The PJ Library Celebrates One Year of Connecting Families with Judaism

This spring, The PJ Library is celebrating its first anniversary on the Lower Mainland. The program sends free, high-quality, age-appropriate Jewish-themed children’s books and music to families with young children on a monthly basis, no strings attached.

An award-winning program of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, The PJ Library was launched locally in partnership with Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver and the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver. The program’s goal is to support the Jewish journeys of families raising young children, and to help them remain connected to their Jewish roots.

Over the past year, several outreach events took place across the Lower Mainland, allowing young families the opportunity to participate in age appropriate Jewish activities and with other Jewish families. For some, these events represent a significant opportunity to get involved in Jewish activities, which may not otherwise have been easily accessible. Events included family story time and crafts in Burquest, Surrey and Vancouver, a family Purim party, and most recently a Passover event at the JCCGV that brought to life the concepts introduced in PJ books Programs like these compliment the PJ books, and provide additional learning opportunities for the children and their families.

This Passover, some of the holiday-themed books distributed include Leslie Kimmelman’s fresh take on a classic: The Little Red Hen and the Passover Matzah, which includes Yiddish words and phrases, complete with a glossary and a recipe for matzah. Dinosaur on Passover, the third in the popular series of rhyming books by Diane Levin Rauchwerger, is another PJ Library Passover favourite. Each book includes a guide to help parents and children connect with the Jewish themes and values reflected within them.

Currently, 360 families with children aged six months to five years old are enrolled in the program locally. To learn more about The PJ Library or to register a child visit www.jewishvancouver.com/pjlibrary.