By Deva Hasson, Trustee, and Melissa Rivkin, Director of Day School Strategy

Every foundation hopes its investments strengthen not only institutions, but the people and communities those institutions serve. On Friday at SJCS’s Zman Kehillah Showcase, we were able to see that impact firsthand.

The showcase was the culmination of Zman Kehillah, a year-long learning experience that connected students with organizations across Seattle’s Jewish community. Deva attended as both an SJCS parent and Samis trustee; Melissa attended as part of her work with Samis Foundation. We left with the same reaction: a deep appreciation for what happens when students are invited to engage with Jewish community not as observers, but as active participants.

Throughout the year, students partnered with Jewish communal organizations, learning not only what these organizations do, but how they contribute to Jewish life. They volunteered, raised money, served others, and explored what it means to take responsibility for their community. Some students assembled Shabbat care packages for college students during finals week. Others raised money through a lemonade stand to support camp scholarships at the Stroum Jewish Community Center. While the projects varied, each asked students to consider the same question: What responsibility do we have to one another as members of a Jewish community?

A Year In The Making

The showcase itself was remarkable. The building was packed—standing room only—with parents, students, faculty, and representatives from partner organizations. Every room reflected months of learning, service, and creativity. Students eagerly shared their projects and, more importantly, the lessons they had taken from them.

Several weeks before the showcase, Deva visited SJCS to speak with students about Samis Foundation, philanthropy, and the story of Sam Israel. She shared why Sam cared so deeply about Jewish education, Jewish identity, camps, Israel experiences, and building a strong Jewish community. The conversation focused not only on what Sam supported, but on the values that guided his giving.

A Philanthropist They Never Met

Walking through the showcase, it quickly became clear that those lessons had stayed with the students.

They had created “Sam Israel” playing cards featuring facts from his life. They had drawn portraits of Sam, complete with his signature fez. They proudly shared what they had learned about him. They knew he played the mandolin. They knew he loved being Jewish. And they understood that he cared deeply about creating opportunities for Jewish children to learn, connect, and carry their Judaism with pride.

What struck us most was not that they remembered the facts. It was that they understood the values behind them.

Again and again, students explained that Sam Israel wanted Jewish children to love being Jewish and to carry that identity proudly. Somehow, through all the activities and conversations, they had distilled a lifetime of philanthropy into a simple but powerful idea.

A Conversation About Values

The students also designed a philanthropy activity inspired by what they had learned about Samis. Visitors received colored tokens and were invited to allocate them among different community priorities—Jewish day schools, camps, Israel experiences, youth programs, support for new families in Israel, and more. The categories themselves were created by the students based on their understanding of Samis and the many ways philanthropy strengthens Jewish life.

Watching families, teachers, and community members thoughtfully place their tokens was one of the highlights. The students were not simply presenting information; they were leading a conversation about values, priorities, and communal responsibility.

And yes, Jewish day schools were the clear favorite among visitors. Not a scientific survey — these were parents who had already chosen day school — but the conversation it sparked mattered more than the result. It was a powerful reminder that even amid many competing needs, day schools continue to be viewed as one of the strongest ways to build Jewish identity, connection, and continuity for the next generation.

A Legacy That Travels

This experience did not happen by accident. It grew out of a professional development initiative at SJCS, guided by Kadima Coaching and Rabbi Dr. Tavi Koslowe and supported by Samis. The investment in educators made space for the kind of learning that connected students to the broader Jewish community in ways that stayed with them.

Perhaps the most meaningful moment came when students shared a thank-you video for Samis. They recognized that many of the opportunities they enjoy today exist because previous generations chose to invest in Jewish education and Jewish life. More importantly, they understood that philanthropy is not just about receiving support — it is about caring enough about a community to help sustain it.

Too often, philanthropy can feel abstract. Friday was the opposite. It was tangible, joyful, and deeply hopeful.

The timing felt especially meaningful. This week marks the 32nd yahrzeit of Sam Israel. More than three decades after his passing, students who never knew him were sharing his story, discussing the values that guided his philanthropy, and reflecting on how they might strengthen the Jewish community themselves. A legacy is measured not only by what is given, but by the lives it touches and the values it continues to inspire.

Judging by what we saw at SJCS, that future is in very good hands

We’ll leave you with this. One student showed us stickers the group had designed — “I Love Being Jewish” and “I Love Jewish Education” — explaining that they based them on what they’d learned Sam cared about most. Another walked us through how they uploaded the design online to actually place the order. They weren’t just learning about generosity. They were practicing it.