Initiatives in Israel

According to recent studies, 90% of children and adolescents experienced situations of stress, anxiety, or fear during the "Iron Swords" war, shared the CEO of the National Council for the Child, Attorney Vered Windman, at the lobbying event for the promotion of youth villages, welfare residential facilities, and foster care that recently took place in the Knesset. If these are the statistics among "average" children and adolescents, one can only imagine the severity of the emotional situation among at-risk children and youth, who carry complex burdens with them, regardless of the complicated security reality.

In the aftermath of the barbaric atrocities committed by Hamas in Southern Israel on October 7th, the Samis Foundation initiated a series of emergent needs grants to the State of Israel. Samis is committed to continuing its support for those directly impacted by the attacks and the resulting war.

On October 12, 2023 the Samis Foundation approved an initial round of $150,000 in unrestricted grants to organizations meeting the emergent needs of Israelis in the aftermath of the worst attack on the State of the Israel and the Jewish people since the Shoah.

We stand steadfastly with the State of Israel as the country enters into war. The Samis Foundation board and staff are shocked and devastated by the wide-scale terrorist attacks that unfolded in Israel over this past holiday Shmini Azeret and Simchat Torah, and Shabbat, marking one of the darkest days in Israel’s history. 

On March 30, the National Library of Israel (NLI) announced the opening of a digital archive of Sephardic and Ladino manuscripts, including haggadot from 14th-century Spain, a manuscript of Jeremiah in Ladino from the 15th century, and a 16th-century Ladino women’s siddur. The digital collection was funded by a $1 million grant from the Samis Foundation, the Seattle-based organization that supports local Jewish day school education and experiences as well as select projects in Israel.