Washington State Jewish Historical Society to Integrate with the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle
In 1968, the Women’s Division for the Jewish Federation of Seattle launched a grassroots effort to collect and preserve stories of Jewish life, called the Seattle Jewish Archives Project. In 1981, the Washington State Jewish Historical Society (WSJHS) was established to expand the work of the Archives Project. Since then, WSJHS has continued to collect, preserve, and celebrate the vibrant contributions of Jews across Washington State.
We are proud to announce that later this summer, WSJHS will be integrated into the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle’s portfolio of programs. In a truly full-circle moment, what began as a Federation project in 1968 will return to the Federation as a program, serving as a “win-win” for both our organizations and the community.
Over the past few years, it became clear to us that the overhead of running a small organization was taking away from our ability to fully deliver our core mission. Under the leadership of longtime Executive Director Lisa Kranseler and our Board of Directors, we began a process to determine how best to proceed and ultimately approached the Federation with the idea of integrating. We are very grateful to the Federation’s leadership for their receptiveness and collaboration as we worked through the many details together.
By leveraging the infrastructure and reach of the Federation, we can better steward our community’s resources and spend more time doing the essential work of preserving Jewish history across the state. We are excited to continue our oral history program, archival projects, and digital museum, now with a stronger foundation thanks to the Federation. We are also thankful that our Board will continue to guide WSJHS by serving on a soon-to-be-formed advisory committee as part of the Federation’s lay leadership structure.
We look forward to bringing our respective communities and donors together to celebrate and support the work of both organizations in the months ahead. In the meantime, we invite you to reach out with any questions. Please see below for a message from WSJHS Executive Director Emerita Lisa Kranseler, and from the Federation’s leadership.
With gratitude,
Hannah Peters
Jon & Bobbe Bridge Director of WSJHS
Ron Waldbaum
Board President
Note from Lisa Kranseler:
As I reflect on my 20 years with the Washington State Jewish Historical Society, I feel deep gratitude—for the people, the stories, and the shared commitment that have shaped this work. Preserving and sharing Jewish life in Washington has been more than a mission; it has been a true privilege and a calling.
It is an absolute thrill to have Hannah Peters, our Jon & Bobbe Bridge Director, continue my legacy. I believe she is exactly the right person, and I fully support this integration with the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle to ensure the continuity of WSJHS for generations to come.
While I will be celebrating my retirement on May 17, I am grateful to continue working through the end of 2026—supporting the transition, sharing our own historical knowledge, and mentoring the next chapter of leadership. I am deeply thankful to the donors, board, staff, and volunteers who have made these past two decades so meaningful, and I look ahead with confidence and hope for all that comes next.
Lisa Kranseler
WSJHS Executive Director Emerita
Note from the Federation:
Dear WSJHS Community,
We are honored to welcome the Washington State Jewish Historical Society (WSJHS) into the Federation's vibrant portfolio of programs.
Since 1928, the Federation has worked to support and uplift our diverse Jewish community across the region, guided by a commitment to ensuring a thriving Jewish life for today and tomorrow. Preserving and sharing the history of Jewish Washington State for future generations is one more way we can build a vibrant future, and we are grateful for the opportunity to advance the important work of WSJHS.
We deeply appreciate the thoughtful leadership of the WSJHS board throughout this process and are excited that many WSJHS board members will continue guiding its work as part of the Federation’s advisory committee. And, we look forward to the leadership of Hannah Peters, the Jon and Bobbe Bridge Director of WSJHS, as she continues in that role at the Federation.
We look forward to connecting with you and introducing our respective communities to the work of both organizations in the months ahead as we begin this next chapter together.
L’shalom,
Solly Kane
President & CEO
Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle