Samis Trustee Spotlight: Maria Erlitz
June 6, 2022
David Ellenhorn On How Jewish Day School Sets the Trajectory for Future Success
August 23, 2022
A conversation with skilled attorney, native Seattleite, and steadfast communal volunteer, Louis Treiger
Years of Service: 3
Committee (s): Grants Committee, Chair Israel Grants Sub-Committee, Vice-Chair Endowment/Investment Committee, Day School Sub-Committee
What did you know about Sam Israel before joining the board?
I knew a little bit about Sam Israel because my father was Sam’s attorney and formed the Foundation for him. I knew that he cared deeply about the Jewish people and the State of Israel and that he was a rather unique character.
What was your impression of Samis before joining the board? What were you surprised to discover as a trustee?
My impression was mostly based on Samis’ support for day schools in Seattle. I was so impressed by, and appreciative of, the level of support that Samis offered to those schools. I have been president of two Seattle day schools, so I knew firsthand how much the schools rely on Samis to support their missions, and I recognized the fact that the schools would be very different institutions without Samis’ huge help.
What’s the greatest story you ever heard about Sam?
This is not a story directly about Sam, but an experience I had as a young student. At the end of the school year after 5th or 6th grade at Seattle Hebrew Academy, the headmaster packed a bunch of kids on a school bus and we headed to central Washington on a “camping” trip. We had a great time, but little did we know that the real reason for the trip was to visit Soap Lake and show Sam Israel all these Jewish children whose school needed his help. I don’t think any financial support resulted directly from that trip but I have to believe that our visit may have been a factor in Sam’s decision to support day schools.
What was your path to joining the Samis Board?
Over the years I have done a lot of volunteering in the Jewish community. I served on two separate Seattle day school boards and served as president of both, so I have a good understanding of the challenges faced by Seattle day schools.
What is the most meaningful story, event, or experience you can recall related to your service on the Samis Board thus far?
Samis supports a number of nonprofit organizations in Israel — this is not as well known in the Seattle community as Samis’ support for our day schools. Two years ago I traveled to Israel with a group of Samis trustees and staff to visit potential Israeli beneficiaries. The appreciation shown by the people running those organizations was heartfelt, and I could tell that Samis was really making a difference for them, which was quite meaningful to me.
How does your personal Jewish journey relate to the Samis mission?
I am a strong believer that formal Jewish education is by far the best path to ensure that the next generation remains committed and proud of their Jewish identity, and that belief fits right in with the Samis mission. I am also a strong believer in educating our youth about Israel, especially given all the negative stuff out there, so helping hundreds of our Washington State youth visit and study in Israel every year is a great accomplishment for Samis.
Which area of the Foundation’s philanthropy most resonates with you and why?
Day school education is the foundation of a strong and knowledgeable Jewish community, so supporting our Jewish day schools really resonates with me. In my opinion, a city without strong, well populated day schools has a bleak Jewish future.
How has serving on the Samis Board thus far, impacted your perspective on philanthropy and the Jewish community?
The local projects that Samis supports, in addition to day school education, are important to our community and so viewing those up close has allowed me to understand and appreciate those areas of Samis’ philanthropy. I especially have come to realize that Jewish camps, and teen study and touring in Israel, are extremely important avenues to create and strengthen Jewish identity in our teens.
Where do you envision the Seattle Jewish community ten or twenty years from now?
This is a great question. I hope that Samis can help our community improve in so many ways: increase enrollment in our day schools, encourage more children to attend summer camps and grow the number of our teens who study in Israel or who visit with youth summer groups. We need to engage all these young people in activities that will strengthen their connection to the Seattle community and to the Jewish people. And my hope is that those educated Jewish children will become the future leaders of our community, our synagogues, and our schools.
