Washington State Jewish Historical Society and Samis Foundation Launch New Digital Exhibit on the Life of Sam Israel and the Samis Foundation and Announce Publication of Israel’s Biography
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: WSJHS: Lisa Kranseler, lisak@wsjhs.org
Samis: Stella Safte, stellas@samis.com
Washington State Jewish Historical Society and Samis Foundation Launch New Digital Exhibit on the Life of Sam Israel and the Samis Foundation and Announce Publication of Israel’s Biography
Seattle, WA (January 11, 2022): The Washington State Jewish Historical Society and Samis Foundation announce the launch of Samis Foundation: Life and Legacy, the latest digital exhibit as part of the Washington Jewish Museum (WJM), and the much-anticipated publication of Samuel Israel’s biography, Our Brother’s Keeper, The Life of Sam Israel. The WJM is the state’s first digital Jewish Museum to preserve and bring to life the people, memories, and events that have impacted and continue to shape Jewish life in Washington State.
Samuel Israel and his family immigrated from Rhodes to Seattle in 1919 where he founded a successful shoe repair business. Before his death in 1994, Sam established the Samis Foundation to support intensive, immersive Jewish education in Washington State, and six program areas in Israel including aliyah and absorption, archaeology, educational support, widows and orphans, poverty and social mobility, and wildlife
preservation. In addition, the Foundation provides disaster relief when crises or natural disasters hit communities across the globe. Since its inception the Foundation has given over $100 million in grants in support of over 150 different programs, organizations, and initiatives.
“The new Samis exhibit has given us a great opportunity to honor Sam Israel’s legacy and reflect on the extraordinary impact of his philanthropic vision. The timing for the exhibit couldn’t be better, as this month we are also excited to publish Sam’s biography which is not only a testament to his life and that of the Israel family, but also provides great insights on Sephardic Jewish immigration to Seattle,” said Samis’ CEO Connie Kanter.
After years of extensive archival research, interviews, and writing, Sam Israel’s biography, Our Brother’s Keeper,
The Life of Sam Israel, written by Richard S. Hobbs, will be formally released at a virtual event on January 31, 2022, at 7:30PM. Please email stellas@samis.com to register for the program. Click here to order a copy of the
book.
The first Jewish people came to Washington State in the early 1850s and have served as philanthropists, politicians, musicians, business leaders and sports stars. The addition of The Samis Foundation: Life and Legacy exhibit to the Washington Jewish Museum brings to life an important piece of the state’s rich Jewish history.
“Sam Israel’s vision for the Samis Foundation changed the history of Washington State through the funding of
Jewish education,” said WSJHS Executive Director Lisa Kranseler. "This exhibit was curated using the Washington State Jewish Archives, oral histories, and documentation provided by the Samis Foundation. Including this exhibit in the WJM, brings all these collections together in one place and gives everyone access to this important part of Washington history.” Samis Foundation: Life and Legacy is sponsored by the Samis Foundation.