December 2023 PROOF

PROOF

Celebrating 18 Years of PJ Library on page 6

Eighteen years of your stories p. 14

How PJ Library events connect families p. 8

Inspiration from Dolly Parton p. 22

PROOF

THE Foreword LETTERS TO THE Editor

Founder Harold Grinspoon

President Winnie Sandler Grinspoon

Chief Operating Officer Adrian Dion

Managing Director Alex Zablotsky

Chief Philanthropy Officer

Rachel Bren Goldklang

Director of Advancement Communications

Shelley Friel

Managing Editor Rachel Zaimont

Graphic Designer Allison Biggs

Contributing Editors

Senior Creative Manager Beth Honeyman

Creative Director Danny Paller

Contributing Writers

Patrick Coyle, Allison Glazer, Rabbi Rick Jacobs, Rachel Kozupsky, Naama Krauz, Cheryl Glantz

Nail, Naomi Pfefferman, Naomi Shulman

Operations Support

Director of Data Management

Adrianne Levine

Senior Manager of Print Production

& Distribution Renée Zborowski

Web Marketing Manager Rory Hurlburt

Stewardship Coordinator Jessica Kaleta

Database Coordinator Sherani Weatherington

Web Operations Associate Xavier Hillman

PROOF subscriptions: development@hgf.org

Donation inquiries: give@hgf.org

Questions about PJ Library: pjlibrary@hgf.org

Have a story idea? proof@hgf.org

Cover credit: Courtesy of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation

PJ Library

67 Hunt Street, Suite 100 Agawam, MA 01001 USA

413-276-0800 pjlibrary.org

I’ll let you in on a not-so-secret secret. PROOF magazine is printed weeks before it arrives in homes, and we start working on the articles months before that. On October 7, when Israel was brutally attacked and our world forever changed, we had been dotting the final i and crossing the final t on this issue.

We asked: Should we send PROOF magazine? It was too late to rewrite. Did the features we had been so excited to share with families still resonate? Would our readers appreciate the moments of Jewish joy in these pages, or would the stories seem inappropriate or anachronistic?

As you’re reading this now, you know that we decided to share these stories with you. Some have been modestly adjusted. But despite the tragedy (or maybe even because of it), we felt these tales of Jewish community and connection were worth sharing. In the following pages, you will see a celebration of PJ Library’s journey and impact and the families touched by stories experienced communally. You will see a beautiful narrative and photos celebrating what we treasure about Israel.

As parents, we often need to live in two realities: facing the trials of adult life while being fully present for our children through the joys and struggles in their lives. My rabbi recently noted, quoting the late Israeli poet Yehuda Amichai, that we must “laugh and cry with the same eyes.” As parents, we at times need to do that in the same heartbeat.

We at PJ Library hope that in the following pages highlighting Jewish joy you find comfort, a moment of reflection, or a smile. We hope you are fortified by this incredible PJ Library community.

We have never been so proud to be a part of so many families’ Jewish experiences. Thank you for being part of the story.

In partnership, for our children,

PJ Library Turns 18

A generation of children has grown up with PJ Library books. Hear from Rabbi Rick Jacobs, president of the Union for Reform Judaism, about what that means for the Jewish community.

“Rachel Bren Goldklang Chief Philanthropy Officer PJ Library

Beyond the Books

Jewish families find community and connection through PJ Library events.

Finding Inspiration in Israel

Twenty authors joined PJ Library in Israel. They returned energized to tell new stories.

Celebrating Your Stories

For our 18th birthday, we asked families, authors, publishers, community leaders, and supporters: What does PJ Library mean to you?

Global Connections

Enthusiastic young Israelis are sharing PJ Library books with Jewish communities around the world.

A Slam-Dunk Story

Basketball player Tamir Goodman channeled his learning differences into a new book for the PJ Library lineup.

Q&A with Dolly Parton

PJ Library celebrates the gift of storybooks with the music legend herself!

I was just reading an article in PJ Library’s magazine about Harold Grinspoon [“Harold Grinspoon’s Gift,” July 2023 issue of PROOF] and wanted to reach out with an anecdote. This line especially stuck out to me: “I was the kid who struggled with reading and spelling, but I have always loved stories.” My son has been obsessed with books since he was a baby. If I took him to the library, he’d spend hours quietly poring over each page in each book until it was time to go home. Books are important to us as a family, and I’ve always thought of literacy as a Jewish value. I was shocked when it seemed that my son, who loved stories and books, couldn’t read. When he turned 7, we learned he has profound dyslexia. Thankfully, he’s not bothered by his diagnosis but empowered by the knowledge that he has a different kind of brain. He is working hard at learning to read and write fluently with the help of great tutors. He also loves learning about other dyslexic people and how they’ve put their “different kinds of brains” to use tackling all sorts of important issues in the world. He looks for himself in those biographies, trying to find points of connection that might foretell great things he can do as he grows. [Editor’s note: On page 20, read the inspiring story of basketball player and author Tamir Goodman!] I read aloud a bit about Harold, noting also that Harold was a farm kid (we, too, are farmers and have four children). My son smiled and said, “He’s so much like me!” This true story about a Jewish dyslexic farmer’s son who grew up to give away books and foster a love of reading tickled us both.

Suzanna, Vermont

A quick take on what’s happening at PJ Library.

Parting Thoughts

A note from Winnie Sandler Grinspoon, president of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation.

*We want to hear from you! Send your thoughts, questions, and opinions on the articles in PROOF (and PJ Library in general!) to proof@hgf.org.

THE Newsfeed

There’s always plenty going on at PJ Library. Here’s a quick roundup of the latest news and events.

BY PJ LIBRARY STAFF

PJ Library Family Camps Create Jewish Connection

CHALLAH BRAIDING AND ISRAELI DANCING.

Shabbat songs and s’mores under the stars. These and other cherished Jewish summer camp activities are not just for kids — they are staples of PJ Library family-camp weekends that invite children, parents, and even grandparents to unplug, play, and create meaningful Jewish connections.

Each year, Jewish camps across the US host intergenerational weekend retreats in partnership with PJ Library, offering families the chance to experience the joy of Jewish camp together and build new relationships in their local Jewish communities. These family-camp weekends feature a distinct PJ Library flavor with built-in storytime and creative bookrelated activities.

“We’re trying to make overnight camp experiences more available and accessible to PJ Library families, to give them a taste of what Jewish overnight camping is all about,” says Marcy Lewis, program director for PJ Library of Greater Phoenix, a program of the Center for Jewish Philanthropy of Greater Phoenix. “Family camp is an opportunity to bring books and Judaism to life and to introduce a love of Jewish camp to a new generation.”

Families enjoy camp activities and storytime at PJ Library family-camp weekends around the US.

At Camp Daisy & Harry Stein in Prescott, Arizona, where Lewis and volunteer coordinator Laura Drachler have organized PJ Library family camps since 2017, families can take part in kid-friendly Shabbat services, art projects, zip lining, and sports. Lewis and Drachler design each camp weekend around a favorite PJ Library book. Last year, families received a copy of 10 Things I Can Do to Help My World, made crafts with recycled objects, and packed care kits for distribution by a local charity. In addition to rock climbing, tie-dyeing clothes, and boating on the lake, Ramah

Darom’s annual “Book It to Shabbat” PJ Library family camp in Clayton, Georgia, offers families a chance to dive deeply into Jewish values. Each camp weekend features a theme plucked from the pages of PJ Library books that camp organizers curate in partnership with PJ Library Atlanta. For one year’s theme, the mitzvah of hashavat aveidah (returning lost items), families played hide and seek, took part in a scavenger hunt, and enjoyed an immersive StoryWalk® featuring the PJ Library book

A Hen for Izzy Pippik.

“We focus on experiential play because we recognize how critical these moments are for [kids’] Jewish development,” says Eliana Leader, director of the Kaplan Mitchell Retreat Center at Ramah Darom. “Ultimately, we want to inspire greater participation in the Jewish community.” That goes for grownups too. Adults-only social activities that allow parents to connect with new friends are a highlight of many PJ Library family camps. “Parents speak highly of the ability for their kids to roam and play safely while they’re having a cup of coffee with somebody new,” says Elizabeth Kaplan, former community care director at Camp Laurelwood in Madison, Connecticut, which will host two PJ Library family camps in 2024. What’s the impact of these family-camp weekends? Many families return year after year. Some sign their children up for overnight camp. And many form relationships that last long after the glow of the campfire fades. “Anytime you have this kind of experience together,” Leader says, “it’s a bond that takes you somewhere further.”

To find a PJ Library family camp near you, contact your local PJ Library program professional: pjlibrary.org/pj-near-you. —By Rachel Zaimont

Investing in Jewish Professionals

PJ Library is more than books — in communities around the world, PJ Library brings families together for engaging encounters that connect participants to Jewish life and to one another. [Editor’s note: See the article on page 8 for more!]

But those connections don’t just happen on their own. Family-engagement professionals at Jewish organizations who help bring PJ Library to communities across the globe often create these crucial opportunities. In May, PJ Library hosted its annual conference just for them.

The 2023 PJ Library International Conference, held in Springfield, Massachusetts, brought together more than 180 professionals representing 90 communities and eight countries. For three days, attendees took part in professional development sessions exploring how to intentionally connect with parents of young children, support families in building relationships with their local Jewish communities, and foster a sense of belonging. “Thank you for the thought and intention behind this conference,” wrote Hilary Kamin, managing director of leadership and engagement at the Jewish Federation of Greater Houston.

“I filled my cup with program ideas, fundraising tips, and new ways to engage our families.”

—By Cheryl Glantz Nail

Summer Book Swaps Across New York

“What can I do with the books my kids have outgrown?” This is one of the most frequently asked questions at PJ Library (after “Is it really free?” — and yes, it is!). As children get older, they are no longer pulling the board books they once loved off their bookshelves, and in New York City, extra storage space is scarce.

To help families refresh their libraries with age-appropriate titles, PJ Library held four book swaps this past summer across New York so families could exchange gently used books. The series began on the Upper East Side at 92NY’s Shababa program, then traveled uptown to Fort Tryon Park for an appearance at Ukulele Shabbat, hosted by YM&YWHA of Washington Heights & Inwood. Continuing north, Westchester’s Temple Beth Abraham hosted the third book swap, and the series concluded in Brooklyn at Park Slope Jewish Center’s Stoop Shabbat. In total, attendees exchanged or donated more than 1,500 books.

“There is nothing we love more than connecting families raising young children while also connecting them with PJ Library,” says Meara Ashtivker, director of PJ Library in New York. “We look forward to hosting more book swaps next summer.”

—By Allison Glazer

Picture Book Summer Camp

Every year, PJ Library sends 99 unique titles to kids ages 0-8 in North America. That’s a lot of books! It takes great authors to write the wonderful Jewish stories that families reach for again and again. That’s why, for the second August in a row, PJ Library offered emerging writers the chance to hone their craft at its Picture Book Summer Camp, a five-day retreat at the Highlights Foundation campus in Pennsylvania. The group of 20 authors (selected through a competitive application process) learned about story development, workshopped manuscripts, and discussed Jewish content and themes. “I truly think my trips to Picture Book Summer Camp have changed my life and the trajectory of my career,” says writer Jan Epstein Schwaid, who attended the 2022 and 2023 retreats. “I learned so much about the craft and business of picture books. Delving into Jewish topics — and the way we approach them with kids — inspired me deeply.” Interested in attending? The 2024 application will be online in March. —By Patrick Coyle

PHOTO BY DANI FINE PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTO BY ROFA SHUHRATZOD

PJ Library Turns 18

A reflection: Shaping the Jewish community we aspire to be.

BY RABBI RICK JACOBS, PRESIDENT OF THE UNION FOR REFORM JUDAISM

Eighteen is a special number in Jewish tradition. It is the numerical value of the Hebrew word chai, meaning “life.” In Hebrew, each letter has a numerical equivalent. For example, the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet, aleph, is equal to one, the second letter, bet, has the value of two, and so on. The Hebrew word chai comprises the letter chet, which has a numerical value of eight, and the letter yud, which has a value of 10. This is why it is common for Jews to give gifts and donations in multiples of 18, and it is also why an 18th birthday is considered

PJ Library began with 200 children 18 years ago. Now books reach more than 650,000 children around the world.

BY

our tradition as well as our longevity. The Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) has been intensely focused on connecting the not-yetconnected and those marginally connected to Judaism and the Jewish community. Likewise, over these past 18 years, PJ Library has sent more than 50 million books to so many in our community who might never have been connected to the Jewish community otherwise.

The 2020 Pew Research Center survey of Jewish Americans told us that at least a quarter of the youngest generation (ages 18-29) identify as people who are often on the margins of our Jewish communities, including those who are Black, indigenous, or people of color; LGBTQIA+; Sephardic or Mizrahi; interfaith; people who live with a disability; and more.

The content of Jewish books increasingly reflects the growing diversity we see within the Jewish community today. PJ Library has operated with a broadly inclusive understanding of what contemporary families look like, which has helped create more Jewish communities where everyone belongs.

especially auspicious, representing life itself.

This year, PJ Library turns 18, and its 18th birthday means that this transformative program has ignited an entirely new generation through Jewish books. What an exciting milestone deserving of celebration and reflection! Many of the children who received their first Jewish books from PJ Library are now entering college, starting their first jobs, or exploring what it means to be an adult for the first time.

Today, as more Jews are unconnected to Jewish life than are connected, PJ Library has infused Jewish meaning into the lives of

so many families with young children. Too often, Jewish leaders expect that those who are not yet connected will come into our communities to experience what we think they should want. The brilliance of PJ Library is that it is focused on what we know Jewish families are truly seeking: to make reading time more meaningful by distilling thousands of years of Jewish wisdom for young readers. PJ Library books have captured the attention of children around the world as well as their parents and grandparents.

The V’ahavta prayer says, “teach them [God’s commandments] diligently unto your children.” But in many families, parents or guardians aren’t sure what to teach or how to teach their children about being Jewish — until Jewish books arrive at their doorstep, providing an accessible on-ramp into Jewish life.

We’ve been called am ha’sefer, “the people of the book,” as Jewish learning has led to the perpetuation of the timeless values of

On average, more than 100 children across North America sign up every day to receive the gift of PJ Library for the first time.

PHOTOS BY LYNNE GRAVES PHOTOGRAPHY

“Those just beginning their Jewish journeys could be our next inspired scholars, leaders, and activists.”

A milestone birthday like this is an invitation to reflect on the tremendous impact of PJ Library and, at the very same moment, join in imagining how this wildly successful experiment could help shape the Jewish community we aspire to be. The URJ and PJ Library are creating more pathways for those not yet connected to Jewish life to engage with the riches of Judaism. Those just beginning their Jewish journeys could be our next inspired scholars, leaders, and activists. PJ Library and the URJ are committed to growing our Jewish community and celebrating our vibrant diversity. That diversity not only makes us stronger, but it can also make us more creative and effective in shaping the world that God has called us to shape: a world of equity, compassion, wholeness, and peace. That’s the bright future we are building, one book at a time, one soul at a time. Happy birthday, PJ Library. We at the URJ offer our deepest appreciation to the remarkable Harold Grinspoon Foundation and all who make PJ Library possible. We love being your partners in shaping a more connected, inspired, and inclusive Jewish community.

Rabbi Rick Jacobs is the president of the Union for Reform Judaism, which leads a large and diverse Jewish movement reaching 1.5 million people in North America.

PHOTO

LYNNE GRAVES PHOTOGRAPHY

Beyond the Books

PJ Library events build connections and community, supporting families on their Jewish journeys.

BY NAAMA KRAUZ, ENGAGEMENT ASSOCIATE

When Aliza Plotkin and her family moved from Houston, Texas, to West Bloomfield, Michigan, in 2022, they left behind a wealth of relationships in the Houston Jewish community. Aliza had signed her son, Isaac, up for PJ Library as a baby, and the family had made lasting local connections through PJ Library community events. Would they find a similar sense of belonging in their new hometown?

Shortly after moving, Aliza learned about a PJ Library meet-and-greet for families new to the Detroit area, hosted in partnership with JFamily Detroit. At that event, she discovered and joined a brand-new family Shabbat program. All at once, she felt the doors of the Detroit Jewish community open.

“By showing up at that one program, we were able to immediately step into this new

Families gather for events in the greater Washington, D.C. area and in New Haven, Connecticut.

PHOTOS BY ARYEH SCHWARTZ FOR THE JEWISH FEDERATION OF GREATER WASHINGTON AND SHAYNA SCHRIER

community,” Aliza says. “PJ Library helped facilitate a beautiful transition for my family.

To be able to move from Houston to Detroit and seamlessly fall into similar programs and events and comfort — it really helped us acclimate to our new area. I felt less alone.”

Access to a warm, vibrant Jewish community can make all the difference for Jewish families. That’s why, when it comes to PJ Library, the delivery of free monthly Jewish-themed books is just the beginning. Across the US and around the globe, PJ Library connects families for community events and programs designed to build meaningful relationships to Jewish life and to each other.

These encounters fill a widespread need: Three-quarters of PJ Library parents say they want to become more connected to their local Jewish community, and over 60% say they are more likely to attend a family event if it is endorsed by PJ Library. In 2022 alone, more

than 3,000 PJ Library events welcomed over 100,000 families across the US and Canada.

“The goal of PJ Library events is to intentionally bring families together in person to meet others and feel more connected to their local Jewish community,” says Tracy Newman, PJ Library’s director of community engagement. “Jewish connections help us feel part of something bigger, especially when we celebrate with peers in similar life stages.”

Adds PJ Library community manager Saskia Swenson Moss, “Going beyond the books transforms an individual connection to Jewish life into a collective one.”

PJ LIBRARY WAS ALWAYS MEANT to be more than books. As more and more families signed up, the PJ Library team recognized an opportunity to connect new parents to one another and to their local communities. To do this, PJ Library provided grant funding to encourage local partner organizations (such as Jewish federations and JCCs) to hire familyengagement professionals to run programs and events. These professionals develop creative and meaningful ways for families to bond and celebrate their shared Jewish connection — in parks, synagogues, camps, bookstores, and other venues — so families with diverse interests and needs can find a comfortable entry point to Jewish communal life.

The effects are profound. At JCC Greater Boston, PJ Library manager and family connector Alyssa Kaitz raves about the Afikomen Squad — a group of families who hit it off at a Welcome Baby stroller walk and continue to get together for PJ Library programs, playdates, and Jewish holidays.

One of the mothers, Shoshana E., says, “I’m so excited to watch our babies grow up together and go to their bar and bat mitzvahs 10-plus years from now.”

In North Carolina’s Durham-Chapel Hill community, early childhood family ambassador Elisabeth Gerson helps connect PJ Library families through themed playgroups including “Multiracial Toddlers,” “2ish, 3ish, Jewish,” and “Not My First Rodeo” (for families with multiple children). Families have told Gerson that before these PJ Library playgroups came along, they weren’t sure where they fit into the Jewish community. “‘We feel supported and like we can do this,’” Gerson recalls a parent sharing.

“If families came away from this

Friendship grew between members of the Afikomen Squad, a group of families who continue to celebrate Jewish holidays together.

PHOTO COURTESY OF JCC GREATER BOSTON

experience feeling like they were part of a bigger community, what more could we have asked for?”

After moving to Durham, the PJ Library playgroups offered Stephanie Hawkins the Jewish connection she craved. “It’s so nice getting to know other Jewish families with young kids, recognizing faces when you go to temple, and feeling like your kids are going to grow up in the same type of warm, close-knit Jewish community you did,” she says.

“If families came away from this experience feeling like they were part of a bigger community, what more could we have asked for?”

ELISABETH GERSON

In Winnipeg, Canada, PJ Library events have become a bridge to families’ Jewish journeys, welcoming them when a new baby is born and guiding them through Jewish experiences that promote belonging and connection. PJ Library professional Florencia Katz and her team connect members of the local Jewish community through curated WhatsApp groups, baby-shower events, and a community challah train.

“Each time we meet a friend who is not familiar with the program, we always share our amazing experience and suggest signing up,” says Winnipeg parent Anna Shapiro. “It’s a great way to meet other Jewish families.”

FOR ALIZA PLOTKIN, the Sharing Shabbat program she signed up for over a year ago blossomed into a source of friendship and enriched her family’s Jewish experience in their new neighborhood.

Interested in finding PJ Library programs and events near you? Visit pjlibrary.org/pj-near-you.

“The impact PJ Library has had on my family is in helping us figure out our place in Jewish life and the values we wanted to bring forward in raising our son,” she shares. “It’s helped us find community, and that community has then helped us instill those values in our family’s life. And that has been incredibly special.”

Finding Inspiration in Israel

Twenty childrenʼs book authors joined PJ Library in Israel this spring. They returned energized to tell new stories.

BY NAOMI PFEFFERMAN

In Jerusalem this past May, children’s book author Nancy Churnin stood inside the Yad B’Yad (Hand in Hand) school for Israeli Jewish and Arab children, tears welling in her eyes. She watched as students of both backgrounds laughed, held hands, and ran down a hallway adorned with vibrant signs in Hebrew and Arabic. Two little girls giggled as they scampered up a staircase.

The girls’ exuberance filled Churnin, whose book Dear Mr. Dickens won a National Jewish Book Award, with joy and awe. “They were just children, enjoying each other’s friendship, celebrating a world in which everything is possible,” she says. On the spot, she was inspired to write a children’s book based on their bond: “I wanted to tell their story, hoping that it would encourage children everywhere to break down walls and form friendships like theirs.”

Churnin was one of 20 children’s book writers and illustrators, selected from more

Writers learned, bonded, explored Jewish history, and experienced Israel’s cultural milieu.

than 100 applicants, who attended PJ Library’s 2023 Author Israel Adventure, a nine-day tour designed to introduce storytellers to the wonders of Jewish history and the vivid cultures, places, and people of Israel. PJ Library first organized trips in 2018 and 2019, followed by a pause due to the pandemic.

The goal of the Author Israel Adventure is to inspire the creation of excellent, highquality children’s books that celebrate Jewish and Israeli stories and experiences, according to Catriella Freedman, PJ Library’s director of author and illustrator stewardship. “If we really want authors to write about Israel and to engage with Jewish topics, we need to send them to Israel,” she says.

Since the first Author Israel Adventure, writers who attended have published some 20 books inspired by their experiences, says Patrick Coyle, PJ Library’s author and illustrator stewardship coordinator and co-organizer of the trip with Freedman.

Supported by a grant from Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies and PJ Library Alliance partner funding, the 2023 Author Israel Adventure was a highlight in a year-long stewardship initiative for authors that featured intensive online workshops and the ability to discuss and develop book ideas and themes in a group setting.

Many who attended this year’s Israel trip said they found the experience memorable and moving. Authors swam in the Dead Sea, met members of the Indian and Ethiopian Jewish communities, networked with renowned Israeli authors such as Etgar Keret, and visited the Western Wall. On one exhilarating excursion, participants trekked through King David’s palace, traversed the subterranean Herodian tunnel, and emerged near the City of David in Jerusalem.

Writer Richard Ho, author of Two New Years, recounted a nighttime walk from a Bedouin camp into the Negev (the southern Israeli desert), lit only by the moon and stars. The group had been studying the portion of the Torah in which God commands Abraham to leave home and venture into the wilderness.

“Each of us stood alone in the desert,” Ho recalls, noting that the darkness and isolation profoundly affected him. “It was just you, your reflections, and God. It will always stay with me as one of my most powerful experiences.”

For author Adam Gidwitz, a standout moment occurred while visiting the ruins at Qumran, where Jewish scribes wrote and copied the Dead Sea Scrolls some 2,000 years ago. These scribes worked in shifts, 24 hours a day, burning candles all night long. As writers, Gidwitz says he and his fellow authors “felt like these were our people in some way.”

During an excursion to the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, Gidwitz and the other authors perused fragments of those same scrolls. Museum employees allowed them to view the ancient writings not behind a barrier but up close in the lab. One of the participants read aloud from a scroll that featured the words hinei ma tov. (Hinei ma tov u’ma na’im shevet achim gam yachad, “how good and pleasant it is to live together in unity,” has become a popular Hebrew song.) “We all suddenly started to sing along,” Gidwitz recalls. “It made us acutely aware of the continuity of the practice and experience of Judaism.”

Before the Author Israel Adventure, Gidwitz had tabled a book idea about a Jewish boy who

“If we want authors to write about Israel and to engage with Jewish topics, we need to send them to Israel.”

CATRIELLA FREEDMAN

accompanies a female spy to Israel during the Ottoman Empire period. He felt he couldn’t pen the story, in part, because he had never been to Israel. Now his experience in Israel has rekindled the story. “I was not going to be able to write it, and now I think I can,” he says.

The inspiration authors have gleaned from the trip is long-lasting, according to Susanna Reich, who attended the first Author Israel Adventure in 2018.

“It really connected me to my being Jewish in a way that I had never experienced before, and I have since written several books with Jewish subjects,” Reich says. “It has really changed my writing and my sense of myself as a Jewish person. I’m very grateful.”

REFLECTIONS

This past October, Author Israel Adventure alums reunited for a writing retreat at the Highlights Foundation in Pennsylvania. In addition to preplanned activities, the authors and illustrators engaged in supportive conversations about Israel, Jewish identity, and storytelling through the lens of the then-recent tragedy in Israel. Here we share some of their heartfelt reflections with our thanks.

“I had the opportunity to visit Israel in May with a group of authors and PJ Library staff. One of my biggest takeaways? I was able to exhale and be Jewish without fear. I was, for the first time, in a community where I was supported, welcomed, and safe. … I write books for kids, and no matter how dark my work gets, there must always be a glimmer of hope. We will work on our stories for kids and do our bit to put hope out in the world. I’m not sure what else to do, but living is resistance. Being a proud Jew is resistance.”

-Joanne Levy

“As writers, we know persistence, we know grit, we know community. To me, this is Israel. It’s the perpetuity of our people through dogged perseverance and unwavering courage — a promise to the Jewish souls who lived before and those yet to be born that despite everything, we will endure.”

-Jennifer Wolf Kam

Naomi Pfefferman is a freelance writer based in California.

PHOTOS BY DANIELLE MEHLER

Journey to 18 (and Beyond!)

PJ Library has grown by leaps and bounds. Follow along as we map the adventure.

BY ALEX ZABLOTSKY, MANAGING DIRECTOR

From local beginnings, PJ Library has stretched across the world to carry out its mission — to help families connect to Jewish values, traditions, and culture. But PJ Library couldn’t have become the global connector it is today without support. Generous donors, community partners, and many others who believe in PJ Library’s work have made these incredible achievements possible.

“Setting a strong Jewish and Israeli foundation for my children is so important

“Setting a strong Jewish and Israeli foundation for my children is so important to me.”

Michelle Miller

to me but something I have struggled with,” says Michelle Miller, of Inverness, Illinois. “Because of PJ Library books, I am able to pass that knowledge on. A donation to PJ Library seemed like a no-brainer.”

Thanks to supporters like Michelle around the globe, PJ Library is reaching more families in more places than ever before. But as we take a moment to celebrate our 18-year milestone, we’re already looking ahead. Because the truth is this: We’re only getting started.

2014

PJ Publishing goes live

PJ Library launches its own in-house press. It has published over 40 board books, picture books, and chapter books.

2009

Sifriyat Pijama launches in Israel

Sifriyat Pijama (“Pajama Library”), PJ Library’s Israeli counterpart, begins delivering vibrant books in Hebrew to Israeli schools. It has since provided 25 million books to more than 3 million children.

2007

PJ Library expands across the US and Canada

PJ Library goes national, thanks to incredible Jewish federations, JCCs, and other partners.

2005

PJ Library is born

The Harold Grinspoon Foundation starts sending free Jewish books to about 200 children in Western Massachusetts. They’re a hit!

2008

First PJ Library International Conference

This annual gathering celebrates, connects, and trains familyengagement professionals. (See page 5 for more!)

2018

First edition of PJ Library’s Haggadah published

In Every Generation: A PJ Library Family Haggadah debuts at Passover seders (ritual meals).

Now available in six languages, enlarged print, and braille.

2013

PJ Library Alliance launches

Each member of this transformational circle of philanthropists pledges $1 million or more to grow and deepen PJ Library’s work. To learn more, visit pjlibrary.org/alliance

2022

PJ Library goes to space!

It’s storytime on the International Space Station! Israeli businessman Eytan Stibbe broadcasts a reading of the Sifriyat Pijama book A Beautiful World

2012

PJ Library en Español begins

2016

Grandparents join the conversation

To spark intergenerational joy, we offer grandparents a taste of PJ Library. (Sign up at pjlibrary.org/grandparents.)

Since launching in Mexico, PJ Library en Español has translated nearly 200 titles and distributed 230,000 books throughout the Spanish-speaking world. Book translations in Russian, Ukrainian, German, and Portuguese have followed.

2023

PJ Library celebrates 18 years

Thank you for being part of our journey! Our work is just beginning. We hope you’ll join us for what’s next!

2019 Podcasts start making (sound) waves

PJ Library launches the first of three storytelling series for kids. Families have downloaded awardwinning PJ Library podcasts 700,000-plus times!

today! Visit pjlibrary.org/donate.

Celebrating Your Stories

PJ Library has touched the lives of people across the Jewish world. We invite you to meet a few of them.

BY RACHEL ZAIMONT, MANAGING EDITOR

PJ Library thrives on powerful stories — from the vibrant Jewish narratives we share in beautiful children’s books, to those of the incredible community who bring PJ Library to life. And at its heart, PJ Library’s goal is to inspire families to continue the Jewish story, embracing and imparting the joy of Jewish life to the next generation.

On PJ Library’s 18th birthday, we asked families, authors, publishers, community leaders, and supporters: What does PJ Library mean to you? Here are the stories they’ve shared.

Learning as a Family

Anne Chao and David Weitz faced a profound question when their daughter, Mollie, was born: How do we raise a Jewish child?

Anne had immigrated to the US from China, and the family lived in San Diego, California, far from the Jewish community David grew up with in New York. Anne craved a stronger understanding of Judaism as she worked to create a Jewish foundation for Mollie. “I didn’t grow up in a Jewish household,” she says, “so it was hard for me to now try to teach my daughter.”

When the family discovered PJ Library through Mollie’s preschool, the task became easier. Anne couldn’t wait to read each book that arrived. “The books showed me the rituals and their meaning,” she says. “On Shabbat, how do you say the blessings? I had no idea. I was able to copy what I learned, then teach my child.”

Not only did the books reinforce the Jewish education Mollie received in her day school, they also helped Mollie understand — on a deep level — who she is. “The books gave her a lot of confidence for a child who’s growing up in an interracial family,” Anne says. “She grew into

New Jewish Rituals

Afew days had passed since Sage Ungerleider and her daughter, Eleanor, had plopped down on the couch together to read Saturdays Are Special, a PJ Library picture book chronicling a young girl’s Shabbat activities. They were at home in the kitchen when the 4-year-old piped up.

“Out of the blue, she came up to me and said, ‘I want to light Shabbat candles,’” Sage recalls.

“I said, ‘OK!’ I didn’t realize she was so taken with the book.”

It was a moment of joy and pride for Ilene Ungerleider, Sage’s mother and Eleanor’s grandmother, who signed up all five of her grandchildren for PJ Library after learning about the program from an ad on a matzah box at Passover years ago. “I totally believe in the

PJ Library books helped fortify Mollie’s identity.

“‘I am Jewish.’

She never doubted that,” her mother says.

Judaism seamlessly.

The books really built a concept of her identity: ‘I am Jewish.’ She never doubted that.”

Mollie, now 11 and a PJ Library alum, recalls how her family used the books to rehearse for upcoming Jewish holidays.

After reading a book about Hanukkah, for example, they practiced cooking fried foods and spinning the dreidel. “PJ Library had a big impact on me because it would teach me about my culture and religion and how I could celebrate it,” Mollie says. “It helped us learn as a family.”

To this day, the family’s collection of PJ Library books serves as “an easy-toreference encyclopedia of Jewish values and traditions,” which Anne says she revisits throughout the year.

“Raising a child and building a sense of Jewish community takes a village,” David says. “PJ Library is that Jewish village that we get to tap into.”

power of books,” says Ilene, who worked in an elementary-school library and lit Shabbat candles with her children as they were growing up. “I love so much about Judaism. I want my grandchildren to have a connection to the faith I value so much.”

For Eleanor, that connection is strengthened every time a new PJ Library book arrives in the mailbox. “She opens the envelope by the time we get back to the house and wants to read the book right away,” Sage says. “She has read all the books she’s received more than once.”

The Harvard, Massachusettsbased family made blintzes after reading Mr. Mintz’s Blintzes

When they read Miriam and the Sasquatch, Sage and Eleanor

enjoyed sounding out the blasts of the shofar. But Saturdays Are Special has made the longest-lasting impression: The book inspired a new, weekly Jewish ritual.

On Fridays, Sage has started baking challah. She and her husband, Nathan, gather Eleanor and their 1-year-old son, Gabriel, in the evening. Together, they light the candles — using the same candlesticks Sage grew up with — and recite the blessing (Eleanor is still learning the words).

It’s a mirror of Sage’s own childhood, reflecting the same Jewish traditions for her children.

“[Judaism] feels like an important part of me and, by extension, them,” she says.

“We really appreciate getting the books every month. It’s nice to have this built-in Jewish education.”

A Catalyst for Connection

Jennifer Baer’s face lights up when she recounts the story of two PJ Library families she connected in St. Louis, Missouri, early in the COVID-19 era. For Purim, Baer had paired families around the city to trade mishloach manot (gift baskets of food and treats). Families met their assigned partners for a driveway exchange.

The encounter sparked a friendship between two families in particular. They began attending PJ Library events together, then a local Tot Shabbat program. Eventually they spoke with a rabbi about joining a synagogue. “That initial meeting paved the way for something much more significant,” Baer says.

Baer loves helping families connect to each other and to the larger Jewish community. In fact, it’s her job. As director of PJ Library and family engagement at the Jewish Federation of St. Louis, Baer is one of hundreds of professionals in communities around the world who bring PJ Library families together to engage with one another and Jewish life. Baer and her team organize PJ Library programs and host holiday celebrations and events — in parks, ice cream parlors, museums, and more — meeting families where they are

Jennifer Baer and PJ Library founder Harold Grinspoon at the 2023 PJ Library International Conference.

PHOTO COURTESY OF JENNIFER BAER

(literally and figuratively!) to help them feel part of a warm, welcoming Jewish network.

“Originally I would describe PJ Library as a book program, but now I describe it as a family engagement program that uses books as one of its many tools,” says Baer, who has been a PJ Library professional since 2008.

“PJ Library serves as a real catalyst for deeper, more meaningful interactions.” The result? Baer and her team of parent connectors have built relationships with thousands of local families. About half of all Jewish children in St. Louis have become PJ Library subscribers. PJ Library activities have boosted enrollment at local Jewish day schools and spurred collaboration across Jewish institutions. Says Baer, “It’s been truly transformational in our community.”

“PJ Library books and programs continue to evolve as families’ needs evolve,” she shares. “The goal is that every Jewish family feels seen and valued.”

A Market for Jewish Books

When Joni Sussman, publisher at Kar-Ben Publishing, first met PJ Library founder Harold Grinspoon and learned that he planned to send free Jewish-themed children’s books to families across the US, the idea sounded ambitious. It was 2005, and Jewish children’s literature attracted an enthusiastic-but-small audience.

Kar-Ben, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group, exclusively publishes Jewishthemed children’s books and had found a

comfortable readership through Jewish bookstores and online sales. But a Jewish book was considered a bestseller if it sold 5,000 copies, Sussman recalls. Most young Jewish readers remained untapped. Could PJ Library, then a small startup based in Western Massachusetts, awaken a larger market?

Under Sussman’s leadership, Kar-Ben supplied many of the first titles PJ Library distributed. At first, PJ Library ordered copies of each book for 20 or 50 children. As the program expanded to new

In 2016, Tammar Stein’s career as an author was in full swing. She had already published four young adult novels, garnering acclaim and a flurry of awards.

Yet the book she longed to write next was more personal, and more proudly Jewish, than anything she’d written before: a gripping tale of a preteen boy’s quest to aid his family during Israel’s 1967 Six-Day War. Stein’s father was an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) officer, and she drew on family lore to craft her story.

Stein’s publisher, however, shied away from the material — the topic seemed too niche for a mainstream audience. Would her manuscript find a home?

That’s when Stein met Catriella Freedman, PJ Library’s director of author and illustrator stewardship. Freedman read Stein’s draft, offered feedback, and encouraged her to refine the story for PJ Library’s preteen readers in the PJ Our Way program. “Catriella and PJ Our Way were hugely instrumental in getting The Six-Day Hero published,” Stein says. “Having that relationship with PJ Library helped me see a clearer pathway to publication.”

After completing The Six-Day Hero which was published by Kar-Ben Publishing and went

“PJ Library ... opened up my ability to write about very Jewish topics.”

on to receive a Sydney Taylor Book Award silver medal, Stein began work on a sequel: Beni’s War. PJ Library awarded her an author incentive grant that funded a crucial research trip to Israel. The sequel won a Middle East Book Award.

“I feel very passionate about my Jewish identity and that children need excellent books to engage them,” says Stein, whose two children received PJ Library books before her own novels were brought into the program. “Before PJ Library came into my life, I would try to keep my books balanced and not focus too much on purely Jewish content. The impact that PJ Library has had on my career is that it opened up my ability to write about very Jewish topics. My book could be about Israeli history; it could be about a minor Jewish holiday. It now makes sense for me as a creator to focus my attention and energy in this way.”

communities, orders grew to 100 copies, then 500 copies, then 1,000 copies. When orders began exceeding 5,000 copies, “we were astonished,” Sussman says. “PJ Library informed many families that there was such a genre as Jewish children’s books. It opened a lot of doors that we were unable to reach as publishers.” (PJ Library’s book orders now top 30,000 copies!)

And the impact of this increased awareness? The number of publishers creating high-quality Jewish children’s books has ballooned.

“PJ Library has changed the world of Jewish children’s books — there’s no question about it,” Sussman says. “When PJ Library first started

Arnee Winshall was on the board of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation (HGF) when Harold Grinspoon first presented the idea for PJ Library in 2005. As a longtime advocate for Jewish education with a professional background in early-childhood language acquisition, she saw its potential at once.

“The minute Harold introduced it, the power of the idea immediately struck me,” she recalls. “The whole idea of bringing Jewish books into the home, into the hands of parents, and having families pass Jewish knowledge on to their children — it really resonated with me.”

Arnee and her husband, Walter Winshall, have been ardent supporters of PJ Library since day one. As a board member, Arnee helped brainstorm ways to launch the program.

The Winshalls helped bring PJ Library to Boston, participating in the funding of the pilot and making key connections at JCC Greater Boston. Later, Arnee traveled to Israel with the HGF board to explore how to start Sifriyat Pijama, PJ Library’s Israeli counterpart. Arnee and Walter watched (and helped!) as Harold tirelessly recruited donors to grow and expand the program.

“Promoting education is important. This is a Jewish idea going back centuries,” Walter says.

So when Harold in 2013 created the PJ Library Alliance, a foundational circle of philanthropists who bolster PJ Library’s work, “We immediately said, ‘We’ll participate,’” he recalls. They have

out, Kar-Ben was virtually the only Jewish children’s book publisher in the US. Now there are several, thanks in part to PJ Library. PJ Library raised the profile and created a market for Jewish children’s books.” Seeing the demand generated by PJ Our Way (PJ Library’s extension program for preteens ages 9-12), Kar-Ben and other publishers have also made an extraordinary investment in Jewish middle-grade books and graphic novels. “It has encouraged me to produce those books knowing that PJ Library might be a market for them,” Sussman shares.

Sussman marvels at the way PJ Library has transformed the publishing landscape and enriched the Jewish literary canon. “The future looks very, very bright,” she says.

for 18 years.

been Alliance partners ever since.

“Our gifts have been made in appreciation for all the ways Harold strengthens Jewish life and living and in recognition of PJ Library’s entrepreneurial vision,” Arnee says. “If a challenge comes up, they figure out how to solve it. We need more Jewish books?

Let’s train authors. We can’t get enough books published? Let’s create our own publishing imprint.”

It’s especially important to Arnee to fund PJ Library’s work so the books remain free, to “welcome young families into the Jewish community with a gift,” she says. “The kinds of moments PJ Library creates are so powerful. We have a whole generation of kids linked by the stories they grew up with and a shared feeling of belonging to Am Yisrael, the Jewish people.”

After 18 years of support, the Winshalls are looking ahead. “How far can we go?” Walter muses. “There’s plenty to do.”

“Promoting education is important. This is a Jewish idea going back centuries.”

Publisher Joni Sussman has watched PJ Library grow. PHOTO COURTESY OF JONI SUSSMAN

A Home for Jewish Narratives

Author Tammar Stein didn’t know if The Six-Day Hero would “see the light of day” until she met PJ Library’s Catriella Freedman.

PHOTO COURTESY OF TAMMAR STEIN

Nurturing Powerful Moments

Walter and Arnee Winshall have supported PJ Library

PHOTO BY MICHELE CARDAMONE PHOTOGRAPHY

Global Connections

PJ Library helps Israeli volunteers share Jewish resources around the world — thanks to an incredible partnership.

BY RACHEL KOZUPSKY, DIRECTOR OF INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS

Last March, Rotem and Agam arrived in Santo Domingo, capital of the Dominican Republic. The two Israeli young adults were on a mission to engage with the local Jewish community, share Jewish resources and PJ Library books, and build connections to Israel. The Jewish community in the Dominican Republic is passionate yet small, with a synagogue and Chabad house to serve some 200 people and a Jewish kindergarten for about 13 children. The visit from these two Jewish emissaries helped them feel part of the larger Jewish world.

Rotem and Agam were volunteering as ShinShinim, specially trained Israeli high-school graduates who embark on a year of service in Jewish communities around the world prior to their mandatory Israeli military service. Organized by The Jewish Agency for Israel, the ShinShinim program encourages these young ambassadors to volunteer in summer camps, youth movements, community centers, and schools, bringing Israeli and Jewish culture to life across the global Jewish diaspora.

Rotem and Agam were among the first ShinShinim to incorporate PJ Library into their work. With a little extra training, they learned how to use PJ Library books and educational resources to enhance the communal connections they create and help foster a stronger Jewish identity in children.

The Jewish Agency’s partnership with PJ Library was a natural fit, according to Amira Ahronoviz, The Jewish Agency’s CEO and director general. PJ Library distributes books in seven languages and in over 35 countries, yet PJ Library doesn’t have teams on the ground in every location. Meanwhile, the Agency serves Jewish communities in 66 countries and has trained educators all over the world.

“As a global organization, The Jewish Agency works to secure a vibrant Jewish future by strengthening Jewish identity and connecting Jews to one another and to Israel,” Ahronoviz says. “As part of our work in communities, we

Visiting

recognized PJ Library as a unique educational initiative and partner for accomplishing these goals. Together we are truly able to multiply our impact within local communities.”

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE JEWISH AGENCY FOR ISRAEL

“The Jewish Agency has a vast global footprint and trained educators; PJ Library has books to be enjoyed by local communities for years to come.”

KARIN ZINGEREVITZ

Adds Karin Zingerevitz, PJ Library’s regional director for Latin America, Spain, and Portugal, “The PJ Library–Jewish Agency partnership is so successful because we complement each other. The Jewish Agency has a vast global footprint and trained educators; PJ Library has books and educational materials to be enjoyed by local communities for years to come. The Agency not only reaches populations that PJ Library currently doesn’t serve, but its teams enhance our existing programs by bringing the books to life through local events. We can make a meaningful difference together.”

PJ Library began training ShinShinim in July 2021. Before they depart on their global missions, these volunteers visit the headquarters of Sifriyat Pijama, PJ Library’s sister program in Israel. There they select books that spark their interest and that have been translated into the language spoken in their assigned country. They then create

programming based on those books, teaching Jewish values and imparting the joy of Jewish holidays and Israeli culture.

Rotem and Agam started their mission in Mexico City, engaging with some 1,300 Jewish students across eight schools and a local JCC. They next visited smaller Jewish communities throughout Mexico before traveling to Colombia and the Dominican Republic. In Santo Domingo one weekend, the ShinShinim led Friday night Shabbat services and a Saturday morning Shabbat lunch. Later, families gathered as they hosted educational storytime sessions for Purim and Tu B’Shevat based on the PJ Library books A Queen in Jerusalem and The Abba Tree

“Some of the families [in the Dominican Republic] didn’t know about PJ Library and that it existed,” says Sharon Kusner, The Jewish Agency’s liaison to PJ Library in the Americas. “We explained about it and why it’s meaningful for the families and the kids. We opened a new channel of communication with a new community that most of the world doesn’t even look to.”

One of the ShinShinim’s favorite activities was based on the Sifriyat Pijama book Saba Sabich, which was translated into Spanish (El Abuelo Sabij) and delivered to PJ Library families in Latin America. The book tells the story of an Israeli grandfather who shares his name, Sabich, with a popular Jewish Iraqi pita sandwich.

The two ShinShinim designed a program around the book, exploring students’ family roots, holiday foods that are special to them, and where their own names may have originated. This meaningful activity helped illustrate the beautiful cultural diversity among Jewish people worldwide.

PJ Library’s global reach impacts families profoundly. About 97 percent of Latin American families say they feel supported in having conversations about Jewish topics because of PJ Library books. An overwhelming majority of families say they read the books often and feel the content is appropriate for their families.

The partnership with The Jewish Agency has also sparked new opportunities. After the ShinShinim visited the Jewish community in Paraguay, PJ Library launched a new program in the South American country, thanks to generous funding partners who support this joint initiative. Now PJ Library reaches 130 children there each month.

Currently, there are PJ Library-trained ShinShinim placed in Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Paraguay, and Uruguay and upcoming plans to visit Jewish communities in Guatemala and Peru.

“By connecting as many Jewish children as possible to the wider network of PJ Library and Jewish heritage,” says Ahronoviz, “we defy physical borders and continents and impart upon the next generation the true importance of arvut hadadit (the mutual responsibility of Jews to one another).”

PJ LIBRARY INTERNATIONAL FUND

From apartment buildings in bustling cities to houses in remote villages, more than 650,000 children take part each month (without realizing it!) in one of the world’s largest shared Jewish experiences. A PJ Library storybook is much more than a special moment in a family’s bedtime routine. These treasured monthly gifts connect Jewish communities around the world and help families develop their Jewish identities.

PJ Library’s ability to deliver stories in over 35 countries is only possible with crucial support. In 2021, PJ Library launched the International Fund with the mission to bring families the gift of storybooks regardless of local resources. “In the US, it’s easier to feel connected to a Jewish community, especially in larger metropolitan cities. The need to connect Jewishly outside the US is great. For children to be able to read a book and know there are other kids around the world who share the same traditions, holidays, and religion is everything. Even more powerful is when kids see themselves in the stories they receive and realize they are connected to other children in all corners of the world,” says Shiva Beck, a PJ Library parent, Jewish Agency board member, and supporter of the PJ Library–Jewish Agency partnership.

“My family left Iran when I was a little girl. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw the PJ Library book A Persian Princess. I saw my family’s story being shared around the world, connecting my children and me to kids across the globe. This is why the PJ Library–Jewish Agency partnership is so important to me: Together we can do much more, globally.”

ShinShinim led Purim activities for Jewish children in the Dominican Republic.

A Slam-Dunk Story

Former professional basketball player Tamir Goodman channeled his learning differences into unique success on the court — and, now, a new book.

BY NAOMI SHULMAN, MANAGING EDITOR OF PJ PUBLISHING

In the 1990s, Sports Illustrated raved about the “Jewish Jordan”: an Orthodox Jewish kid from Baltimore who was winning game after game — except on Shabbat, when he didn’t play. Tamir Goodman was a lanky, good-natured redhead with uncommon grace on the basketball court. What fans didn’t know was that Goodman was privately struggling. He may have been winning games, but he wouldn’t know by looking at the scoreboard: He couldn’t read it.

When Goodman was diagnosed with dyslexia, he began to understand that his different way of seeing the world was not only a challenge — it was a superpower. The basketball player who had trouble reading books as a child has now authored his own: Live Your Dream

(coming from PJ Publishing in 2025), an inspiring tale about a child who learns to accept his limitations while simultaneously refusing to be held back by them.

Naomi Shulman: It’s easy to imagine how dyslexia might impact you in the classroom. How did it impact you on the court?

Tamir Goodman: Dyslexia gives you heightened sensitivities to problem solving. On the court, I could get the ball to my teammates in the right way at the right time and put them in a position to score — sometimes without them even knowing they were open. I’d see things differently, almost before they happened. There are a lot of no-no passes in basketball,

“Challenges aren’t there to break you; they’re there to let you know how special you are in the world.”

but my coach realized that didn’t apply to me because I could see angles that they didn’t see. I totally remember sitting in front of my father’s bed watching a game on a Sunday — I was, like, 9 — and I just screamed out, “Alleyoop!” (An alley-oop is a specific offensive play in basketball.) And three seconds later, there was an alley-oop, and I saw it transpire before it happened. People would turn to me and say, “Tamir, how did you know?”

NS: Another thing that made you different from most other basketball players was, of course, the fact that you’re an observant Jew. What was the impact of your Jewishness on the court?

TG: Judaism helped me be a better basketball player and a better team player. The Torah is the perfect player’s manual. Take care of your body; your body is holy. You never lose by helping others. You have to love your teammates as you love yourself. Judaism is structured around your intentions. Blessings before you eat are a form of mindfulness — to realize, “I’m eating now.” Judaism makes you mindful and thankful. The second you get out of bed, you say Modeh Ani (a morning prayer of gratitude); taking a moment to appreciate what you have is the best way to start the day. It’s also the best way for an athlete to start the day. No one expects perfection, but we take accountability; at the beginning of the year, we apologize to others. Accountability is so important on the court. These are all Jewish values: Playing for something bigger than yourself or your ego. Trying to uplift the physical to the spiritual. These are the values we were raised on, and they’re timeless.

NS: Tell us how your book came into being.

TG: For a long time, I didn’t like to tell people about my struggles. Then, shortly before the pandemic, a Players’ Tribune documentary came out about me. In it, my coach gave

graphic examples of what I was going through — not being able to tell the score of the game, or if we were winning or losing, even the difference between a circle or square. I’d had all these scholarship offers at the best colleges, but no one knew that I probably couldn’t pass my SAT. That was a nightmare. During the pandemic, I ran into a friend who used to work for PJ Library. She asked, “What if you told your story to help kids?” I thought it was time to let kids know that it’s OK if your brain works in a unique way. You’re creative, a problem solver, and you have special blessings that need to come out. Challenges aren’t there to break you; they’re there to let you know how special you are in the world.

NS: What do you hope Jewish kids will take away from reading your book?

TG: I think it’s important in life to have a strong identity and healthy self-confidence. It’s a majorly Jewish virtue to use your talents all the way. If kids have a talent, they were given it for a special mission, and the world is incomplete without each and every kid fulfilling their unique blessings. Every single person has their contribution to give to the world in a way no one else can, and that alone should give each person self-confidence.

If books aren’t your child’s best way of learning, PJ Library has you covered. Audio content helps build literacy and encourages positive associations with storytelling.

DID YOU KNOW? PJ Library offers three podcasts for kids on its award-winning podcast network. Learn more at pjlibrary.org/podcast.

LOOKING FOR BOOKS ON PERSEVERANCE?

Go to pjlibrary.org/perseverance for a selection of books to encourage your kiddo and improve their literacy along the way.

Basketball and Jewish values?

Tamir Goodman says they go hand in hand.

PHOTO COURTESY OF YISROEL TEITELBAUM

PARTING Thoughts

BY WINNIE SANDLER GRINSPOON PRESIDENT, HAROLD GRINSPOON FOUNDATION

Inspiration for great ideas often comes from unexpected places. PJ Library is no exception.

The creator of this unique Jewish children’s book program was inspired by a country-music legend — the one and only Dolly Parton.

It was back in 2005. My father-in-law, Harold Grinspoon, heard Dolly interviewed on the radio discussing the book-gifting program she had developed, called Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. Dolly spoke of her dream that all children grow up in homes full of books. She wanted to fortify the next generation with a love of reading. She was determined to build literacy.

At the same time, Harold was looking for ways to build Jewish literacy. He was witnessing a lack of connection to the values, stories, and traditions that have been at the center of the Jewish experience for millennia. How could our community share the joys of Jewish life with young people in a way that would resonate?

As Dolly spoke about her Imagination Library, an idea began to take shape.

Dolly explained that she had started her program by sending one book each month to children ages 0-5 living in Sevier County, Tennessee, her childhood home. Over time, she found partners to help bring the program to children in other communities. Dolly’s Imagination Library team handled the book sourcing and distribution, and local partners helped raise the funds needed to get books to children beyond east Tennessee. In time, the program grew into a global juggernaut distributing free monthly books to children in the US, Canada, the United Kingdom, and other English-speaking countries.

Winnie Sandler Grinspoon thanked Dolly Parton in person for her inspiration.

One day, Harold called me with an idea. “We should create a Jewish version of Imagination Library,” he said. He had seen his grandchildren’s delight when they received Jewish children’s books. With Dolly’s program as the model, we would source beautiful storybooks each month, distribute them directly to children’s homes, and find partners to join us.

That was the moment PJ Library was born.

A few summers ago, we had the opportunity to meet Dolly personally and thank her for her inspiration. She couldn’t have been more gracious. We were there to thank her, and yet she was thanking us in return. It was a moment to celebrate our shared mission to fill homes with books and the power of stories.

Q&A with Dolly Parton

On the occasion of PJ Library’s 18th birthday, we had the chance to speak with music legend Dolly Parton!

PJ Library: What inspired you to start Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library? Did you ever foresee it becoming as successful as it is today — even inspiring others (like Harold Grinspoon!) to follow in your footsteps and start their own programs?

Dolly Parton: Well, I’m always honored when my Imagination Library inspires others, like Harold Grinspoon and PJ Library. That is so very special to me — especially because the Imagination Library comes from a very personal place for me.

My daddy didn’t get a chance to learn to read or write, and that was so hard for him. He was one of the wisest men I have ever known, but his inability to read kept him from fulfilling all his dreams. Inspiring kids to love books and reading early in life became a passion for me. I got the idea to start a program where we give books to children once a month from the time they’re born until they start school — and that’s how the Imagination Library got its start! When we began back in 1995, we were just planning to send books to children in my home county in Tennessee. But word got out, and people wanted the program in their communities too. Now we gift a book each month to one out of every eight children under 5 in the US and are operating around the world.

“I’m always honored when my Imagination Library inspires others, like Harold Grinspoon and PJ Library.”

Dolly Parton: First of all, congratulations, PJ Library! I’m thrilled to celebrate milestones with you! Of course, I am very, very proud of how far we’ve come with the Imagination Library. We were thrilled to celebrate our 100 millionth book in 2018, and here we are just five years later celebrating 200 million books worldwide. Isn’t that amazing? It’s a big effort, and it takes many committed people to make programs like these happen. But it’s worth it all because we are reaching so many children and families. I am honored to get to help inspire a love of reading in children. They truly are our future.

PJ Library: PJ Library and the Imagination Library both rely on funding partners who help bring the program to communities around the world. What’s the significance of having partners who support and believe in this work?

“Thanks to Dolly’s example and to the many donors who give generously to PJ Library, we have gifted more than 50 million books to date.”

As PJ Library marks its 18th birthday, I think back to Dolly’s inspiration and all that has transpired since. Thanks to Dolly’s example and to the many donors who give generously to PJ Library, we have gifted more than 50 million books to date. PJ Library now offers books for children from infancy through the tween years, stories in seven languages, podcasts, holiday guides, and more. And our story is still evolving. I look forward to the new chapters we’ll write over the next 18 years.

My dad got to live long enough to see the program doing really well. In fact, before he passed away, my dad told me that he was more proud of me for the Imagination Library than anything I had ever done. I can’t tell you how much that means to me to this day.

PJ Library: We love keeping up with the Imagination Library and its many accomplishments! In 2023, you celebrated the incredible milestone of gifting 200 million books to children. PJ Library is also celebrating: Last year we sent our 50 millionth book, and this year is our 18th birthday. What is most important to you about continuing to do this work?

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library reaches one out of eight children under age 5 in the US.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE DOLLYWOOD FOUNDATION

Dolly Parton: I’m a big believer in putting my money where my heart is, but it’s impossible to do this work alone. I often get a lot of credit, but the real heroes of our story are the thousands of local partners who have embraced this dream and made it their own. They support this work out of our shared passion to make sure kids in their communities have every opportunity to learn and grow and succeed, and there really is no greater compliment than that!

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE HAROLD GRINSPOON FOUNDATION

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pjlibrary.org

Thanks to many generous supporters, PJ Library brings joyful Jewish connection to families around the world.

“Reading these books together creates a familiar and comforting connection to our heritage. The books serve as a valuable resource for us to introduce Jewish traditions, values, and stories into our home and are now a cherished part of our family’s life.”

- A PJ Library parent in North Carolina

To ensure that PJ Library can serve families for the next 18 years, please make a gift today.

Visit pjlibrary.org/donate or scan the QR code to make your gift. To learn more, contact development@hgf.org.