Summer 2025 PROOF Magazine by Harold Grinspoon Foundation

PJ Library Around the World

on page 14

PROOF

Summer 2025 | Volume 11, Issue 20

Founder Harold Grinspoon

President Winnie Sandler Grinspoon

Chief Operating Officer Adrian Dion

Executive Director Alex Zablotsky

Chief Philanthropy Officer Lara Knuettel

Deputy Director of Advancement

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, Maya Farfel, Jessica McCormick, Saskia Swenson Moss, Naomi Pfefferman, Margaret Piraino, Rachel Rapoport, Naomi Shulman, Ryan Torok

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 Administrator 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 Martin Buber School in Argentina

The Great Passover Escape

THE Foreword

The Jewish world feels more connected than ever in these times. When we hear news affecting the Jewish community in Israel, Europe, or Latin America, we feel the same heart-pounding urgency as if it took place in our hometown.

Jewish organizations around the world are committing their resources to tackle today’s urgent questions: How do we navigate the heightened antisemitism we’re experiencing? How can we keep our children informed yet protected — in a word, safe? What do the youngest members of the Jewish community need to grow up proud of who they are? At PJ Library, these questions guide our work every day.

The questions can feel easier when we come together in community. That’s why PJ Library invests in fostering connected, resilient Jewish communities across the globe. In this issue of PROOF magazine, we’re proud to spotlight the many ways PJ Library thoughtfully supports and strengthens communities.

On page 10, you can read how PJ Library is now providing Jewish children’s books — in Spanish — to a country with one of the largest Jewish populations outside Israel: Argentina. Turn to page 18 to find out how PJ Library’s engagement grants are helping Jewish communities throughout the US and Canada involve more families in Jewish life. And have you ever wondered how PJ Library reaches small, often isolated Jewish communities in places like Singapore or Bermuda? It takes grit and dedication from remarkable volunteers to provide Jewish resources and a sense of belonging where both are scarce. We hope you’re touched by their stories on page 14.

In challenging times, PJ Library provides a lifeline of Jewish connection, learning, resilience, and pride to families near and far. Your support for Jewish families has never been more vital. In the pages that follow, I hope you enjoy this look at the impact of your generosity.

Thank you for being part of the story.

Lara Knuettel Chief Philanthropy Officer PJ Library

PJ Library Powerhouses

In small Jewish communities around the world, committed volunteers give their time and energy to bring PJ Library to families.

“Telling Sephardic and Mizrahi Stories

A new PJ Library initiative aims to celebrate the breadth of Jewish experience.

What’s Arriving in Mailboxes in 2025?

Learn about PJ Publishing’s upcoming releases and Next Year in the White House

Reaching Jewish Families in Argentina

PJ Library now delivers books for the largest Jewish community in Latin America.

Beyond Storybooks

PJ Library holiday guides make year-round Jewish experiences easy and accessible.

Sparking Connection

PJ Library’s community partners engage families in Jewish life. A special PJ Library grant helps.

The Decision Kids

PJ Our Way offers tweens exciting middle-grade stories. Young readers help vet the books.

Departments

The Newsfeed

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

Donor Spotlight

Meet members of the PJ Library Alliance.

Parting Thoughts

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

PJ Library is a huge reason why I’m raising my children Jewish. When I married my husband, an atheist, I didn’t realize yet how much it would matter to me to impart the Jewish values and culture I’d grown up with to my kids. My parents lived far away and I hadn’t been to a synagogue in years. Had I not had a book-loving son who discovered the joy of PJ Library early, I doubt I would be where I am now; my son celebrated his bar mitzvah last fall and has attended Jewish summer camp three years in a row.

The wisdom and values my kids have learned in PJ Library books are priceless. Some of my favorite books are It Could Always Be Worse, What Zeesie Saw on Delancey Street, My Grandfather’s Coat, Bagels from Benny, and Onions & Garlic, though my kids love many more. PJ Library deepened the cultural experience of my kids’ childhood by giving fun context to each holiday; they get excited about our ritual of taking out holiday-specific PJ Library books ahead of each major holiday. The experience has also inspired me, their mom, to read far more Jewish literature than I did before, which has deepened my own understanding and love for our people.

Last year, my son’s grandmother asked my son to which charity she should donate in his honor. Without hesitating, he said, “PJ Library.” Clearly, PJ Library makes a generational impact, and multiple generations of my family appreciate it.

Beth R., Boston, Massachusetts

*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

Developing Resources Against Antisemitism

CONVERSATIONS AROUND HATE ARE DIFFICULT for any adult to have with a child, yet more families than ever are finding them necessary. In a survey last year, 76% of subscriber families told us they are interested in a PJ Library resource on how to have those hard talks.

“As a trusted source, PJ Library is uniquely positioned to speak to Jewish families,” says Jessica McCormick, PJ Library’s director of family experience. “While we have always operated from a place of Jewish joy, our goal is to support families in Jewish life today and offer expertise that bolsters their ability to talk, in age-appropriate ways, about antisemitism.”

PJ Library aims to help adults prepare for childrenʼs hard questions.

To meet the need, PJ Library has embarked on an ambitious new initiative to address antisemitism and strengthen resilience and pride among Jewish families. Over three years, pending crucial donor support, PJ Library plans

Get Together gatherings can take place around the table or out in the community. Invite two other Jewish families (or more!), and let the fun begin.

PHOTO BY LYNNE GRAVES

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE HAROLD GRINSPOON FOUNDATION

to produce a suite of materials featuring expert guidance and tips. These resources will include a parenting guide to help families talk about antisemitism, age-appropriate storybooks, a series of short videos, and toolkits to help families navigate antisemitism in public schools and on social media.

PJ Library hopes these resources will fortify parents and other adults as they broach difficult topics, allow Jewish parents and allies to recognize and address antisemitic narratives, and ultimately help Jewish and Jewish-adjacent families feel less alone.

“This project is a priority for us,” says Alex Zablotsky, executive director of PJ Library. “Jewish families aren’t alone, and we want them to know they can turn to PJ Library for support.”

—By Rachel Zaimont

Helping More Families Get Together

Jewish life is richer when we celebrate in community. That’s why, beyond beautiful Jewish books, PJ Library was designed to connect Jewish families to their local communities — and to each other (see page 18 for more!). Since 2016, PJ Library’s Get Together initiative has encouraged families to host small gatherings and holiday celebrations with other Jewish families. PJ Library helps cover the cost and helps families build deeper relationships that make Jewish life joyful and fun.

Thanks to generous donors, Get Together got even better last December: PJ Library made the program available throughout the US and Canada, meaning every PJ Library family can now participate. This coming High Holidays season and beyond, families everywhere will be able to access this PJ Library incentive — and feel motivated and empowered to grow closer with their community. To learn more, visit pjlibrary.org/gettogether.

—By Rachel Zaimont

A Sweet Partnership for PJ Library in New York

This past December, PJ Library in New York teamed up with Doughnut Plant and Breads Bakery to bring a sweet surprise to families celebrating Hanukkah. Throughout the holiday, these locally beloved bakeries gave away a special PJ Library Hanukkah-themed book with every order of sufganiyot (jelly doughnuts). In total, they distributed over 1,200 books across eight locations in New York City.

The partnership was about more than just delicious holiday treats. By working together with these bakeries, PJ Library tapped into the time-honored tradition of blending Jewish community, food, and storytelling. The initiative made an impact for New York families; many said they were delighted by the books.

“At a moment when inspiration is hard to find,” says Julie S. of New York, “I walked out of Breads Bakery with a big smile on my face and a sense of wonder and joy.”

—By Margaret Piraino

Collaboration

When families sat down for their Passover seders this past spring, they welcomed a surprise guest to the table: PJ Library. Thanks to a collaboration with Streit’s Matzos, the iconic pink kosher-for-Passover matzah boxes that are ubiquitous in stores around the holiday featured PJ Library ads. As families reached for 1- and 5-pound boxes at the market and set them on their tables at home, they saw information about PJ Library and a QR code to sign up. (Some 200,000 5-pound boxes also included a PJ Library Passover question-catcher game!)

The partnership offers a range of benefits. The ads serve as a strategic way for PJ Library to reach more families who self-identify as Jewish. In turn, they help Streit’s reach a greater demographic share of families with young children.

Grinspoon Jewish Story Awards

PJ Library added 57 new titles to the English-language lineup last year for readers ages 0-12. That’s a lot of great new Jewish stories! To surprise and delight young readers and their families month after month, PJ Library relies on inspired authors who are committed to creating Jewish content. One way PJ Library encourages authors to keep writing Jewish children’s literature is through the Grinspoon Jewish Story Awards.

Originally introduced in 2016, the awards program provides a cash prize to authors of new books accepted into PJ Library. All submissions are eligible, and new manuscripts chosen for the program for the first time receive this special award. The prize serves as a thankyou to authors for contributing to PJ Library and an incentive to keep creating the high-quality Jewish stories families depend on to convey Jewish values and traditions.

To learn more about how PJ Library chooses new books, visit pjlibrary.org/manuscripts

—By Patrick Coyle

PJ Library has been leveraging the collaboration to make a splash on social media. Last year, the PJ Library team visited the Streit’s factory with two PJ Library subscribers and recorded heartwarming behind-the-scenes footage. Five digital creators also gathered content on an influencer tour designed to introduce Streit’s and PJ Library to their followers. The tour made a lasting impression on dietician and cookbook author Micah Siva, whose take on modern Jewish cuisine has won her tens of thousands of followers. “Seeing the magic behind the matzah was a dream come true,” she says, “as it brought the matzah from countless PJ Library books to life.”

—By Rachel Zaimont

PJ Library invited five influencers to tour the Streitʼs Matzos factory last year.

PHOTO BY ALLISON GLAZER

Streit’s Matzos Passover

Telling Sephardic and Mizrahi Stories

A

new PJ Library initiative aims to celebrate the breadth of Jewish experience.

BY NAOMI PFEFFERMAN

Author and filmmaker Arnon Z.

Shorr has long wanted to write a middle-grade adventure saga inspired by the fraught experiences of his mother’s Libyan Jewish family in Tripoli after World War II.

“It’ll be a coming-of-age graphic novel that weaves in both the history of that community and also Libyan Jewish folklore and mythology,” Shorr says. “It’s a really fascinating period of history; there was a lot of chaos and upheaval. I didn’t grow up around family members who lived through it, and I wanted to connect with that.”

Shorr’s idea is one step closer to reality thanks in part to a new PJ Library initiative to uplift Sephardic and Mizrahi narratives in Jewish children’s literature. The Sephardic Stories Initiative, launched in late 2023, is designed to cultivate authors of Sephardic and Mizrahi tales over three years of virtual workshops, in-person gatherings, and mentorship. The goal? To inspire excellent new books that reflect the vibrant diversity of the Jewish people.

“We heard from many families, authors, and publishers how Ashkenazi-heavy PJ Library’s content was,” says Patrick Coyle,

The Sephardic Stories Initiative cultivates authors as they craft Sephardic- and Mizrahi-inspired childrenʼs books.

PHOTO BY ELIZABETH KORELITZ

PJ Library’s author and illustrator stewardship coordinator. “Sephardic families want to see themselves represented more in our books, and others want to learn more about Jewish families they aren’t necessarily familiar with.”

Naomi Shulman, managing editor of PJ Publishing, agrees. “There’s a chronic underrepresentation of Sephardic stories in the publishing world, and that’s something we’ve identified as a need for a long time,” she says.

Representation matters to readers. When PJ Library surveyed subscriber families last year, some 72% of Ashkenazic families said characters in PJ Library books looked like their family; only 58% of Sephardic and Mizrahi families (whose kin lived in the Middle East and North Africa) felt the same. Families that reported seeing more characters that looked like their family also reported greater impact — they were more likely to say that PJ Library helped them build confidence, served as an important parenting tool, and inspired them to attend local PJ Library events.

The Sephardic Stories Initiative is one way PJ Library is working to reduce this disparity. With generous funding from the Samis Foundation, PJ Library is actively expanding its lineup so that every Jewish child can see

themselves, and learn about others, in the stories they read.

During year one of the initiative, PJ Library convened a cohort of seven experienced children’s book authors of Sephardic or Mizrahi background. The group began developing story ideas in virtual workshops as well as at a September in-person retreat in New York City. Highlights of that gathering included a visit to the Tenement Museum, where the authors interacted with an actress portraying a Sephardic immigrant. The retreat also featured a tour of the historic Kehila Kedosha Janina Synagogue and Museum, the only Romaniote synagogue in the Western Hemisphere.

Now in the initiative’s second year, the first group of authors has begun mentoring a new group of 14 emerging writers as they craft their own Sephardic- and Mizrahi-inspired manuscripts for publication.

“The Samis Foundation is excited to be involved in this groundbreaking initiative to expand PJ Library’s Sephardic offerings,” says Samis Foundation CEO Connie Kanter. “By supporting authors and increasing the number of Sephardic stories in the PJ Library canon, PJ Library is providing Jewish children and their families with an opportunity to learn about Sephardic Jewish culture and history — and the rich tapestry of Jewish life.”

Shorr’s graphic novel José and the Pirate Captain Toledano, which follows a Jewish pirate and a young Jewish stowaway fleeing the Spanish Inquisition, was added to the PJ Our Way lineup for tweens ages 9-12 in 2022. As a participant in the Sephardic Stories Initiative, Shorr says he appreciates the chance to dig deeper into his new story idea. The Tripoli narrative “had animated me before, but I felt I couldn’t do anything with it until the PJ Library initiative created a context in which I could explore it,” he says.

For Gail Carson Levine, author of the bestseller Ella Enchanted and some 25 other books, the initiative offers a way to further connect with her Sephardic heritage. Her father was born in Thessaloniki, then known as Salonika, where his mother died giving birth to him; he was orphaned by age 6 and lived until 16 in the Hebrew Orphan Asylum, an Ashkenazic institution in New York. “I’ve inherited my father’s separation from being Sephardic,” Levine says.

For the Sephardic Stories Initiative, she is adapting a Sephardic folktale about a

“All Jews are a very small portion of humanity, and Sephardic Jews are a small sliver of that. So we are a sliver of a sliver, and preserving that means a lot to me.”

GAIL CARSON LEVINE

grandmother who saves her community from starvation. In Levine’s version, the protagonists are “a boy, a girl, and the mischievous wind, which narrates the tale,” she shares.

“All Jews are a very small portion of humanity, and Sephardic Jews are a small sliver of that,” she says. “So we are a sliver of a sliver, and preserving that means a lot to me.”

Hannah S. Pressman, director of education and engagement at the Jewish Language Project and cofounder of the American Ladino League, is an emerging writer who since her 20s has delved deeply into her ancestors’ history in Turkey and the island of Rhodes.

As part of the initiative’s second cohort, Pressman was selected from some 70 applicants who submitted writing samples. She hopes to develop a story inspired by an elderly friend who grew up in Seattle’s historic Sephardic community, as well as modern fairy tales based on her visits to Rhodes.

Authors toured the historic Kehila Kedosha Janina Synagogue and Museum in New York City with Ethan Marcus, managing director of the Sephardic Jewish Brotherhood of America.

PHOTO BY PATRICK COYLE

“Even though I have lots of different writing muscles that I’m comfortable flexing, I have not had specific training in writing children’s literature,” Pressman explains. “One draw [of the Sephardic Stories Initiative] for me is getting that mentorship and training in this genre from people whose craft it is.”

Participating in the program is an emotional experience for Pressman. “There are so many stories about Sephardic history and language that need to be told,” she says. “I want kids who are lucky enough to be PJ Library subscribers to experience all these different Jewish landscapes and languages.”

Naomi Pfefferman is a freelance writer based in California.

What’s Arriving in Mailboxes in 2025?

More than 650,000 children around the world receive PJ Library books. It takes a lot of great titles to fill families’ bookshelves with stories they reach for again and again. That’s why PJ Library not only sources and acquires the best Jewish children’s books on the market — we also develop them. With donor support, PJ Library’s books team and in-house press, PJ Publishing, help cultivate the high-quality Jewish children’s literature lineup that PJ Library is known for. Here’s a look at a few of the new books launching this year.

PJ Publishing

Created in 2014, PJ Publishing has been steadily expanding its catalog. Four PJ Publishing titles will be published this October alone! If you have a PJ Library subscriber in your household, keep an eye on your mailbox for one of these titles.

 Say Shalom All Day Long (Age 1)

Written by Elizabeth Suneby, illustrated by Elke Boschinger

PJ Publishing will release four exciting new titles this October.

 Chesed (Age 3)

Written by Karyn Friedman-Everham, illustrated by Gabby Grant

Feeding hungry birds, helping a child with a dropped ice-cream cone, bringing a fruit basket to a housebound neighbor … small things can make a big difference. How many ways can kindness make an impact in your world? In this story, a child’s family and neighbors join her in bringing chesed (loving-kindness) to every part of a day.

 Challah from Heaven (Age 7)

For such a small word, shalom makes a big impact. In this simple board book, a young child learns the different aspects of the word shalom by saying hello, goodbye, and peace to the world through the transitions of the day.

 Bavajadas! Thatʼs Just Silly! (Age 2)

Written by Sarah Aroeste, illustrated by Annabel Tempest

“Do you use cookies to scrub, and eat halá in the tub?” This laugh-out-loud rhyming board book by singer-songwriter-author Sarah Aroeste embraces silliness with the fun of the Ladino word bavajadas — nonsense!

Written and illustrated by Richard Ungar

The wise Gaon of Minsk is in town for Shabbat, but Mama’s lighter-than-air challah has flown away! Can Hanni get it back in time for Shabbat dinner? With his signature vibrant illustrations, National Jewish Book Award winner Richard Ungar elevates this whimsical story into an instant classic.

If you donʼt get one of these titles in the mail, donʼt worry! Youʼll be able to find them at amazon.com/pjlibrary. Happy reading!

—BY NAOMI SHULMAN

Written by Karyn Friedman-Everham

Illustrated by Gabby

AnnabelTempest

Pronounced: bah-vuh-ZSA-dus

SayShalom All Day Long

Written by

Next Year in the White House

In 2009, former President Barack Obama made history when he hosted the first official Passover seder held at the White House — a tradition he continued every year he was in office. But few at the time knew this momentous event traced its origin to an unlikely place: a drab hotel basement on the campaign trail one year earlier.

It was the first night of Passover in April 2008, and campaign staff members Eric Lesser, Herbie Ziskend, and Arun Chaudhary couldnʼt go home to their families. They had just sat down for a simple seder when a surprise guest asked to join: then-Senator Obama. They all read from the Haggadah and found commonality in the saga of liberation and faith. After everyone raised their glasses and uttered the ritual Passover toast, “Next year in Jerusalem,” Obama chimed in, “Next year in the White House!”

The tale might have remained a brief historical footnote. Instead, thanks to champions of the story including Lesser and PJ Library founder Harold Grinspoon, the anecdote evolved into Next Year in the White House — a rich nonfiction narrative of hope, Jewish ritual, and inclusion. The story was copublished by PJ Library and Crown Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, earlier this year. Sent to families of 8-year-olds in March and widely available for purchase, the book was lauded in a Kirkus starred review as “essential reading for all children — and adults — who hope for freedom for all.”

How did a story about adult topics — politics, race, and religion — become a pageturner for children? It took an all-star team, including award-winning children’s book author Richard Michelson and celebrated illustrator E.B. Lewis. And it took perseverance from those who believed in the tale.

“It’s a story of people honoring their unique identity, sharing it with others, and creating a new story as a result.”

FORMER MASSACHUSETTS STATE SENATOR ERIC

LESSER

taking part in a cause, working for something you believe in, and nurturing hope in the face of daunting odds.

Plus, “the Passover seder is a core Jewish storytelling ritual,” says Alex Zablotsky, PJ Library’s executive director. “The fact that these campaign staffers committed to that ritual and inspired the first White House seder — it’s a positive representation of Jewish life in America that I hope subscribers can view with pride.”

Random House Children’s Books is “proud to publish this look at a historic celebration from our country’s recent past,” says Kelly Delaney, senior editor of Crown Books for Young Readers. “It’s important for kids to see that history is being made all the time, and it’s never too late to invite more people to sit at your table.”

The book marks the first time PJ Publishing has collaborated with a major trade publisher, meaning this title is now on bookstore and library shelves for all to read — Jewish or not. Engaging appendices at the back of the book provide context about Black history and the Exodus story, along with Passover and the meaning of the seder.

Next Year in the White House was copublished by PJ Publishing and Crown Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books.

“The fact that descendants of two groups who experienced slavery could share a meal in the most important house in the country is an incredible, amazing thing of hope,” says Michelson. “That’s what I want kids to get out of it — not to give up hope.”

—BY RACHEL ZAIMONT

“We loved telling the story to our friends and family,” says Lesser, now a former White House aide and Massachusetts state senator and one of the main characters in the book. “There was something so wholesome about it. It’s a story of people honoring their unique identity, sharing it with others, and creating a new story as a result of that engagement.”

When Harold Grinspoon heard the story, he felt it had the makings of a picture-book classic. Thanks to Michelson’s deft rendering, the text evokes accessible themes for all ages:

Reaching Jewish Families in Argentina

PJ Library now delivers books for the largest Jewish community in Latin America.

BY RYAN TOROK

With Jewish museums, cultural centers, sports clubs, synagogues, day schools, and even the only kosher McDonald’s outside of Israel, Argentina is home to a thriving Jewish community — the largest in Latin America with about 180,000 members.

But until last year, the community had limited access to a key resource: Jewish children’s books. PJ Library answered the need when it launched in Argentina in March 2024, bringing Spanish-language books, joy, and Jewish pride to some 1,000 children ages 3-4.

“Argentina was the largest Spanish-speaking Jewish community we hadn’t yet reached,” says Rachel Kozupsky, PJ Library’s director of international programs. “We knew there were many families that we weren’t serving. We have wanted to make PJ Library available in Argentina for years.”

Students at Martin Buber School and Yeshurun Tora are among the 1,500 children receiving books.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF MARTIN BUBER SCHOOL AND YESHURUN TORA

La mejor jalá de Babi y Rivka ... hasta ahora Text and illustrations © 2022 by Sarah Lynne Reul, Abrams Books for Young Readers. Edition and translation into Spanish © 2023 Harold Grinspoon Foundation.

It took nearly a decade of planning and preparation to bring the program to Argentina as the team navigated logistical and economic challenges. PJ Library already had a collection of titles translated into Spanish, but difficulties importing books meant PJ Library had to print the stories in Argentina.

How do the books reach children? Unlike in North America, where books arrive for families in the mail, books in Argentina are distributed at Jewish schools and incorporated into classroom activities before kids take copies home. PJ Library now reaches 1,500 students in 22 schools, half of which are located in the Buenos Aires area (nearly 95% of the Argentinian Jewish population lives in or near Buenos Aires). Outside of the capital, children receive books through schools in Córdoba — home to the country’s second-largest Jewish community — as well as Bahía Blanca, Entre

Ríos, Santa Fe, Misiones, Devoto, Tucumán, Mendoza, and Salta.

“Argentina has a wonderful Jewish community,” says Karin Zingerevitz, regional director of PJ Library’s Spanish and Portuguese programs. She notes that the Jewish community in Argentina dates back to the 16th century, following the expulsion of Jews from Spain. “It’s a very strong, very involved community. We’re thrilled that we’re finally serving families there.”

Some of the handpicked books children have received include The Great Passover Escape, Bubbie & Rivka’s Best-Ever Challah (So Far!), and The Everywhere Chair. These stories were “big hits,” Zingerevitz says. “Families are excited about having a Jewish book for their kids sent home. It’s totally new for them.”

“We want to thank you for the beautiful books PJ Library shares with us,” one family wrote to their school. “We get involved in the stories and have a lot of fun with all the content they contain. Thank you for helping us relive the traditions, values, and culture of the Jewish people through beautiful stories! These books nourish our home.”

Educators see the impact in their classes too. “The kids enjoy the books a lot,” says Daniela Fischer, a teacher at Martin Buber School in Entre Ríos. “After reading our Purim book, the idea came up to make the best hamantaschen in the world — so we did!”

“The PJ Library books we received gave teachers the fuel they needed to reignite their excitement for teaching and to create new lesson plans,” says Veronica Berguelson, principal of J. N. Bialik School in La Plata. Adds Alejandra Mizrahi, principal of Beth School in Buenos Aires, “It’s incredibly important that teachers, dads, moms, uncles, aunts, and grandparents can read children a story that expresses the values of our people, Am Yisrael. It’s an experience that helps establish the habit of reading for life.”

A critical partner in the effort to bring PJ Library to Argentina was the Jewish Agency for Israel. “The Jewish Agency’s educational institution in Argentina, BAMA, provided us with great guidance as we got to know and navigated the community,” Kozupsky says. BAMA’s leadership has joined PJ Library’s Latin America education committee and leads professional development trainings for educators each month.

PJ Library reaches Jewish families in Argentina due in part to generous local

“PJ Library’s goal is to reach every Jewish child in Argentina.”

KARIN ZINGEREVITZ

funders including the Norma and Leo Werthein Foundation. “We like PJ Library because it combines values, learning, and Judaism, which aligns with our foundation,” says board member Cynthia Werthein. “These books are for children, but they are aimed at the home.”

The rest of the funding comes from worldwide donors to the PJ Library International Fund, which supports PJ Library in 38 countries outside the US, Canada, and Israel. “Families wherever they live can support the fund and help strengthen Jewish populations, big or small, across the globe,” Kozupsky says.

With additional donor support, PJ Library hopes to reach up to 8,000 children in Argentina over the next few years.

“PJ Library’s goal is to reach every Jewish child in Argentina,” Zingerevitz says. “We’re excited about reaching more families while growing our global PJ Library family.”

Ryan Torok is a freelance writer based in California.

A GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP

PJ Library offers beautiful Jewish books in seven languages. The Jewish Agency for Israel sends specially trained Israeli young adults to volunteer in Jewish communities around the world. Three years ago, the two organizations realized they could work together to bring Jewish joy, learning, and connection to families across the globe.

Thanks to an incredible partnership, PJ Library’s team in Israel has begun training the Jewish Agency’s volunteers — called ShinShinim — to use PJ Library books as teaching tools during their year of service in communities around the world. This year marked an expansion of the partnership as 177 ShinShinim forged joyful Jewish connections with communities in North America, Australia, Europe, and Latin America by bringing vibrant PJ Library books to life.

How does PJ Library’s training impact the volunteers’ work?

“I love working with PJ Library because it gives me a special way to transmit the stories of our people,” says Itamar Grines, one of the Jewish Agency’s ShinShinim in Mexico. Adds fellow volunteer Ori Faiertag, “I like to see the kids’ happiness and smiles every time I read them a PJ Library book!”

Beyond Storybooks

PJ Library holiday guides make year-round Jewish experiences easy and accessible.

BY JESSICA MCCORMICK, DIRECTOR OF FAMILY EXPERIENCE

When PJ Library subscriber families opened their mailboxes last October, they found something a little different from the typical storybook. Inside was a colorful, engaging 80-page holiday guide that gave them myriad access points and ideas for celebrating wintertime Jewish holidays such as Sigd, Hanukkah, Tu B’Shevat, and Purim. In fact, hundreds of thousands of families are discovering new ways to celebrate Jewish life through PJ Library’s innovative holiday guides. Building on nearly two decades of experience bringing Jewish stories into homes and inspiring

families to have Jewish conversations, PJ Library has created a groundbreaking series of holiday guides — unlike anything else available — that cater to Jewish families’ diverse needs. First came In Every Generation: A PJ Library Family Haggadah, which the Harold Grinspoon Foundation’s Next Generation Advisory Board (comprised of young professionals who provide feedback on projects to the senior leadership team) envisioned as a way for families around the world to infuse their Passover seders with meaning and delight. Next PJ Library released A Time to Grow: A PJ Library Family Guide for Starting the Jewish New Year and A Time to Hope: A PJ Library Family Guide for Hanukkah Through Purim. These richly illustrated guides provide flexible, accessible approaches to celebrating holidays from Rosh Hashanah through the first buds of spring. Each guide offers tips on preparing for the holidays and creative entry points for celebration, ensuring that every family — regardless of background or observance level — can find meaningful ways to connect with Jewish traditions. From art projects and music to rituals and recipes, our guides are designed to empower every family on their unique Jewish journey.

Last winter, countless families told us A Time to Hope had enriched their winter

Families find knowledge and tips to enhance Jewish celebrations in PJ Library holiday guides.

LYNNE GRAVES

PHOTO BY

holiday celebrations. Many said they used the guide’s eight-nights/eight-activities paradigm (eat, play, sing, make, tell, perform, learn, give) to bring depth and joy to their Hanukkah experience. One family studied Talmud together in the glow of the Hanukkah lights (learning prompts are suggested on pages 37 and 38). Another sampled Hanukkah foods each night from different regions of the world (illustrated on pages 28 and 29). And the impact goes well beyond Hanukkah. “I received A Time to Hope in the mail and read it just before Thanksgiving,” says Shira S. of Shaftsbury, Vermont. “It prompted me to prepare an entire Ethiopian meal for my family for Sigd. I had never heard of Sigd before, so I found this part of the guide wonderful.”

Now PJ Library is ready to complete our series of guides spanning the entire Jewish calendar. We are proud to introduce our upcoming guide, A Time to Gather: A PJ Library Family Guide for Passover Through Shavuot, and our interactive two-book set on Shabbat, A Palace in Time. These new offerings are designed to round out the Jewish year, inspiring families to adopt new annual practices (such as hosting an Israeli-style picnic for Yom Ha’atzmaut) or create their own weekly ritual to mark Shabbat (discussing what it means to truly be at rest, for example). Like our previous guides, these new resources will invite families to craft a Jewish home life on their terms while also encouraging them to seek and form community in ways that are personally relevant.

PJ Library subscribers tell us there’s a need for these materials. In a survey, over 90% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that the guides help their family better understand Jewish holidays. Nearly 80% said they were very likely to recommend the guides to other families with young children.

“The new guide I received actually brought me to tears,” says Danielle P. of Toronto, Canada. “The guide is so beautifully done; it shows the vastness of the Jewish experience and community and is a welcome resource at a time when adding a little more light to our lives is much needed.”

PJ Library relies on donor support to continue creating vital resources like these that enrich familiesʼ lives.

We look forward to fostering accessible Jewish experiences for subscribers throughout the year — and for many years to come.

HELPING FAMILIES CONNECT WITH SHABBAT

BY DANNY PALLER, CREATIVE DIRECTOR

T“The guide is so beautifully done; it shows the vastness of the Jewish community and is a welcome resource at a time when adding a little more light to our lives is much needed.”

DANIELLE P.

o help families celebrate the Jewish holiday that comes every week, PJ Library is producing a beautifully illustrated two-book Shabbat set called A Palace in Time. The first book, geared toward kids, is an immersive Shabbat storybook that begins, “Imagine if … time stopped.” The story is about the spirit of Shabbat, and the book contains interactive items families can use to add delight to their Shabbat experience. The second book, geared toward parents, is a family guide that highlights the meaning of Shabbat, different ways to prepare and celebrate, and ideas for connecting as a family on Shabbat — including songs, stories, conversations, and games. A Palace in Time will welcome every PJ Library family into this special time of the week — shared by Jewish families across the globe — and will both deepen their understanding of Shabbat and invite them to make it their own.

PJ Library Powerhouses

In small Jewish communities around the world, committed volunteers give their time and energy to bring PJ Library to families.

BY SASKIA SWENSON MOSS, INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM OFFICER, AND MAYA FARFEL, INTERNATIONAL PROJECT MANAGER

PJ Library is available in over 40 countries and in seven languages so that any family, regardless of location, can access beautiful Jewish-themed books and feel part of the global Jewish community. But how do PJ Library books make it into children’s hands and bookshelves in places like Poland or Japan? In most countries, PJ Library partners with a local Jewish organization to distribute books, but in many small Jewish communities, there is no local partner agency. In those cases, PJ Library is made possible by volunteers.

(Left to right) Reut Nevo reads to her children, Leo and Theo; Andres Meyer is often joined on deliveries by his three children; Kristin Dwek transports books in her stroller.

PHOTO S COURTESY OF REUT NEVO, ANDRES MEYER, AND KRISTIN DWEK

These hardworking heroes take on multiple roles, including program director, operations manager, and delivery person, willing to do whatever it takes to get books to their communities. They tirelessly provide thousands of families with Jewish resources that would otherwise be scarce or unavailable. Their commitment enables families to incorporate Jewish traditions and values into their lives in a low-barrier, joyful way — and feel a sense of belonging to the wider Jewish world. We invite you to meet four of these incredible volunteers.

Thailand

Reut Nevo moved from Israel to Thailand in 2023 with her husband, Sathit, and two young children, Leo and Theo. Before their move, Reut took living in a thriving Jewish community for granted, not realizing how she would miss the daily comforts of Jewish life.

Growing up in Israel, Friday nights meant gathering with family for a Shabbat meal. Her grandparents often joined, and they recited the Kiddush and Shabbat blessings. Holiday festivities were ubiquitous in Israel; Reut never had to go out of her way to seek them.

“When we moved here, the first holiday that rolled around was Hanukkah. I missed the scent of sufganiyot (jelly doughnuts) wafting from

every bakery and the holiday’s excitement and atmosphere as I had always experienced it in Israel,” Reut recalls. “Then Tu B’Shevat, Purim, and Passover came and went, and again, there was nothing to mark or make these holidays special. Here, there is nothing to connect us to Israel or Judaism.”

Reut spoke to a friend of hers who lives in Israel. “I told her that I lack the tools to provide my boys with a link to their traditions and heritage. She grew up in Massachusetts, where she received PJ Library books, and suggested I contact PJ Library.”

That first meeting with PJ Library staff lit a spark for Reut. She quickly recruited five additional Israeli expats living in different locations around Thailand. Within 24 hours, she and her small team of volunteers had signed up more than 200 children to receive books.

Recently Reut and her family visited Israel. Her older son, Leo, brought his favorite PJ Library book, A Feather, a Pebble, a Shell, and asked to visit the many Israeli sites mentioned inside. Reut has read the story to him often and loves that he finds an affirmation of his identity within its pages.

Thanks to Reut and a generous anonymous donor, PJ Library in Thailand now reaches nearly 400 children. Security concerns currently prevent the Jewish community from gathering; families hope to hold communal holiday celebrations in the future. In the meantime, Reut and her fellow volunteers are thankful that Jewish families in Thailand can turn to PJ Library books to impart Jewish traditions to their children.

Chile

Andres Meyer, an entrepreneur, had long been aware of PJ Library from his many volunteer leadership roles in the Jewish world. But it wasn’t until he visited the US with his family and read PJ Library books to his three children that he realized how much PJ Library could benefit his local Jewish community in Chile, which had few Spanish-language Jewish children’s books at the time.

Andres and his wife, Sofia Cohen, director of the Jewish Interactive Museum of Chile, are dedicated to supporting the small Chilean Jewish community, which consists of approximately 15,800 people in a country with a total population of 20 million. Andres eagerly volunteered to establish PJ Library in Chile.

“We must value things that are important to us: strong schools, strong communities, and a strong PJ Library program.”

ANDRES MEYER

Since 2018, Andres has been managing PJ Library and delivering books monthly. He laughs about the 1,000 PJ Library books — stacked in large, bulky boxes — that are delivered to his home in Santiago quarterly. To “maintain shalom bayit (peace in the house),” he says he has perfected the task of organizing and distributing the books quickly to hundreds of families nationwide. “Fortunately,” he says, “in just 10 blocks within Santiago, we have 40% of the program’s subscribers. When my kids join me to deliver books, it goes faster and teaches them the value of tikkun olam (repairing the world).”

Prior to October 7, PJ Library was already a trusted source of treasured children’s books for families. After the attacks, Andres realized PJ Library could play an even larger role. When several local menorahs were vandalized during Hanukkah, it became clear to Andres that Jewish children needed to see positive representations of their identity.

“We are facing antisemitism that we did not know before, and we must value things that are important to us: strong schools, strong communities, and a strong PJ Library program,” he says. “After October 7, I told my children we must become October 8 people — those were the people who showed up to help.”

Andres hopes that with more donor support, he can help bring PJ Library to every Jewish child in Chile. “When parents tell me, ‘This is an amazing program. How can I help?’ I say to them, ‘Here is a box of books; you can start putting them in envelopes!’”

Singapore

When PJ Library books arrive for families in Singapore, they go directly to volunteer Kristin Dwek’s house. Kristin, originally from Atlanta, Georgia, smiles as she explains how she distributes books for the 115 kids waiting to read them.

“To have these books in your library at home means there are others like you.”

KRISTIN DWEK

“Because we don’t have a car,” she says, “I load big baskets of books into my stroller!” PJ Library reaches families in two locations in Singapore. At the Sir Manasseh Meyer International School in the north, over 140 students receive monthly PJ Library books in class. Outside the school, families rely on a community-based program. Kristin and her husband, Alex, settled within walking distance of Singapore’s two historic synagogues and had their first child, Harper, in 2020. As Harper got older, Kristin joined a Jewish-moms group and

wanted to help more families access PJ Library books. In 2023, she became PJ Library’s volunteer coordinator in Singapore, taking over the role from PJ Library author Tammar Stein.

Kristin has a system for distributing books to the children in her community. She brings some of the books to helpers who deliver them to their friends and neighbors. She mails some to families, and brings others to Ganenu, Singapore’s first bilingual Hebrew and English preschool, which she founded in July 2023.

For families raising Jewish children in Singapore, PJ Library is vital, Kristin says. The monthly stories help build a positive Jewish identity for Jewish children of many different backgrounds. Kristin’s favorites include Shanghai Sukkah, the story of a Jewish boy who moves from Europe to China in the 1930s, and Two New Years, a modern tale of a Chinese Jewish family that celebrates Rosh Hashanah and the Lunar New Year. Both books highlight Asian and Jewish traditions. “To have these books in your library at home means there are others like you,” she says.

Tori Markus personally delivers PJ Library books to children in Bermuda.

COURTESY OF VICTORIA COHEN MARKUS

Some of Kristin’s friends have children in local international schools. During the year, she encourages them to teach about a Jewish holiday in the classroom. She finds that even if they aren’t sure what to say, “if I give them a PJ Library book they can do it.”

When speaking with Kristin, now a mother of three, it becomes clear that her commitment to PJ Library is both communal and personal. “What I am building is for my children,” she says.

Bermuda

Originally from New Jersey, Victoria Cohen Markus (who goes by Tori) moved to Bermuda with her husband, Andrew, in 2013. Their three children, Eva, Will, and Jay, were born on the island — a hook-shaped British territory in the Atlantic Ocean.

Bermuda’s Jewish community is small compared to that of the Philadelphia-adjacent town where Tori grew up. She estimates that the Jewish population is around 100. But what it lacks in numbers the community makes up in strength and connection. Everyone — whether Orthodox, Conservative, or Reform; Sephardic or Ashkenazi — prays, learns, and celebrates together.

Tori decided she wanted to help launch PJ Library in Bermuda in 2023. “Everyone

“PJ Library books are so important. Exposure to Hebrew and Jewish content gives [children] another dimension of our culture that they might not otherwise encounter here.”

VICTORIA COHEN MARKUS

was bringing PJ Library books back from the US, and I realized we could have our own chapter,” she recalls. Her community leapt at the opportunity.

PJ Library books arrive at Tori’s house once a month. She sorts and organizes them and uses WhatsApp to reach out to groups of families to coordinate delivery.

“Here in Bermuda, we are a somewhat isolated Jewish community,” she says. “For me, this is one of the biggest challenges of raising Jewish children on an island in the middle of the ocean: children don’t know what they don’t see. That’s why PJ Library books are so important. Exposure to Hebrew and Jewish content gives them another dimension of our culture that they might not otherwise encounter here.”

In her own family, Tori sees the books as a crucial part of her children’s Jewish identity. She especially loves reading books about Israel because “it makes the concept of Israel real. Though my kids have never been there, I can tell them about places I’ve visited. And knowing that Israel exists is very important for them as young Jews in a non-Jewish world.”

Tori is effusive as she describes the impact of PJ Library in Bermuda. “I am getting such great feedback from parents; they are so enthusiastic about the materials,” she says. “Reading these stories and learning about our culture is good for our children.”

The PJ Library International Fund provides children outside the US, Canada, and Israel with a reliable source of Jewish learning and connection. To support communities like those featured here, visit pjlibrary.org/proofgift.

PHOTO

Delivering for Students in Toronto

Few Jewish resources existed to address antisemitism in Toronto public schools. PJ Library delivered for children and teachers.

BY RACHEL ZAIMONT, MANAGING EDITOR

At the public school north of Toronto where Maureen Morris teaches, Jewish resources were scarce.

The school library had books about major Jewish holidays but few narratives that featured Jewish characters. “I saw a need for stories that normalized Jewish people and showcased Israel as a country of people with many different ethnic backgrounds,” Morris recalls.

and many students have been bullied,” Potash says. “This made Jewish students and families feel unsafe in their schools.”

Malka Lewittes, a lay leader on the Federation’s Israel engagement committee, had been working with the Jewish Educators & Family Association of Canada to help support Jewish educators and students in public schools. “I was aware of the incredible challenges Jewish educators and students are facing,” Lewittes says. “I realized there was an opportunity to answer the need for resources to support Jewish students and confront antisemitism — and PJ Library could play a role.”

When Morris received a collection of books from PJ Library and began reading them in class with her thirdand fourth-grade students, “I was thrilled,” she says. “The books allowed Jewish students to see themselves reflected in the stories and allowed students of other backgrounds to be exposed to Jewish stories with which they could connect.”

The delivery was part of an extraordinary initiative last fall in which PJ Library partnered with the UJA Federation of Greater Toronto to gift over 2,500 books and dreidel kits to public-school educators. The donation infused positive Jewish narratives into classrooms throughout the region at a time when antisemitism is surging.

“After October 7, Jewish cultural education was desperately needed and requests for resources increased,” says Samantha Bacher, PJ Library manager at the Federation. Bacher and Jenna Potash — the Federation’s director of capacity building, Israel engagement — described student walkouts and miseducation in some schools about the Israel-Hamas war. “We see students scared to identify as Jewish,

Federation staff members created PJ Library book packages for public-school educators.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE UJA FEDERATION OF GREATER TORONTO

PJ Library began collecting books to send to the Federation, where Potash had already been working with public-school educators to expand access to Jewish learning. PJ Library included titles featuring themes of coexistence, such as A Sweet Meeting on Mimouna Night, Yaffa and Fatima: Shalom, Salaam, and Never Say a Mean Word Again. The shipment arrived this past October, and teams of educators and Federation staff members created and distributed packages to some 400 schools.

“We know that raising the next generation of Jews today unfortunately means having difficult conversations about antisemitism, and these conversations don’t only happen at home,” says Alex Zablotsky, PJ Library’s executive director. “I’m grateful we were in a position where we could support the work the Federation is doing in their community.”

“It helps students who

identify as Jewish

to

see themselves represented in the classroom.”

TAMMY ZALDIN

Toronto-area teachers say the impact has been tremendous. “I have students in my classes who recently arrived from Israel, and they are thrilled to see books that positively portray their homeland,” says Tammy Zaldin, who teaches reading and writing to second graders and special education students. “I think it helps students who identify as Jewish to see themselves represented in the classroom.”

“The educators who received the books — many not Jewish! — were grateful,” Potash says. “Bringing PJ Library books into schools not only allows Jewish students to feel seen; it also introduces Jewish culture into classrooms in a lighthearted way that brings joy to everyone.”

Sparking Connection

PJ Library’s community partners thrive when engaging families in Jewish life. For 10 years, a special PJ Library grant has helped.

BY RACHEL RAPOPORT, PROGRAM OFFICER

PJ Library is more than books. Around the world, PJ Library brings Jewish families together to connect with their local Jewish community and one another. PJ Library works with local partner organizations across the US and Canada, such as Jewish Federations and JCCs, where family-engagement professionals host gatherings and events that welcome families seeking connection into Jewish life. To support these efforts, PJ Library introduced engagement grants, empowering partners to try new initiatives in the quest to create thriving Jewish communities.

Since 2015, with the support of donors including the PJ Library Alliance (What's the Alliance? See page 22.), PJ Library has awarded 147 grants to more than 90 communities in the US and Canada. Ranging from $3,500 to $25,000, these grants have allowed partners

PJ Library engagement grants have helped fund familycamp weekends in Chicago, Jewish holiday celebrations in Colorado, and Shabbat gatherings in Milwaukee, forging new Jewish relationships.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF BREANNA

SCHMITT, BETHANY

FRIEDLANDER, AND CAROLINE KRAVIT

to pursue innovative strategies to engage families. Do they work? Over 90% of grantees report remarkable engagement wins, and some 60% of communities renew their application for a second year. From seed funding to lasting impact, here’s a look at how PJ Library engagement grants transformed three communities.

Colorado

Five years ago, Jewish families in Colorado mainly knew PJ Library as a great book program. But local partner JEWISHcolorado recognized that PJ Library could help foster vital community connections. In 2020, funded by a PJ Library engagement grant, they hired three parent connectors.

At first, the parent connectors focused their outreach on families in Denver, but a large number of families in outlying communities

and mountain towns craved engagement too. “We were so grateful for the initial seed funding and the coaching PJ Library provided,” says program manager Bethany Friedlander. “This allowed us to see the gaps in our community engagement and gave us the insight we needed to adapt.”

With additional grant funding, JEWISHcolorado hired parent connectors in local towns statewide, beyond the metro centers of Denver and Boulder. This approach brought Jewish families together for Shabbat playdates, Israel-themed hikes, and holiday celebrations in communities like Fort Collins, Colorado Springs, Steamboat Springs, and Roaring Forks — areas with limited Jewish infrastructure but high demand for connection.

“Before this initiative, I could only host one PJ Library gathering a year in Fort Collins, making the long drive from my home,” Friedlander recalls. “But with a PJ Library parent connector in place, gatherings happened consistently. Real community began to form.” Now, with overflowing Hebrew schools and vibrant synagogue programs, Fort Collins has become a hub for Jewish families.

Today, JEWISHcolorado funds 18 PJ Library parent connectors across the state. “Without this grant, we wouldn’t have been able to consistently connect and engage families in these outlying communities,” Friedlander says. As Jewish families increasingly settle outside Denver, PJ Library parent connectors are creating vibrant Jewish microcommunities across Colorado’s vast landscape.

Milwaukee

The Harry & Rose Samson Family JCC has long been a trusted space for Jewish families raising children. But many PJ Library families in Milwaukee wanted to make friends closer to home, in their own neighborhoods. The challenge? Busy schedules! Enter PJ Library with an engagement grant in 2018.

Family-engagement staff used the grant to start a new relationship-building initiative: Shabbat Among Friends. As program coordinator Andrea Kitsis explains, “Shabbat Among Friends was designed to help families make connections that stick. We paired families with similar interests, gave them a $100 gift card to host, and offered tips for activities. It gave them that little push they needed to build meaningful relationships.”

“Without this grant, we wouldn’t have been able to consistently connect and engage families.”

BETHANY FRIEDLANDER

In its first year, Shabbat Among Friends was a hit. Many groups met regularly, forming deep bonds. “Thank you, PJ Library, for ‘assigning’ me two of my best, dearest friends. It’s been such a blessing,” shares participant Caroline Kravit. During the COVID-19 pandemic, program organizers handed out s’more kits and hosted virtual events, keeping families connected when they needed it most.

These days, with additional funding from Sue and Rick Strait, Shabbat Among Friends remains a cornerstone of PJ Library programming in Milwaukee. The takeaway is clear: Families yearn for connection, and PJ Library can provide the spark.

Chicago

For years, PJ Library in Chicago has helped connect children to Jewish life from babyhood through the tween years. But there was a missing link in the journey: Jewish camp.

In 2019, PJ Library grant funding gave familyengagement professionals the opportunity to try a new way to broaden access to Midwest Jewish overnight camps: PJ Library Family Camp. Hosted in partnership with regional overnight camps and the Jewish United Fund (JUF), this immersive weekend family-camp experience was designed to introduce PJ Library families to the joys of Jewish camping — and to each other.

“That first fall family camp was magical, and the connections extended beyond the weekend,” says Julie Brodsky, associate vice president of family engagement at JUF. “Our parent connectors hosted reunion Shabbats and parents’ nights out, creating lasting bonds. Families return year after year. Now many of those little ones from our first family camps are heading off to summer camp on their own.”

While grant funding planted the seed, PJ Library Family Camp has grown well beyond the initial grant. Family camps are now held twice a year, alternating between JCC Camp Chi and URJ OSRUI Camp. Through communal Shabbat celebrations and exciting camp activities, these weekends serve as a welcoming, low-barrier introduction to the Jewish opportunities that await as PJ Library kids grow up.

The Decision Kids

PJ Our Way offers tweens an exciting array of middle-grade stories.

A committee of young readers helps vet the books.

BY RACHEL ZAIMONT, MANAGING EDITOR

What happens when 8-year-olds graduate from PJ Library? Thanks to donor support, their next chapter is only beginning. PJ Library created PJ Our Way to bring great Jewish middle-grade books to tweens, at an age when reinforcing a positive Jewish identity is more important than ever. PJ Our Way gives kids ages 9-12 the power to choose their own book each month from a set of curated titles.

But who decides which books get into the PJ Our Way lineup? Hint: It’s not just adults. The PJ Our Way team, comprised of Jewish content specialists and kidlit experts, seeks out compelling and diverse Jewish stories that they think will appeal to kids — but members know the most telling opinions often come from young readers themselves. Enter the PJ Our Way Advisory Committee. Made up of more than 70 tweens from across the US and Canada, the advisory committee previews and provides feedback

Aviv Wieder and Mayana George are two of some 70 kids on the PJ Our Way Advisory Committee.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ILANA ROGEL WIEDER AND CARA KANTROWITZ

GEORGE

“We get to read and review books in a journalistic way. That’s exciting.”

AVIV WIEDER

on stories PJ Our Way is considering. PJ Our Way takes their input seriously when deciding which books make it into the program. PROOF chatted with two of these extraordinary kids about reviewing books and what this special leadership opportunity means to them.

Rachel Zaimont: Can you tell us a little about yourselves and what you like to read?

Aviv Wieder: I’m 11 and I’m from California. I like to read nonfiction, biographies, historical fiction — but overall I read a wide variety of books.

Mayana George: I’m 11. I live in New York. I love fantasy and graphic novels, but I also think historical fiction and nonfiction are important because we have to learn from the past to do better in the future.

RZ: What are your favorite memories of PJ Library or PJ Our Way books?

AW: I enjoyed reading PJ Library books when I was younger! Now I read PJ Our Way books. I enjoyed The Spanish Plot and The Inquisitor’s Tale. Mitzvah the Mutt was the first PJ Our Way book I got — it was very memorable, a feelgood story.

MG: I have a younger sibling, and when we were younger I remember both of us would wait while our mom checked the mail. She would say, “There’s a PJ Library book waiting for you!” That was a highlight of every month.

RZ: What do you like about being on the advisory committee?

AW: On the advisory committee, we get to read and review books in a journalistic way. We’re reading books that PJ Our Way isn’t sure if they’re going to take into the program. That’s pretty exciting. It’s also interesting getting to read books that haven’t been published yet and gain insight into the process.

Advisory committee members review and recommend books for the PJ Our Way lineup.

MG: I like reading the books and getting to review them. I think it’s fun to be on the committee and know that my reviews of the books are going to help make a difference.

RZ: When you’re reviewing a book, what kinds of things do you pay attention to?

AW: I mention whether there were scenes that I liked, that I didn’t like, that were scary, and whether I would recommend the book for kids my age.

MG: I pay attention to whether there’s any content that doesn’t fit in the story or that might be too mature or too young. I pay attention to: Does it have a good theme, a good moral? Is this story written well? Is this story about a Jewish person or important Jewish values?

RZ: What’s it like to review books knowing that PJ Our Way takes your recommendations seriously?

AW: I think it’s good that they take our opinions into account because we represent the demographic that is going to be reading PJ Our Way books. It’s important that every month there is a book that readers with different tastes are interested in reading.

“I like that PJ Our Way is an organization for kids, helped by kids.”

MAYANA GEORGE

MG: It’s really cool. I think that kids sometimes aren’t taken as seriously as they should be. I like that PJ Our Way is an organization for kids, helped by kids.

RZ: Do you think being on the committee is good practice for other things you might do in the future?

AW: Yes. It’s about thinking critically and evaluating something by different sets of criteria — whether that may be a literary work or a new scientific theory or a musical piece. (I play the piano and the violin.)

MG: Yeah! It gives me a first experience of reviewing books and what being an editor or publisher would be like. It’s helpful because it’s a first look into the world of books as a career.

RZ: Do you think PJ Library and PJ Our Way have changed you or helped you in any way?

AW: My family is pretty religious and my father is a rabbi, so I’m familiar with the holidays and customs we observe. But I remember one PJ Our Way book, A Boy from Baghdad, that talked about the Mizrahi customs of a boy from Iraq. It’s interesting to read about different kinds of Jewish experiences and ways people celebrate holidays. It opened me up to a lot of different perspectives.

MG: I think because of PJ Library and PJ Our Way I’ve become more aware of when books have representation of different people and when they don’t, and I think that’s an important thing to be aware of.

DONOR Spotlight

Launched in 2013, the PJ Library Alliance is a group of leading philanthropists who each pledge $1 million or more to grow and deepen PJ Library’s impact. (Visit pjlibrary.org/alliance to learn more.) Read on to hear from a few members of this transformational circle.

We were invited to PJ Library in Aspen [an annual gathering for major funders], and it was there that we learned about the impact PJ Library has on young families around the world. We decided to make an investment in the future of the Jewish people by joining the PJ Library Alliance.

As soon as our grandchildren could sit, they were on our laps reading PJ Library books with us. It’s one of our favorite activities. While we were inspired by PJ Library’s mission to help families connect to Jewish culture, becoming grandparents brought home the impact. We enjoy the conversations sparked by the stories. Also, we are one of many multifaith families whose second set of grandparents is

learning about Jewish life alongside our grandchildren.

One of our favorite books is A Basket Full of Figs, which embodies the idea, “As my ancestors planted for me, so will I plant for my children.”

We are thrilled that PJ Library helps us pass down Jewish values and keep our heritage alive.

We encourage others to consider leaving their legacy by helping to endow PJ Library in partnership with the Harold Grinspoon Foundation. PJ Library is an invaluable way for families to transmit the beautiful lessons that Judaism teaches.

I learned about PJ Library at the International Lion of Judah conference in New Orleans about 12 years ago. The Harold Grinspoon Foundation made a presentation, and I loved what I heard. We didn’t have PJ Library in Broward County, Florida, and I was immediately inspired to bring it to Broward County. We funded the launch and have since endowed the program in the community. We also helped launch PJ Library in Jacksonville, Florida. My stepfather, Sam Berman, grew up in Jacksonville. Every year we continue to fund half of the program.

When people in Broward County meet me, they go, “Oh, you’re the PJ Library person!” I know our support is making an impact when they tell

me how great it’s been for their kids. It gets so many people — younger people — involved in the Jewish community.

About eight years ago, we joined the PJ Library Alliance. We wanted to give beyond our local area so that many more communities could access all PJ Library has to offer. It’s important to teach Jewish values to young children. That’s huge for the continuity of Jewish tradition. What impresses me most about PJ Library is they never stop innovating — they’re always looking for ways to make a bigger impact. It makes me feel good about giving.

Sheryl Greenwald

Sam Berman

Charitable Foundation

DONORS AT ALL LEVELS HELP SPREAD THE JOY OF PJ LIBRARY. Make a gift today! Visit pjlibrary.org/proofgift.

Joe and Debs Weinberg.

PHOTO BY STUART ZOLOTOROW

Sheryl Greenwald.

PHOTO BY CARLOS CHATTAH

Debs and Joe Weinberg Joseph and Debra Weinberg Family Foundation

PARTING Thoughts

BY WINNIE SANDLER GRINSPOON PRESIDENT, HAROLD GRINSPOON FOUNDATION

There is a Jewish summer camp in New York that has been creating unforgettable summer experiences for children since 1902. Generations of children and staff members have been forever changed by their happy days on the breathtaking grounds of that camp, celebrating Shabbat together and making great friends. Over more than a century, that camp has created many grateful alumni.

In recent years, the camp has been growing its endowment fund. They have been asking alumni to leave financial gifts to the camp for a restricted fund that would distribute a small percentage of its value each year. The distribution from that fund is helping to make ends meet. The endowment fund is an important step, as the cost of running camp is rising far beyond what an affordable tuition structure can cover. This camp, like other nonprofit Jewish camps, must rely on fundraising and other revenue streams beyond camper tuition to cover its expenses.

I was inspired to learn about this camp’s recent endowment fundraising success — it’s a testament to their vision and commitment to long-term sustainability. By taking bold steps now to build a strong endowment, they are ensuring that future generations will benefit from their foresight. Imagine what would be possible if more of our Jewish institutions adopt this approach today. Small gifts, thoughtfully gathered over time, can grow into powerful endowments that provide lasting stability, greater flexibility, and the ability to dream even bigger.

As a community, it is incumbent upon us to help support the programs and institutions that make Jewish life vibrant. Like the beloved secular institutions in our communities, Jewish organizations need to build endowments for the future. Bryan Clontz, founder and president of Charitable Solutions, advises nonprofits with this warning: “If a significant portion of your operating budget — at least 20% — isn’t coming from your endowment by 2035, your organization will be in fiscal crisis.”

At PJ Library, we think a lot about the future. We are committed to serving as a cherished

Jewish engagement program for children and families for generations to come, and we know that many of PJ Library’s supporters want that too. That’s why in the next few years we will focus on raising an endowment fund for PJ Library, and we will counsel our local community partners to do the same for their local PJ Library programs.

Thankfully we are already seeing endowment efforts take shape. Just recently we were honored to meet with a funder who is leaving two endowment gifts to PJ Library: one during his lifetime to support PJ Library in his local community, and a bequest in his estate plan to support PJ Library’s national work into the future. This funder wants to ensure that the PJ Library books his granddaughter enjoyed will reach other children with timeless Jewish stories for years to come.

Whether our treasured community assets have been with us for 20 years or 120, it’s never too early — or too late — to start protecting their future. The thoughtful choices we make today can help ensure they will continue to inspire and support future generations.

To explore how you can help endow PJ Library for the future, contact us at development@hgf.org.

An endowment fund can ensure lasting stability for future generations.

PHOTO BY LYNNE GRAVES

67 Hunt Street, Suite 100

Agawam, MA 01001 USA

413-276-0800

pjlibrary.org

Families around the world share the joy of PJ Library because of your gift.

“PJ Library has been fantastic! It’s an accessible way to get into Jewish life. The books are phenomenal, from the writers to the illustrators to the activities.” REBEKKAH, IRELAND

“Seeing children get excited about each new book, sharing family readings, and nurturing kids’ Jewish identity and love for our tradition is a testament to PJ Library’s positive impact.” LILY, COSTA RICA

“Our whole family thanks PJ Library for giving children and parents quality, warm, heartfelt, and educational time together.”

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

HANNAH, ISRAEL