value our work, we will ensure that Hillel UW has the necessary staff and financial resources to continue our critical community-building programs in new and creative ways this year, next year, and for years to come. Thank you for your continued commitment to preserving our shared Jewish future.

Holocaust Center for Humanity | www.holocaustcenterseattle.org While the future is uncertain, we know that a crisis often escalates prejudice and scapegoating. Holocaust education is a proven vehicle for fighting antisemitism, teaching empathy, and empowering people to stand up for others. The Holocaust Center for Humanity’s mission is to teach the lessons of the Holocaust and inspire students of all ages to confront bigotry and indifference, promote human dignity, and take action. This mission is as relevant today as it has ever been. Help us use the greatest weapon we have, education. In 2019, our Center secured legislation supporting Holocaust education in Washington State. As a result, this fall hundreds of new educators will be introduced to our new online resources. Now is not the time to cut back on our support of teachers and students. Our Center must be positioned to meet the increased need in our schools and community.

Israeli American Council (IAC) | www.israeliamerican.org IAC builds an active and resilient national community with Israel at heart. In response to COVID-19, IAC immediately pivoted to focus on volunteerism and educational programming, all while empowering our community to do more with limited resources, allowing spaces to convene, celebrate our identity, and offer support. IAC moved all programs online to provide engaging, live Jewish and Hebrew content for all ages. Responding to increasing demand for educational engagement, IAC launched Ofek: Online Learning Hub to teach Hebrew, Israeli, and Jewish heritage.

Table of Contents | 6 Israeli American Council (IAC) | www.israeliamerican.org (CONT.) Our children’s movement attracted thousands nationwide. All yearly programs were completed, engaging teens, children, and adults. The IAC volunteer network sprang into action and managed to provide over 500 meals to first responders in nine medical centers across Puget Sound. Our volunteers shopped for the elderly, sent supplies to quarantined people experiencing homelessness, and others in need. We have supported local businesses and partnered with local organizations.

The Jewish Day School (JDS) of Metropolitan Seattle | www.jds.org At JDS, maintaining a sense of community, chesed, and connection are our main goals during these unprecedented times. We need the support of the greater Jewish community to provide comprehensive and meaningful remote instruction, ensure a re-enrollment stream, nurture our new families, and financially support our faculty and staff. We have ongoing and responsive communication with students, families, faculty, and staff, and we have maintained our routines as much as possible. Remote learning schedules and instruction have progressed and been revised along the way, based on feedback from families. Students share ideas, feedback, and content and enjoy seeing each other during the live sessions. Teachers meet students in large and small groups, independently, and have weekly one-on-one sessions with families. We have held parent meetings to address timely topics and provide support for our families. Feedback from our community has been very positive, and appreciation has been shared frequently.

Jewish Family Service (JFS) of Seattle | www.jfsseattle.org Jewish Family Service responded quickly to the COVID-19 crisis, finding non-contact ways to meet our clients’ social service needs. For example, our therapists now see their clients online, and our Polack Food Bank clients pick up pre-boxed food instead of entering the food bank. There are many additional services we would implement for our clients if we had the funding: • Increased financial assistance for eviction prevention. • New vans to expand home delivery to vulnerable clients who can’t come to the food bank and to take elderly and/or disabled clients to medical and other necessary appointments. • Software or hardware for clients, online support groups, etc. for every program at JFS. • Several additional staff in the areas of financial assistance/case management and employment support. • Shabbat meal deliveries and an expanded holiday basket program for our elderly clients, to provide emotional support and reduce isolation.

Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle | www.jewishinseattle.org The Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle responded promptly and energetically to help our community navigate the pandemic crisis. We are sharing real-time public health and safety information with Jewish agencies through our SAFE Washington program, advocating at the federal and state levels for urgently needed resources, and bringing the community meaningful online connections and ways to be a part of the solution through advocacy. Our goal is to ensure Jewish continuity, to keep our community safe, healthy, connected, and strong—ready for a changed world when the crisis has passed. Now more than ever, we need donors like you to continue to invest in our shared Jewish future through your Federation.

Jewish National Fund (JNF)-USA | www.jnf.org Jewish National Fund-USA ensures a strong, secure, and prosperous future for the land and people of Israel and has continued working toward its vision during COVID-19. Since March, JNF-USA has been at the forefront of providing engaging digital content for its stakeholders. This content takes the form of multiple media, from live Zoom webinars, to articles, and an Online Mitzvah Marketplace selling Israeli goods to support the Israeli economy. JNF OnDemand provides viewers with Zoom events featuring guest speakers covering a range of topics, such as water solutions on its “Water Wednesdays” series, a Virtual Book Club, interviews with prominent experts, JNFuture Shabbat experiences, cooking demonstrations, and so much more. To see past JNF OnDemand videos and upcoming events, please visit jnf.org/ondemand. JNF-USA has also been offering virtual tours to Israel led by Israeli tour guides, showing stakeholders sites of JNF projects as well as hidden gems around the country.

Table of Contents | 7 Jewish Prisoner Services International (JPSI) | www.jpsi.org Jewish Prisoner Services International (JPSI) is a chaplaincy/social service organization that works with Jewish inmates (prisoners) and their families from the time of first contact with law enforcement to reintegration back into the community. JPSI offers our services to members of the Jewish community regardless of affiliation; we provide our services throughout the and Canada. JPSI has been operating since the mid 1980’s and is Seattle-based. A donation to JPSI goes a long way.

Kadima Reconstructionist Community | www.kadima.org We bridge spirituality and a commitment to racial, economic, and gender justice through celebration, intergenerational learning, and solidarity work. Amidst COVID-19, we rapidly launched a thriving “Virtshul.” New programs tend to members’ evolving needs: high-risk check-ins, neighborhood-based listservs, and an outreach team. Amidst uprisings in response to anti-Black violence, we are integrating political education into study and creating opportunities to show up Jewishly for racial justice. We continue nurturing our internal anti-oppression praxis (especially around racism and ableism). Consulting services ($10,000) will ensure we are a nourishing home for Jews of all identities. All we do is thanks to a small-but-mighty personnel team - two part-time staff and Rabbi ($158,550), for whom we hope to provide employment security. We aspire to add a part-time membership coordinator ($16,640). Finally, in alignment with our values, we are glad to offer healthcare benefits for the first time this fiscal year ($18,000).

Kavana Cooperative | www.kavana.org Kavana is a pluralistic Jewish community headquartered in Queen Anne. For 14 years, Kavana has served as an “innovation arm” of Seattle’s Jewish community, offering individuals/families from a wide range of backgrounds an opportunity to connect meaningfully with Judaism, and experimenting with new best practices around membership models, Jewish identity formation, and personalized life cycle events within a strong community context. In March 2020 as the COVID-19 crisis began, Kavana pivoted quickly into virtual space, offering ritual touch-points (candle-lightings, Singing Circles, and services), creative holiday observances, and content-rich kids’ education programs. Kavana’s nimble model is well-suited to this uncertain time. To continue operating effectively, we seek funds to maintain staff and to subvent the participation of those who (due to unemployment, etc.) cannot pay full cost. As a small organization playing a big role in Jewish engagement, we are grateful for community support.

Kline Galland | www.klinegalland.org Since 1914, Kline Galland has been committed to providing exceptional care for our aging loved ones. Keeping our residents, patients, and staff safe continues to be our utmost priority, and managing this during a global pandemic has come at enormous costs. The coming months will require even more vigilance, as our needs grow for more PPE (Personal Protective Equipment), rapid testing requirements, and additional staff, including training and resiliency resources for our frontline hero caregivers. While hospitals have garnered the most government and community support, we know that senior care facilities have become a “ground zero” for COVID-19. The spirit of the Fifth Commandment, to honor our elders, is at the heart of our mission and informs everything we do. We need community support to help maintain the resources we require to keep our loved ones as safe as possible.

Kol Ami: A Center for Jewish Life | www.kolamiNW.org We are a welcoming, egalitarian community dedicated to promoting Jewish life in the Pacific Northwest. We love Jewish history and tradition, and we are carrying on the 4,000-year-old story of the Jewish people by building tradition and history of our own. We cultivate awe and gratitude for the bounteous planet we call home, and reverence for the bonds we share with the creatures who share it with us. We passionately affirm the dignity and rights of all human beings. We view it as our sacred obligation to pursue justice and repair the world. ​ We also take the Jewish tradition of wrestling with Torah and truth seriously. We are not afraid of hard questions, snark, politics, irreverence, or venturing into uncharted territory.

Judaism was built to resist tyrants, care for the vulnerable, and help us experience joy, health, and abundant life, even during the most chaotic and troubled times. That’s the sort of holiness we practice. Table of Contents | 8 Kol HaNeshamah (KHN) | www.khnseattle.org Kol HaNeshamah is your progressive Jewish congregation in West Seattle. We cherish our open tent and, despite COVID-19, are committed to building an engaged Judaism that meets us where we are and celebrates where we can go together. To ensure that we protect life and ‘crush the curve,’ KHN offers morning and evening online minyanim, streaming Kabbalat Services, community Havdalah gatherings, as well as weekly Facebook “Storybook Sunday” readings for kids. We created online rabbinic and lay-leader led study, workshops, and social opportunities, as well as shifted our Hebrew and Shabbat children’s school online. When summer camps were closed, we developed a KHN Summer Youth Internship program to involve youth in study, ritual, social justice projects, intergenerational oral history projects, art, and theater projects which started July 1. We developed a resource database of services and aid, and link congregants to mutual aid projects in the community. Our Kol Chadash program has developed resources to respond to antisemitism as it relates to COVID-19 and to help families and kids navigate exposure to antisemitism online. While our Chevra Kadisha has suspended tahara during the pandemic, we are working with Chevra Kadishas around the country to develop rituals for burial and mourning that honor our traditions and preserve life. KHN provides direct financial assistance to congregants and unaffiliated Jews in need, and helps folks to stay connected, removing barriers for annual pledges to ensure that everyone knows their place in the congregation is secure, even when the economy is not.

Minyan Ohr Chadash | www.minyanohrchadash.org Minyan Ohr Chadash is an all-volunteer, modern Orthodox Synagogue in Seward Park. Ohr Chadash ceased Synagogue services in March and because we are an Orthodox Synagogue, Zoom services are not an option. We have utilized Zoom to have pre-Shabbat services, post-Shabbat Havdalah, and learning on Sunday and Thursday evenings. For the recent Holiday of Shavuot, pursuant to the Governor’s order, we held services outdoors for the first day (the second day it rained). We would love to continue outdoor Shabbat services, but we have a huge obstacle - the cost of renting a covering to provide protection from rain or sun. This is not an expense that is within our budget. To rent a covering for two months will cost approximately $7,000, with an additional $1,200 for evening services. We would love financial help to pay for the tent and lighting to ensure we can meet for outdoor services.

MMSC Day School | www.mmscdayschool.org MMSC Day School has been providing a robust Judaic and General Studies education for over 40 years in Seattle! We cater to students from preschool through 8th grade who come from diverse backgrounds and want to connect with our Jewish heritage and traditions. We pride ourselves in giving over the teachings and skills one needs to respect and love all humanity, as well as appreciate and cherish the world around us! During this difficult pandemic, we have been able to continue to provide superb education while remote with a strong community feel, where students can engage with their friends and teachers, meet speakers, and join wonderful learning opportunities with students from all over the U.S. Many families have lost income and are struggling. At MMSC Day School, we welcome every child regardless of ability to pay and thank the Jewish Federation for giving us the opportunity to reach out to the community to partner with us in this holy work.

Moishe House | www.moishehouse.org Moishe House (MH) is a global organization enabling Jewish young adults to create dynamic, home- based Jewish communities that are inclusive, pluralistic, and relevant. MH Seattle (MHS) is led by four volunteer community builders (residents) who host 80+ programs annually from their home, covering a range of topics and engaging a diverse group of local Jewish young adults.

Due to COVID-19, in-person programming is paused and MHS residents are consistently hosting virtual programming. MH has continued to provide MHS’s regular rent subsidy and programming budget to sustain the program until the crisis subsides. We know MHS will be uniquely positioned to provide intimate gatherings for Jewish 20-somethings and want to equip MHS to provide this sense of community, which will be in high demand. MH is in need of $40,000 for 2020, which will give young adults a place to belong and gather—virtually now and in-person in the near future.

Table of Contents | 9 Music of Remembrance | www.musicofremembrance.org For over two decades, Music of Remembrance has remembered the Holocaust and honored its lessons with music. Our programs pay tribute to those targeted by the Nazi regime for their beliefs, identities and ideas – not only Jews but also Roma, political dissidents, free-thinking artists and intellectuals, homosexuals, and others. Besides discovering and presenting music from that time, we have commissioned and premiered over 30 new Holocaust-inspired works by today’s leading composers.

Our Benaroya Hall concerts have become mainstays of Seattle’s cultural life, but with the stage dark for now with the COVID-19 crisis it’s more important than ever that we reach out in new ways to make a difference in our community. Our weekly series of online programs brings music with messages of resilience and compassionate humanity. Our coming season’s new programming brings works that highlight Sephardic experience, plus two world premieres that address compelling questions for social justice today.

Northwest Yeshiva High School (NYHS) | www.nyhs.org Northwest Yeshiva High School provides a dynamic Judaic and college preparatory program for students of diverse backgrounds and abilities.

Since successfully transitioning to distance learning on March 16th, NYHS has maintained a robust learning experience by investing in additional student support and faculty professional development. Such COVID-19-related expenditures have made classes more learner-centric, with students increasingly driving their learning and building community in a more thoughtful and intentionally deeper way.

Unfortunately, NYHS had to cancel its largest annual fundraising event, the annual dinner. At the same time, NYHS anticipates needing an additional $150,000 for increased tuition assistance and to fund operational improvements that will ensure the health and safety of our students, faculty, and staff. This investment into our children’s Jewish education will pay dividends to the strength and future well-being of Seattle’s growing Jewish community.

Samis Foundation | www.samisfoundation.org The Samis Foundation, established in 1994, continues the legacy of its founder Sam Israel through support of K-12 Jewish education in Washington State and five strategic program areas in Israel including archaeology, immigration, college scholarships, widows and orphans, and wildlife preservation. The Foundation swiftly responded to COVID-19, with support of its current grantees and local non- profits addressing emergent needs in the Seattle area. Grants were awarded to purchase technology for distance-learning at local day schools, and matching operations grants were awarded to Jewish overnight summer camps, which were forced into closure for the summer. In addition, Samis has provided funding focused on food security, medicine, personal protective equipment, employment support, and an Israeli loan fund for non-profits. Grants awarded have totaled over $295,000. The Foundation is continuing to monitor the impact of the virus, supporting its grantees and at-risk Jewish communities globally.

Seattle Hadassah | www.seattlehadassah.org Why do so many American women proudly say, “I’m a 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or even 4th generation Hadassah member?” Families bond over Hadassah, the Women’s Zionist Organization of America, a volunteer organization that laid the foundation for medical care in Israel and continues to support its commitment to the land and people of Israel. The entire world benefits from its healing outreach and research. The Seattle Chapter Hadassah has pivoted during this COVID-19 crisis to a virtual platform, which is challenging for a number of our older members whose support we value. Calls and cards have had to be our substitute. As a fundraising organization that bonds through sisterhood and friendship, we have postponed our biennial Gala in hopes of having it in-person, before the end of 2021. Valuing being part of the community, Seattle Hadassah has struggled with not charging for virtual programming and with not having a professional paid staff here to facilitate often turn-on-a-dime programming updates.

Table of Contents | 10 Seattle Hebrew Academy (SHA) | www.seattlehebrewacademy.org Within days of the coronavirus pandemic, SHA pivoted to an impressive comprehensive remote learning model for all students EC - 8th Grade. The newly formed Remote Learning Website, for all Judaic and General Studies subjects, includes PE, Art, and weekly SHAbbat Assemblies. SHA created educationally engaging programs for Yom Ha’Shoah, Yom Ha’atzmaut, and Lag B’omer as well as learning intensives in advance of Pesach and Shavuot. SHA sustained its commitment to build community by hosting Grandparents and Grand Friend Day, Parent Coffees, and the annual “State of the School.” Our school counselors and Learning Center continue to work with students and their families to best support their needs during this challenging time. We are hopeful to be safely reunited and in sessions at our magnificent campus at the start of the next school year. SHA is fully committed to providing excellence in education to our precious students, regardless of potential future challenges.

Seattle Jewish Chorale | www.seattlejewishchorale.org The Seattle Jewish Chorale is a community choir whose mission is to engage audiences with the beauty and diversity of the Jewish musical experience. Due to COVID-19, we cancelled our in-person rehearsals and our Spring concert, and instead are connecting via Zoom. While we can’t sing together, our Zoom meetings have been essential to maintain our sense of community to talk, laugh, play, cry, and connect together. Even though we cannot sing together, we are still planning to bring music to the community. We are creating virtual choir presentations for the High Holy Days, Chanukah, and other holidays, and are planning for the time when we can safely resume our performance schedule. We are looking for your help to continue paying our professional musicians and for our organization’s expenses. We plan to keep our community and Jewish music vibrant in Puget Sound and beyond! Thank you for your support.

SJCS: Seattle Jewish Community School | www.sjcs.net The Seattle Jewish Community School has had an eventful 2019-2020 school year. SJCS began the year on a beautiful new campus in the Green Lake neighborhood, kicking off a new era for the school. The school also transitioned its academic program to a cohort model, allowing for more customization of individual learning academically and socially. In early March during the onset of COVI9-19, SJCS was able to pivot classroom learning to continuous learning through platforms such as Zoom and Seesaw. While the school misses the in-person community, SJCS has been able to maintain relationships with students, parents, and other community members through enhanced communication, Zoom events, and special care package deliveries. While everyone hopes to gather live in the fall, SJCS is planning their 2020-2021 school year for all scenarios, allowing for continuous delivery of their academic program and community events.

The Seattle Kollel | www.seattlekollel.com The Seattle Kollel is an organization dedicated to Jewish learning at every level. During the current challenging times, we have maintained and added to our class and individual teaching through online Zoom learning. We have reached out and supported those going through difficult times.

Sephardic Adventure Camp (SAC) | www.sephardicadventurecamp.org Sephardic Adventure Camp is a warm, welcoming overnight summer camp program, rich in Jewish history and Sephardic culture. Our campers enjoy a wide variety of traditional camp activities, in addition to rich Sephardic experiential programming such as Ladino, Sephardic baking, Sephardic history, and prayer taught in our unique tradition. Support of Sephardic Adventure Camp means support for passing our unique culture on to the next generation and beyond. Although we will not be able to run our camp in 2020, we plan to come back with a renewed energy for SAC 2021 and could use your help to sustain our organization through this crisis. In the meantime, we have been running fun virtual events and supplying our families with materials that they can use at home, year-round. Thank you in advance for your support.

Table of Contents | 11 Sephardic Studies Program at the University of Washington | www.jewishstudies.washington.edu/sephardic-studies The Sephardic Studies Program seeks to recuperate and promote the history, language, and culture of Sephardic Jews through critically-engaged scholarship, undergraduate and graduate teaching, and public programming to transform how we understand the diversity of the Jewish experience from 1492 to the present. Since COVID-19, we have leveraged digital tools to engage our audiences: The Sephardic Studies Digital Collection, the largest digital library of Ladino texts, has facilitated research around the world. Our summer 2020 Ladino course — the only university-level Ladino course in the United States — will be fully online; the course is nearly at capacity. We are now seeking support for our flagship event, International Ladino Day, in December. COVID-19 has presented numerous challenges in planning this event, which usually draws 300-400 guests. We will need support to execute a partially virtual or fully virtual event to engage as many community members as possible.

StandWithUs Northwest | www.standwithus.com The StandWithUs mission is to support Israel and fight antisemitism around the world. The COVID-19 pandemic has not changed our mission or diminished its relevance. Locally, however, we did need to send our Israeli educator back home in March, and we canceled all speaking engagements and our major fundraiser. Globally, we responded with the launch of a major initiative, StandWithUs Connect (StandWithUsConnect.com) - a robust portal that contains current and archived webinars, virtual tours of Israel, and Israel-related resources for high school and college-age learners. Another major initiative is the Center for Combating Antisemitism (StandUpToHatred.com), which fights antisemitism through education, legal means, and engaging with appropriate government and law enforcement agencies. Our work, focused on informing and inspiring the next generation, is moving forward full speed ahead despite the cancellation of our annual Gala Dinner. Please visit StandWithUs.com to learn more and help us continue our vital work.

Stroum Center for Jewish Studies at the University of Washington | www.jewishstudies.washington.edu Things are hard right now. And more than ever, students are relying on the Stroum Center for Jewish Studies. This spring, as faculty and staff quickly pivoted to offering online classes and virtual programs for students and the greater community, we also realized the COVID-19 pandemic was putting many of our students at risk as they faced new financial and technological hardships. With your donation, the Stroum Center is able to step in to assist vulnerable students, ensuring they can continue their education, by providing the resources and infrastructure they need to succeed in this difficult time. Your donation helps students access urgently-needed technology, like laptops and internet access; and supports the launch of new Course Development Initiatives with faculty, modifying Jewish Studies curriculum in innovative ways to meet the challenges of online teaching; and innovative new virtual programming, including our popular “Quick Talks” program.

Stroum Jewish Community Center of Greater Seattle (SJCC) | www.SJCC.org The SJCC is staring down a crisis like never before because of COVID-19 – a closed building, furloughed staff, and non-existent revenue. Your gift can help! We are a 75-year institution in this community. Our mission is to inspire connections that build community and ensure Jewish continuity. The SJCC provides for cultural enrichment, physical well-being, and social, educational, and recreational experiences for individuals and families. While we are financially sound during typical times, we do not have the deep cash reserves to absorb the economic impacts of this once-in-a-lifetime event. We’ve been able to maintain community connection through online programming, but we still spend $50,000 a week while our building is closed. Please stand beside us as we work to weather this crisis, so that we are ready to serve you as soon as the facility reopens. As much as you need the J, at this critical moment in time, the SJCC needs you.

Table of Contents | 12 Temple Beth Am | www.templebetham.org Temple Beth Am serves close to 900 Jewish families, helping them deepen their relationship to Judaism and the community by engaging the soul, heart, and mind. During the pandemic, we have shifted all of our resources to support three key areas: (1) Ensuring that the increasing pastoral and worship needs of our temple and local community are met, including loss of loved ones, isolation, food scarcity, housing insecurity through our Homeless to Renter program, activism and social justice initiatives, and supporting people’s general emotional struggles; (2) Providing daily opportunities for the community to connect and learn together online; and (3) Providing safe and reliable child care for essential workers. Due to the increased expenses associated with hazard pay for caregivers and supporting congregants and community programs, your generous financial support is more important than ever. We are running at a substantial monthly loss that can only be made up through philanthropic support.

Temple Beth El | www.tbetacoma.org Temple Beth El is a Reform congregation with a warm approach to tradition. We have been offering Shabbat services remotely Friday evenings and Saturday mornings, Havdalah gatherings, and adult education courses. We are reaching out to all members of the Tacoma Jewish community to offer them care and support with meals, shopping, transportation, and a caring presence.

Temple Beth Hatfiloh (TBH) | www.bethhatfiloh.org Temple Beth Hatfiloh is a center for Jewish life in Olympia. We serve the spiritual, educational, communal and social needs of the Jewish community in Thurston County and the surrounding area. TBH is also actively involved in issues of social justice on the local and state level, and through its commitment to immigrant justice serves as a sanctuary congregation. We also provide a Jewish voice in the local interfaith community. During the time of coronavirus, we have continued to offer our services and programs virtually, as well as provide direct support to our community members. People have felt deeply engaged and connected despite the physical distancing. As a smaller community, we have a more limited base of support, and welcome the support of anyone who is committed to the vibrancy of Jewish life in our state capital.

Temple De Hirsch Sinai | www.templedehirschsinai.org Temple De Hirsch Sinai provides critical community support and services during these challenging days. In addition to offering pastoral support and solace to Temple’s congregants, our and congregants are deeply engaged in the community – tending to those in need and advocating for social justice (including immigrants’ rights, food security, and environmental and racial justice). Temple provides space where our Jewish community gathers in celebration and commemoration. Our online worship services, young family outreach, and classes are open to all.

Torah Day School of Seattle (TDS) | www.tdsseattle.org In 48 hours, TDS went from a brick and mortar institution to providing a distance learning education to our 80+ students in grades K-8. The teachers did a phenomenal job and thanks to Samis, we were able to gather enough resources to service all of our students, and continue to provide the personalized education we are known for. We do not know what the fall will bring and we need to prepare for every eventuality with the full understanding that we may need to pivot again. We want to use the summer, giving our teachers access to as much professional development we can so they can be as prepared as possible for whatever we encounter. We need funds for teacher development, funds for student and staff protection equipment (both personalized and for the classroom), and funds to provide our students with materials should distance learning continue.

Table of Contents | 13 URJ Camp Kalsman | www.campkalsman.org The URJ Camp Kalsman is the place for a summer of fun, friendships of a lifetime, and an unparalleled Jewish experience. Since 2007, Camp Kalsman has served the Jewish community of the Pacific Northwest, providing premier summer experiences for our youth and retreat facilities for our Jewish organizations. Since February, we have hosted dozens of online gatherings, reaching thousands of campers, alumni, families, and community members. We called every camper family to check in on them and to keep them apprised of our situation. This summer, we will provide online content and activities for our campers. With the inability to run our summer programs, we are faced with an approximate $1M operational shortfall. Through the generous leadership of many in our community, we have already raised more than $500K. A gift today will ensure our success as we welcome all our families home next summer!

Washington State Jewish Historical Society (WSJHS) | www.wsjhs.org The WSJHS has been active for more than 50 years. In a typical year, WSJHS hosts speakers and exhibits, organizes multiple audio and video interviews with members of the community for the historical record, and engages multiple stakeholders in the development of exhibits that are released physically and digitally.

The WSJHS has responded to the current situation by launching “Haggadah: Telling Your Story In The Time of Coronavirus,” an ongoing story collection program in the digital Washington Jewish Museum documenting the Jewish communities’ individual, healthcare, organizational, and student experiences and actions during the pandemic. We are all living through history.

While dealing with a potentially disastrous donation shortfall, the small WSJHS staff are working from their homes while finding new ways to collaborate with community partners and bring the amazing Washington Jewish history to the public.

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