Ladino-speaking pirates, genies and grumpy demon cats: PJ Library expands bookshelves with Sephardic stories
July 30, 2026
| Seattle, WA | July 2026- Today the Samis Foundation is launching Jewish Professional Investment (JPI) Grants, a new professional development grant program designed for the people who teach, lead, and support Jewish youth across Washington State. JPI Grants send professionals at Jewish camps, synagogues, youth groups, and other Jewish nonprofits to the conferences, fellowships, certificate programs, and seminars that sharpen their craft and connect them to a wider field. The idea behind the initiative is straightforward: The quality of Jewish experience and education a young person receives is contingent on the quality of the professional leading them, whether that is a camp counselor, a youth group leader, or a Hebrew school teacher. Investing in those professionals is one of the most significant ways to strengthen Jewish identity development for our youth and Jewish life in our community. “JPI Grants are an investment in the people who make Jewish life happen,” said Judy Neuman, Board Chair of the Samis Foundation. “Across Washington, talented professionals show up every day for our children and our community. This program helps Jewish organizations develop their people and it signals to youth serving Jewish professionals that we believe they are worth investing in.”JPI Grants are launching with nearly $70,000. The Samis Foundation is the lead funder, with additional support from the Nitzan Foundation. |
| Built on a simple pilot JPI Grants grew out of a pilot Samis ran in early 2026, when the Foundation offered Washington Jewish professionals $1,000 to attend two national Jewish conferences. Twenty-three professionals from eleven organizations took part, and the results made the case for expansion: ● 93% said the conference was a worthwhile use of their time ● 86% felt more confident exploring Israel Education with their students ● 100% said the grant process was easy “The feedback from Jewish professionals who participated in the pilot was overwhelmingly positive,” said Ariel Lapson, Senior Program Officer & Director of Grants Management at Samis. “They returned with new frameworks and content to implement, new colleagues from other cities, and every single one of them told us the grant process was easy. That is the experience we want to scale.” |
| Two Grant Opportunities JPI Grants come in two forms, each designed for a different kind of professional development: JPI Conference Grants provide $1,000 toward registration and travel for a national Jewish conference, supporting professionals who want to gain new skills and connect with colleagues across the field. JPI Education Grants support longer, more intensive programs, including 10–18-month fellowships, certificate programs, and seminars in Israel. For JPI Education grants, Samis funds the majority of the expense up to $5,000 per year, with the participant’s organization contributing a share. Together, the two options are intended to meet a range of professional development needs and interests. Organizational leaders interested in learning more about JPI Conference and Education Grants are encouraged to attend an upcoming town hall later this Summer. Applications for both are open now, on a rolling basis throughout the year. Who is eligible JPI Grants are open to Jewish professionals employed at camps, synagogues, youth groups, and other Jewish nonprofits across Washington State, regardless of career stage. Professional development for Jewish day school educators is supported through separate Samis initiatives in partnership with the schools. |
