Community Giving Guide Whoever practices charity and justice fills the world with loving-kindness. - B. Talmud 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 Chabad 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 Jewish Day School (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 Yeshiva 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 Torah 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 Judaism. 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 Rabbi 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.