PROOF | A PJ Library Magazine | Winter/Spring 2019 by Harold Grinspoon Foundation

PROOF A PJ LIBRARY Â® MAGAZINE

WINTER/SPRING 2019

IT COSTS A LOT TO BE THIS FREE

the CONTENT issue

T H E T R U E S T O R Y O F F U N D I N G F O R PJ L I B R A R Y

FROM OUR READERS What PJ Library Means to Me By Natasha Zwick PROUD PJ LIBR ARY PARENT

Before I even became pregnant, PJ Library was on my radar. A friend had

She has begun making up stories of her own and telling them with

mentioned it during a lunch where we were sharing stories

improbable as Moti the Mitzvah Mouse quietly doing good things,

about IVF. I was a mid-30s professional woman, eager to

and Avi the Ambulance saving the day despite his tender age.

have a family with whom to share my life, my heritage, and

She’s learning more about Israel from her dinosaur friend who

my values. I had found a wonderful Jewish anonymous donor

wails when he returns home (“why does he cry, Mommy?”), and

and was ready to raise a child who would be happy, healthy,

she has an intuitive understanding of humor in a Jewish context,

confident, and actively, passionately Jewish.

laughing when Avi takes a bath, when Bubbe and her grandson

drama similar to that which we are reading. She has characters as

dance while they bake challah, when Noah’s grandson is not the When I became pregnant, I put a note on my calendar for six

only visitor to his bed on a stormy night on the ark, and when the

months after the baby’s due date to contact our local chapter.

whole family shares one chair on Passover because they’re a little

I’m an English teacher who loves to read, and I knew my baby

short on seating arrangements.

girl would, too. I began reading and singing to her when she was in utero, and we began with picture books as I rocked her

My mom and dad (Bobbie and Barry) taught me to love being

to sleep once she was born. When the PJ library books started

Jewish. At day school, our home values were reinforced. Briella,

arriving, I loved how they seemed to reflect so much of what

too, loves her Jewish pre-school experience, wants every day to

I was feeling and doing. The concepts of tikkun olam, as told

be Shabbat, and sings songs in Hebrew with a passion that makes

in Tikkun Olam, Ted, or the beauty of Shabbat, as the Fine

me so happy. Though my dad never got to meet her in this world,

twins demonstrate in One Fine Shabbat, are as familiar to her

my mom assures me regularly that he lives in his granddaughter,

as more mainstream Good Night, Moon, Chicka Chicka Boom

named for him, and her passion for her heritage is an essential

Boom or Jamberry.

part of that.

Now, at age three, my Briella likes the stories that make

As my brother, Uncle Alex, and my mom could attest, seeing her

me teary with emotion, namely Chik Chak Shabbat and

Jewish world in her books gives Briella a confidence in herself

Grandma Rose’s Magic, both of which show the outpouring

and in her community that only PJ Library could provide. For

of love that results from basic goodness, generosity, and

that love, for that confidence, and for that consistency, I am

kindness. She hands them to me again and again, savoring the

incredibly grateful.

build up to the surprising twist at the end that never fails to touch me, and through these books, my daughter is learning the power of goodness and also the power of books.

WE LOVE HEARING STORIES FROM OUR READERS EMAIL PROOF@HGF.ORG TO SHARE YOURS You could be featured in an upcoming issue!

PROOF A PJ LIBRARY Â® MAGAZINE

Capturing Magic with Grandparents

WINTER/SPRING 2019

Planting Seeds of Opportunity

Bringing Books to Life with PJ Library in New York

CONTENTS

The True Story of Funding for PJ Library

Supporting PJ Library in Perpetuity

Cultivating Philanthropy with PJ Library Daniel Held

Planting Seeds of Opportunity Amy Meltzer

CDs are Out Joanie Leeds Why I Tell Tales About Israel Jamie Kiffel-Alcheh Sustainable Community, Sustainable World Vivian Lehrer Bringing Books to Life with PJ Library in New York Rabbi Melanie Levav

Daniella Moffson’s Legacy Brings PJ Library to South Africa Adrian and Lauren Gore

Why Do You Give?

Family Traditions and Proven Results Sherrie Savett

“What does PJ Library offer intermarried families?” Winnie Sandler Grinspoon

MANAGING EDITOR AND ART DIRECTOR, PROOF MAGAZINE

Jillian Farrell

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT

Natasha Dresner, Mentor, JCamp 180 Daniel Ginsburg, Writer & Editor, PJ Library Winnie Sandler Grinspoon, President, Harold Grinspoon Foundation Daniel Held, Executive Director, Julia and Henry Koschitzky Centre for Jewish Education

Capturing Magic with Grandparents Lee M. Hendler

PROOF

1 PJLI On the ShelfBRARY.O RG

Lee M. Hendler, President and Co-Founder, Jewish Grandparents Network Jamie Kiffel-Alcheh, Author Vivian Lehrer, Co-Founder, Eden Village Camp Joanie Leeds, Musician / Performer Rabbi Melanie Levav, Director of PJ Library in New York Meredith Lewis, Director of Content and Engagement, PJ Library Amy Meltzer, Engagement Officer, PJ Library Will Schneider, Director of Advancement, PJ Library Renee Zborowski, Operations Manager, PJ Library SPECIAL CONTRIBUTORS

Adrian and Lauren Gore Adam and Phil Loewy Daniel Nolan Sherrie Savett

COVER PHOTO BY

Asher and Oak Photography, Boston We welcome suggestions for stories. Please send ideas or author inquiries to proof@hgf.org.

THE

FOREWORD At a recent meeting with a group of PJ Library funders I posed a question: “What is the most common misunderstanding you hear from others about PJ Library? Something that might keep them from donating.” One person in the room sat thoughtfully and then shared, “People think you’re nice.” She went on to explain: “Nobody doesn’t like sending books to kids, but some people think it’s just nice.” As a PJ Library parent I know firsthand that the program is much more than nice. It’s changing the way my family discusses and experiences Judaism in our home. In my five years of being a PJ Library parent, I have learned alongside my two children about Jewish values, holidays, and traditions. PJ Library books make me my kids’ first Jewish educator. These shared stories and conversations have inspired us to celebrate Jewish holidays and life cycle events with others and to volunteer in our community in ways we might not have done otherwise. This “nice” program has had a big impact on us. Last year my son, Max, and I read Avi the Ambulance Goes to School, a PJ Library book about an anthropomorphized child rescue vehicle, and learned about Israel’s ambulance service, Magen David Adom. In fact, a lot of my family’s conversations about Israel come from stories like this one. After reading the book Max asked about Israel and why some Jews (like us) don’t live there.

Max answers, “We have everything we need, so we give a little every week to be helpers.” PJ Library books have also spurred Max to ask about holidays, how to cook certain foods, and where our family has come from. Maybe most important to me of all, books make my home the center for my kids’ understanding of Jewish life. So, after reading about Avi, who is able to help people despite his young age, we talked about unique ways Max can help too, and why we value helping people. Various PJ Library books and the activities they inspire have shaped Max’s understanding of what it means to be Jewish and why being Jewish is important, in a way that didn’t exist for me at his age. It isn’t just my family. Two of the most compelling statistics from our most recent survey of PJ Library families in the United States and Canada are that 94% of PJ Library families said they felt supported by PJ Library to add a tradition to their home life and 96% said PJ Library supported their family in having conversations about Jewish traditions, values, and/or customs. I think you’ll agree that with all the ways PJ Library supports and influences families in their Jewish lives, it’s an important program for the Jewish community today and will continue to be so in the future. In this issue of PROOF we share with you more about the funding and programming models that will sustain PJ Library for years to come. Your support will ensure that PJ Library continues to make a difference.

Books also influence the traditions we have started as a family. Max even made the connection to Avi when we put money into our PJ Library tzedakah box before our weekly Shabbat dinner (inspired by the book Fridays are Special). We ask him every week, “Why do we put money in the box before dinner?”

Will Schneider DIRECTOR OF ADVANCEMENT, PJ LIBRARY PROUD PJ LIBRARY PARENT

IT COSTS A LOT TO BE THIS FREE T H E T R U E S T O R Y O F F U N D I N G F O R PJ L I B R A R Y

$36 + MILLION PJ L I B R A R Y A N N U A L GLOBAL BUDGET

The books and resources are free for families — but of course they aren't free. Books cost money. So does postage, storage, programming, and staff. We don’t charge families — even those who can afford it — because our top priority is getting these resources into the hands of parents. A constellation of thousands of funders comes together to make PJ Library possible.

2 PJLI BRARY.O RG

$15.6

$7.5

MILLION

H A RO L D

COMMUNITY

GRINSPOON

PA R T N E R S :

F O U N D AT I O N

F E D E R AT I O N S , J C C S , E TC . *

“I decided to create the Harold Grinspoon Foundation to engage Jews in the richness of the Jewish tradition.” Read more from Harold Grinspoon’s Giving Pledge letter on page 4.

Close to 200 community partners in the United States and Canada support half the cost of PJ Library subscriptions in their local area and engage local families through programming and events.

* This is w here most don ations from pare nts and grandpare nts go!

PJ Library Alliance Partners Harold Grinspoon Foundation William Davidson Foundation ■ The Marcus Foundation, Inc. ■ The Azrieli Foundation ■ Jim Joseph Foundation ■ William & Audrey Farber Philanthropic Group ■ Diane & Guilford Glazer/Jewish Community Foundation of LA ■ Genesis Philanthropy Group ■ The Micah Foundation ■ Anonymous ■ Anonymous ■ Carl & Joann Bianco ■ The Crown Family ■ Howard & Geraldine Polinger Family Foundation ■ Mike & Sofia Segal Family Foundation ■ Susser Family Trust ■ Walter, Arnee, Sarah & Aaron Winshall ■ Zucker Family Foundation ■ The Sherrie R. Savett Family Foundation

$6.4

$4.7

$1.9

MILLION

PJ L I B R A RY

I N T E R N AT I O N A L

I S R A E L M I N I S T RY

ALLIANCE

F U N D E RS & OTH E R

O F E D U C AT I O N

Nearly 600,000 children receive Jewish children’s books every month across 19 countries in four languages.

To learn more about Sifriyat Pijama, PJ Library’s sister program in Israel, visit pjisrael.org.

PA R T N E R S

The PJ Library Alliance is a 19-member-strong collective that together has pledged more than $25 million to grow and deepen PJ Library throughout the US, Canada, and beyond. Learn more about the PJ Library Alliance on page 11.

Turn to page 17 to read about Daniella Moffson’s legacy bringing PJ Library to South Africa.

P RO O F WINTER /SP RING 2019

S U P P O R T I N G PJ L I B R A R Y I N P E R P E T U I T Y :

Harold Grinspoon and Diane Troderman Sign the Giving Pledge It took an octogenarian entrepreneur to disrupt the status quo of Jewish childhood, and raising Jewish children will never look the same again. PJ Library unites Jewish parents around the world in our shared project of passing Jewish values, traditions, and culture along to the next generation. Harold’s vision, PJ Library, will reverberate through generations of Jewish families. In 2016, Harold Grinspoon and Diane Troderman signed the Giving Pledge, created by philanthropists Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffet to encourage the world’s wealthiest individuals to dedicate the majority of their wealth to charity. Each signer pens a letter to explain that choice and possibly inspire others to join. On the opposite page is an excerpt from Harold and Diane’s letter, explaining why they are leaving nearly all of their wealth to support Jewish life and PJ Library in perpetuity. For full text of Harold and Diane’s Giving Pledge letter, visit pjfor.me/givingpledge.

4 PJLI BRARY.O RG

I grew up in the 1930s and ‘40s in a poor family in Auburndale, MA, where we were the only Jews in the neighborhood. My family was secular but the neighborhood kids didn’t let me forget that I was Jewish. “Jew boy” and “kike” were typical greetings I received in the school yard. I didn’t know much about being Jewish except that life would certainly be easier if I weren’t. After a couple of unsuccessful business ventures, I bought a two-family house and then a three-family house with a goal to acquire enough real estate so that someday I would owe the banks $50,000. I dreamed of the day I would finally pay off this debt. Sixty years later, I am still a significant partner in the same real estate business, which is now a leading national company in the multifamily industry. Twenty-five years ago, I had cancer of the tongue and came to the realization at that time that life is about more than making money. I started to think about what my legacy would be. Inspired by my wife, Diane Troderman, and my friends, Michael Steinhardt, Rabbi Irving Greenberg, and Jeremy Pava, I began to explore my Jewish roots. I discovered that I was part of a people whose culture, traditions, and values have sustained them and enriched society for over 3,500 years. Judaism brought joy, meaning, and purpose into my ancestors’ lives: a thirst for knowledge, a passion for justice, a commitment to care for the weak and oppressed, and a desire to make the world a better place. However, as I observed the world through my new Jewish lens, I recognized that while life in America has improved dramatically for Jews, our improved status has created a new, demographic challenge. Thankfully, my grandchildren do not suffer in the schoolyard as I once did. Among younger Jews, however, our newfound social acceptance has led to a decreased connection with their Jewish heritage. To address this challenge, I decided to create the Harold Grinspoon Foundation to engage Jews in the richness of the Jewish tradition. We take a very hands-on approach to philanthropy. Our flagship PJ Library program, for example, currently distributes [nearly 600,000] free Jewish children’s books per month, connecting families around the globe to their heritage. In the 21st century, I believe that for Judaism to continue to have an impact on families and society, Jewish living and learning must be actively cultivated. That is why I am committing nearly all my assets to my Foundation to pursue this goal.

Harold Grinspoon May 8, 2015

P RO O F WINTER /SP RING 2019

CAPTURING

MAGIC

WITH GRANDPARENTS

By Lee M. Hendler A.K.A. "Gromzy" PRESIDENT AND CO-FOUNDER JEWISH GR ANDPARENTS NET WORK PROUD PJ LIBR ARY GR ANDPARENT PICTURED ABOVE WITH FAMILY

When I became a grandparent I thought: “Wow, I sure don’t look like my grandmothers, and this sure doesn’t look like the family I thought I would have.” Eleven years later I am the single, divorced matriarch of what I call “the perfect Pew family.” Only one of my four children is married to a Jewish spouse, and I am proud that they are all committed in their own ways to raising Jewish offspring. Their “ways” are wildly divergent and do not always reflect my priorities or choices. Accepting those differences is not always easy, but, as grandparents know, we are no longer in charge. Instead I try to be open to my family’s needs and embrace the moments when we seem to be heading in the same direction. Those moments vary depending on each family and my relationship with that family. I can be a very hands-on caretaker or the go-to resource for questions on all things Jewish. I might be Shabbat hostess or family service buddy, listener to grievances about the Jewish community or financial underwriter of educational

6 PJLI BRARY.O RG

experiences (Jewish or not). I might be exchanger of holiday recipes, tentative navigator of the holiday observance landscape (and sender of customized greetings and resources that are rarely acknowledged), or holiday observance innovator – so this diverse group might find more meaning and fun in our tradition. And I am always available as a playmate for my six grandchildren, ready for adventures, crafts, walks in the woods, carpools, scavenger hunts, board games, sleepovers, and special trips. I can be book reader, storyteller, and maker of custom Judaica – including a bling-filled nesting box set of the Ten Commandments for an occasionally oppositional granddaughter. Jewish grandparenting today is not what it used to be. I first “got it” when I began making monthly journeys northward from Baltimore to Boston for that first grandchild and realized that I was not an anomaly. My friends were all making similar commitments. Some were flying to the West Coast and living in residence for weeks at a time. One couple planned to move to Nashville at retirement. Others provided regular daycare, weekly sleepovers or drove early childhood carpools. Why? So many reasons, but perhaps most importantly, our children need our involvement, and we want to be involved. This was not the experience most of us had with our parents or grandparents. As my grandparent relationship with my family expanded, it became evident that the organized Jewish community had mostly overlooked Jewish grandparenting today. With laser-like focus they were going after millennials and young families. But they did not understand the key role that we Boomer grandparents were playing in helping our families to function, to connect with Jewish life, and to tell our Jewish stories.

David Raphael and I co-founded The Jewish Grandparents Network (JGN) to celebrate and support grandparents as essential family members who make unique contributions to our children, our people, and our future. That is our formal mission. Less formally, we are on a mission to help our Jewish organizations and professionals understand that when we think and plan for our “new Jewish families,” we must include grandparents as key members of our radically changed family constellations. To better understand the demographics, beliefs, behaviors, and desires of these key members, we commissioned the first ever national survey of Jewish grandparents, which launched online in November 2018. Survey results will provide critical data about the number of grandparents who have distant and close grandchildren relationships. We will learn about the nature and frequency of preferred Jewish and secular interactions between grandparents and their grandchildren. Grandparents will tell us about their own Jewish choices and those of their children. We will get a far more nuanced picture of the family environments (multifaith, LGBTQ, single-parent, multicultural, adoptions, divorce) in which Jewish grandparenting is occurring. Over the past year, David and I have been blessed to learn from Jewish scholars, educators, thinkers and philanthropists, lawyers, doctors, accountants, small-business owners, teachers, artists, and retirees – almost all grandparents. All candidly shared what would help them in their quests to become better resources to their families, more balanced in their own lives, and more agile at coping with the multiple challenges they regularly face.

joyous or troubling. We have not yet met a Bubbe or Zayde, a Meema or Poppop, a Saba or Savta, a Grammy or Gramps who did not think that being a grandparent is one of the most important things they are doing. For many, grandparenting is an act of devotion. This act can also be a heavy lift – time consuming, physically and emotionally draining: “Every Tuesday is Bubbe day. Tuesday night, Bubbe passes out.” Still, we persist because we all know one thing: Grandparents are special. Grandparents are important. The opportunity to work with PJ Library as a survey partner gives JGN access to a special community of grandparents who are already intentionally connected to Jewish life. The decision to be a PJ Library grandparent shows a genuine desire to pass on a Jewish legacy to one’s grandchildren, yet we also imagine that the Jewish life choices a PJ Library grandparent’s children have made are likely as varied and diverse as everyone else we have encountered. Learning more about these and other realities in the PJ Library community could inform content choices for books, enrichment activities hosted by local partners, and possibly even marketing strategies. As Arthur Kornhaber, one of the founders of the grandparent movement in America, would say, the relationship between grandparents and grandchildren is magical. Our goal is to help PJ Library and other important Jewish institutions create more natural, joyous experiences that will help grandparents to fulfill their essential roles in our families today and unleash a little more of the grandparent grandchild “magic” we all cherish.

What struck us consistently were the energy and enthusiasm of these conversations, whether the topic was

P RO O F WINTER /SP RING 2019

Cultivating Philanthropy with PJ Library

By Daniel Held EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JULIA AND HENRY KOSCHITZK Y CENTRE FOR JEWISH EDUCATION PROUD PJ LIBR ARY PARENT

How Toronto Gave Families the Power to Give Back

If all PJ Library did for Toronto was to make our homes the center of Jewish identity formation, empower parents as our first Jewish educators, serve as an on-ramp to lifelong Jewish engagement, and fill our social calendars with dinners, celebrations, and story times – dayenu. It would be enough. But for a communitybuilding organization that is powered by philanthropy, we as a Jewish federation had to ask ourselves if PJ Library could have another powerful purpose in Toronto. Could it be an introduction to a life of philanthropy? It is our privilege as Federation to give the gift of Jewish books and to imbue the kind of community building described above. PJ Library is a gift from the community to children and families. While this gift cannot be repaid, it can be passed on. When considering how to connect PJ Library with giving, our goal was to catalyze the gift economy – not create revenue from subscriptions. This question is important for yet another reason. With PJ Library books reaching the majority of families raising

8 PJLI BRARY.O RG

Jewish children in Toronto, increasing the number of families who donate to the Jewish community by even a small percentage will have lasting dividends. An encouraging statistic: In a 2015 study of the Toronto PJ Library community, 25% of respondents indicated that as a result of PJ Library they have increased their financial contributions to Jewish causes. At the same time, however, only 8.9% of PJ Library families had ever made a gift to UJA Federation of Greater Toronto. Armed with this data, and the overwhelming evidence that PJ Library families love the gift that the community gives them, we began experimenting with ways to see if PJ Library subscribers would pay that gift forward.

Among families who responded to a 2015 survey of the Toronto PJ Library community

25%

reported that they’d increased their financial contributions to Jewish causes as a result of PJ Library

Over the last two years we have undertaken two key projects in this respect: Telemarketing and a digital day of giving. In June 2017, we launched a telemarketing campaign with scripts carefully designed to reflect the philosophy of paying it forward. We also chose to direct families who had never given to UJA before to give specifically to the PJ Library program. Over time, however, we would steward these new donors towards gifts to UJA’s annual campaign, which supports PJ Library. In our first year, we raised $20,779 from 355 PJ Library subscribers. Notably, 70% of these

donors had never made a gift to UJA before. For us, the greatest success of the campaign was the nearly 250 young donors making their first gift to UJA. In June 2018, we launched our second initiative, a day of giving. Sometimes called a fundraising bomb, a day of giving is a short digital campaign with clearly delineated goals and a bombardment of marketing. In this case, we ran a 24-hour campaign with the goal of raising $20,000. In the days leading up to the campaign we blasted out teasers: videos of families sharing their PJ Library experiences, statistics about the impact of PJ Library in our community, and messages from our community partners about the importance of the program. Through emails, social media, and other forms of digital marketing, we pushed out messages about the importance of PJ Library in our community. The reach was astounding, with more than 30,000 people connecting with the campaign over Facebook and email. Our Facebook videos alone had nearly 13,000 views.

During the 24 hours of the campaign, the PJ Library messages were augmented with fundraising asks directing people to the campaign website to give. In total, we raised $25,347 through the day of giving, including a $10,000 match designed to motivate small gifts. While the total dollars raised from subscribers was lower during this campaign than the telemarketing campaign the year prior, the reach of the campaign in sharing the message of the impact of PJ Library was far greater. In Toronto, there are three powerful goals of PJ Library: to inculcate the home as an incubator of Jewish identity; to serve as an entry point to ongoing engagement with the Jewish community; and to catalyze philanthropy by encouraging families to pay the gift forward to others and become the next generation of our community’s philanthropic leaders. This third goal may be the most challenging, but with an aging donor database, cultivating young donors is critical to our organization’s

future strength. While we’ve started experimenting, we also know we are just at the beginning of building a strategy. Over the course of two years we have had nearly 400 young families – people starting their careers and their families often with an endless list of financial commitments – make their first gift to UJA. These parents have raised their hands and said, “I value what the Jewish community is giving to me, and I want to ensure that it is available to others in our community.” With proper stewardship, the dividends of these relationships will pay off for decades to come. We may never fund PJ Library exclusively on the back of grassroots giving. Leveraging the power of PJ Library, however, we do have the ability to engage a critical and elusive demographic of young donors to strengthen the future of our community.

P RO O F WINTER /SP RING 2019

PLANTING SEEDS OF

OPPORTUNITY By Amy Meltzer ENGAGEMENT OFFICER, PJ LIBR ARY

Nati Passow, director of the Jewish Farm School, plants and waters potatoes with young children and their families in the bimonthly Side Yard Seedlings program sponsored by PJ Library.

It’s a hot Sunday morning, and families are streaming into a small urban garden in the heart of West Philadelphia, PA, warmly welcomed by the staff of the Jewish Farm School. After exploring seeds under magnifying lenses and digging through piles of dirt, children and their caregivers gather for a song and story about Na’amah, the seed-saving matriarch on the ark. Next, they bring this ancient midrash (an explanation or expansion of a Torah story) to life - creating sprout jars, making living seed necklaces, and planting carrot seeds in the garden. After a hearty snack of fresh vegetables and the blessing borei pri ha-adamah (creator of the fruit of the earth in Hebrew), everyone learns the Hebrew word for “seed” and then takes their seeds and sprouts home to nurture and to eat. 1 0 PJLI BRARY.O RG

This is just one example of close to 100 unique programs funded by more than $175,000 in PJ Library SPARK grants, made possible by the PJ Library Alliance, to engage families on five Jewish farms in the United States. Thanks to these grants, families raising young children have had a chance to connect to Jewish life while harvesting vegetables, planting flowers, grinding wheat, and feeding baby goats.

Why has the PJ Library Alliance invested $175,000 in programs at Jewish farms? Farms are the intersection of some of the most creative young professionals in the Jewish community and a comfortable place for families. Jewish farms boast a cadre of professionals who can deliver “quick and deep” Jewish content, one of PJ Library’s Engagement Guiding Principles.

By offering meaningful and accessible Jewish content in a low-barrier and highly appealing setting, Jewish farm programs inspire parents to learn more about and connect further with Jewish life. The magic of Jewish Outdoor, Food, Farming & Environmental Education (JOFEE) programs is that they are both content-rich and highly accessible at the same time. We know from Hazon’s 2014 study, “Seeds of Opportunity,” that JOFEE programs have provided a uniquely meaningful place for less-engaged Jewish adults to connect Jewishly. By investing in funding and training for Jewish farms, PJ Library SPARK grants have helped the JOFEE field extend its magic to families raising young children. "The SPARK grant allowed us to jumpstart our Jewish family programming at Milk and Honey Farm,” explains Becca Gan Levy, farm and sustainability director at the JCC in Boulder, CO. “I get giddy every Friday morning when I see so many families streaming in to celebrate Shabbat together. Our community loves it! I love it! To me, it's what Judaism should be: fully relevant, meaningful, and fun!" Jewish farms have been highly effective at reaching less-engaged families with SPARK-funded Jewish programming. More than half of the participants surveyed last summer indicated that prior to attending these programs, their family had attended Jewish programs “never” or “a few times a year.” Yet an overwhelming majority of participating parents indicated that the programs “sparked a Jewish moment” with their child and that they would “definitely recommend” the program to a friend. Abundance Farm, a food-justice farm and outdoor classroom located on the grounds of a Conservative synagogue and Jewish day school in Northampton, MA, reached more than 100 new families with young children in its first summer of farm-based Shabbat programming; most of these families had never attended a single program held within the walls of these institutions. Engaging in Jewish programs on a farm can be the first step into a family’s ongoing relationship with Jewish life. In each community with a SPARK grant, both the Jewish farm receiving the grant and the local PJ Library program professional are working to build relationships with new families, welcome them into the broader Jewish community, and invite them to participate in the range of opportunities for families with young children.

Support for programming on Jewish farms is just one of the many ways funding from the PJ Library Alliance has created new opportunities for families through PJ Library. Five years ago, we set our sights high with a bold vision for PJ Library. Our mission: build on a well-loved program to make it the predominant platform for reaching and engaging a new generation of Jewish families. An inaugural investment from the William Davidson Foundation inspired others. The Alliance is now a 19-member-strong collective of funders who together have pledged more than $25 million to grow and deepen PJ Library’s work. Alliance members pledge a minimum of $1 million to support and shape PJ Library. Over the next five years the PJ Library Alliance will further our ability to build on these achievements and broaden and extend the scope of PJ Library. Some of our goals:

CONTRIBUTE to the canon of great Jewish children’s literature

SUPPORT thousands of parents hosting Jewish experiences in their own homes

MOTIVATE community partner organizations to grow PJ Library to reach more families TEST engagement strategies through grant funding

PROVIDE professional development opportunities so that partners utilize the best and most up-to-date approaches to service their constituencies

The PJ Library Alliance welcomes new partners! If you are interested in learning more, please contact Will Schneider, will@hgf.org.

P RO O F WINTER /SP RING 2019

CDs are Out:

There's a New Place for Jewish Music By Joanie Leeds

For more information on Joanie Leeds & the Nightlights, visit joanieleeds.com.

MUSICIAN / PERFORMER

My music has been featured in People magazine and I have played at venues like Lincoln Center and The Kennedy Center, but being asked to include my music on a PJ Library compilation album was like having the Holy Grail find me! Even from a young age, I have felt a cultural connection with Judaism. Growing up, I was a member of the High Holiday choir, a youth group songleader, and a guitar teacher at Camp Coleman in Georgia. Throughout my decade-long kids music career, I’ve released eight children’s albums – six secular albums and two Jewish albums – but my goal, no matter what the song topic, is to make each tune accessible to all. I found that PJ Library has similar goals with their music and books. That’s why, when PJ Library contacted me back in 2012, we became fast friends. Since then, I have been incredibly fortunate to garner a fabulous relationship with PJ Library, becoming one of the programs musical staples and licensing my tunes for yearly CD releases. Because of PJ Library’s wide distribution, I have also had the opportunity to team up with PJ Library partners nationwide,

1 2 PJLI BRARY.O RG

bringing my interactive musical performances to cities across the US and, most recently, across the pond in England. What I love about the PJ Library events is that many of them are open to the public, so my fans who aren’t Jewish can easily attend; it’s a great learning experience for them too. I held my latest album release party at a venue called City Point, a fancy, new shopping mall in Brooklyn, NY. I teamed up with PJ Library for the release of the Brooklyn themed album, Brooklyn Baby!, and they set up a table at my show and brought an adorable art project with Yiddish words to complement one of my songs on the album, “Shayne Punim.” I think both kids and parents alike learned a whole new vocabulary that day! Reaching more families through PJ Library is an exciting opportunity for artists like me. Independent musicians are consistently navigating the ever-changing music industry landscape and trying to stay on top of it. Physical albums and even MP3 downloading are phasing out and streaming services are staying put. It’s a tricky change for musicians. Because CDs do not sell anymore, most albums

now need to be funded on the front end through crowdfunding campaigns. (PSA: Make sure to help indie artists fund their albums by contributing to their fundraising platforms in advance if you wish for them to continue making the music you love!) From the musical distribution side however, PJ Library took notice of this inevitable industry change and started PJ Library Radio. PJ Library Radio gives listeners the opportunity to stream their favorite PJ Library artists anytime, anywhere. The website also has music videos, photos, artist bios, and more! It’s a platform that gives listeners more music and more access. Parents can look for my music specifically or find new artists to love and support. As an artist, partnering with PJ Library has been life-changing. As a mom of a 3-year-old, I am also a fan! Each month we are grateful when we receive a new book in the mail, listen to the musical offerings, and attend PJ Library events around New York City. I’m even more of a fan now that PJ Library Radio has become a part of our lives. I can’t wait for what comes next in my friendship with PJ Library.

WHY I TELL TALES ABOUT ISRAEL By Jamie Kiffel-Alcheh PJ LIBR ARY AUTHOR

Cool puffs of chalk rose from the cave floor. I was about 20 feet underground at Beit Guvrin, a site from the time of the Maccabees. Today the scene of an archaeological excavation, this was a place where Judah Maccabee could have walked. Now I and 19 other writers on the first-ever PJ Library Author Israel Adventure were about to become one with it. “You’re going to get dirty anyway,” said archaeologist and guide Missy SteinGoldman. “So on three, we’re all going to sit down. One, two, three!” I sat. The earth felt like lumpy corn starch. I ran my hands through it, smelling its moistness as Missy explained that most of what we’d find here would be chalk rocks, easily breakable with one’s fingers. A meaningful find such as a piece of pottery would be harder, with regular edges. But surely, something like that would take hours, if not a professional, to— “Like this?” one of the writers asked. Missy hurried over. She pressed the piece, turned it, rubbed it. Then she nodded and said, “You are the first person to touch this in 2,000 years.” I’d grown up loving Israel, but not knowing Israel. The only Hebrew letters I saw as a child were at shul or on comical T-shirts from New York’s Lower East Side. Buying an Israeli product felt like scooping up a lucky coin. Israel, itself, was a distant totem.

When I arrived at Ben-Gurion Airport for the first time and saw Hebrew on digital signs, billboards, and menus, my eyes bugged out. I filled my suitcase with snack food wrappers, water bottle labels, and empty packets of sugar because they all had Hebrew on them. For a New York girl who’d sung mandatory Christmas carols in her public school chorus, the casualness of these sights made me laugh—with relief from tension I hadn't realized I felt. Even a Hebrew clothing tag said, to me, “You belong.” But back in the US, among looselyaffiliated or largely non-observant Jewish kids like I once was, Israel was still a dusty plain where wars threatened, oranges were picked, and bearded men in black hats made pilgrimages. There were no bustling restaurants, no shopping malls, and no life similar to mine in those visions. This trip, I came home from the PJ Library Author Israel Adventure with an urgency to share what I’d seen. The Dead Sea holds antique chimneys of salt, yet it also floats day-glo kayaks. You can touch the satin-worn stones of the Western Wall, and also slip beneath the city to edge through a newlyexcavated, 2,000-year-old tunnel. Reform and Orthodox Jews pray sideby-side in a synagogue led by a female rabbi, where songs shape the service. And you can see children chase each other through carless streets on Yom Kippur, or crowd into doorways of local

shuls to hear words that are familiar around the world. Until Diaspora Jews understand that Israel is a living land where biblical structures abut modern boutiques, and the streets are filled with people just like them, Israel is in danger of withering. If a new generation loses its understanding of Israel and its significance, that generation may not support the country. To speak out for something, we must first know it, then come to love it. And to sustain anything, someone must tell its tales. After all, even a piece of pottery pulled from the earth has no meaning without its story. By placing stories in the hands of the youngest generations, we can both maintain the past and bring it into the present. For in time, those stories will mature into ideas and beliefs. And, with care, they will bear fruit in the real world.

P RO O F WINTER /SP RING 2019

SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY, SUSTAINABLE WORLD: Fostering Healthy Living at Summer Camp Introduction by Natasha Dresner

What makes a camp unique? Is it excellent programs and staff? A strong board and fundraising? Successful marketing and enrollment? Effective

MENTOR, JCAMP 180, A PROGR AM OF THE HAROLD GRINSPOON FOUNDATION

technology and strategic planning? Of course, it’s all of the above, but at the end of the day, what makes a camp truly exceptional is its culture. Here at the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, we are so proud to call Eden Village

By Vivian Lehrer

Camp in New York a JCamp 180 affiliate and PJ Library grant recipient. Eden Village’s culture has been at the foundation of its success from the beginning, organically embedded into the camp’s every decision, communication, and relationship. But don’t take my word for it – read more from one of the

CO-FOUNDER, EDEN VILL AGE CAMP PROUD PJ LIBR ARY AND CAMP MOM

camp’s founders.

Each summer at Eden Village Camp, our 460 campers run our organic farm from seed to harvest.

a Jewishly-rooted way of living that is simple, creative, and exciting — a microcosm of the world we wish to see.

They then put on their chef’s hats and turn the bounty of the land into delicious feasts. They make salves, syrups, and teas in the herbal apothecary. They care for our animals and build skill in guitar, pottery, sewing, fire-tending, and animal-tracking. They co-create the “culture of kindness” that is the bedrock of our community and look forward to Shabbat as an awesome, multifaceted party. In short, our campers experience

Because Eden Village campers focus on the environment and social responsibility, many families are attracted to Eden Village who would not otherwise be interested in Jewish life. In other words, our goal of a sustainable Earth supports our goal of a sustainable Jewish community. Fully 44% of our families report that they would not have chosen a Jewish camp for their child were it not for Eden Village!

1 4 PJLI BRARY.O RG

Our camp’s focus has also helped us create a truly pluralistic Jewish population. For the past nine years, our camp families consistently identify as follows: about a third Conservative, about a third Reform, 10% Orthodox, and the remaining 20% Renewal, unaffiliated, secular, or “other.” Families from all these categories re-enroll year after year, so we know our pluralism is working for a broad spectrum of families. Our success is due to cornerstones that guide our sustainability efforts, which broadly include our relationships with the

land and with each other. Here are a few of the main ones: Diverse community. As part of our commitment to a diverse camper body, we give more than $250,000 yearly in scholarships and have launched a small inclusivity program for campers with special needs. Many LGBTQ-identified staff and campers return each year. The 10-day pre-camp staff training and ongoing training during camp include sessions that raise awareness of privilege, explore how various forms of oppression function, model how to be a strong ally, and ensure each community member feels seen. Gratitude practice. We bring gratitude and intention to each day via daily “morning practice” options and blessings before and after meals, and we mark Shabbat as a day for celebrating the world and each other just as things are. Kid-friendly prayer services emphasize core values about the unity and sacredness of all beings. Environmentalism is social justice work. In light of climate change, to take seriously the mandate to “love your neighbor as yourself” means working to protect the environment. Eden Village campers see this connection, such that when they tend the bees, they know they are not only supporting the ailing bee population but protecting key pollinators we all need for a robust food supply.

Kindness in the air we breathe. The magic lives in the countless details. Camp songs have positive messages, and cabins are named after Jewish activists. Instead of a color war, there’s a Mitzvah Day where campers dedicate their athletic, artistic, and other efforts toward supporting their nonprofit of choice. Campers publicly make a “covenant with the earth” (brit adamah) that is a “SMART” commitment (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timelimited) which they will take action upon when they return home. Toward the end of their fifth summer at Eden Village, each camper gives a speech to the whole camp community. One camper named Carlin, in his speech this past summer, voiced a powerful sentiment: “Look around. We here in this room are the ones who are going to change the world. The fact that a place like Eden Village even exists is a dream come true. So just think, how many other dreams can we make come true?” For Eden Village, and many other Jewish organizations looking toward the future, this is a sacred question.

Over the summer, Eden Village also offered ongoing Friday morning Shabbat programs for local PJ Library families. These programs beautifully complemented the core work of both Eden Village and PJ Library. For Eden Village, they strengthened our connection with our local community and allowed us to serve more parents and young kids. For PJ Library, the programs brought families faceto-face in a concrete experience of Earth-based Judaism. As a PJ Library mom myself, it was doubly special to share Eden Village pre-Shabbat activities with young families and my own two preschool-aged children. We dipped beeswax candles; harvested flowers for Shabbat table bouquets; threshed, winnowed and ground wheat into challah; and of course sang and danced together. This partnership highlighted PJ Library’s and Eden Village’s common value of sustainable community as we aim to nurture the next generation of Jewishlyinspired young leaders.

P RO O F WINTER /SP RING 2019

Bringing Books to Life w ith PJ Librar y in New York By Rabbi Melanie Levav DIRECTOR, PJ LIBR ARY IN NEW YORK PROUD PJ LIBR ARY PARENT

The world is sustained by the breath of children learning. Talmud, Shabbat 119b In the wake of the destruction of the ancient Temple and exile from Jerusalem, the rabbis of our tradition engaged in deep conversation about what it might take to sustain the world as they knew it. How will our world endure after everything we once knew has changed, they asked. The world is sustained by the breath of children learning, they answered. And so it is with PJ Library. Thanks to the vision of Harold Grinspoon, PJ Library is a revolutionary innovation on the ancient idea that children learning is what will sustain our people, our values, and our traditions. Today, through PJ Library in New York, nearly 40,000 children receive the gift of PJ Library books each month in New York City, Long Island, and Westchester, representing nearly 20% of the more than 200,000 children who receive PJ Library books throughout the United States and Canada. In New York, we are reaching more than 30% of all children eligible for PJ Library, and we offer engagement beyond the books, where parents and children connect with the people in their communities who share those values. As a PJ Library parent in New York, I think about the values imparted by the book What Zeesie Saw on Delancey

1 6 PJLI BRARY.O RG

Street, which I read with my 8-year old daughter this past summer. Ami and I talked about the bravery we saw in Zeesie’s actions. We saw the importance of community coming together to help those in need, and we spoke of generosity as we read of how each family gave according to their own means. Reading Zeesie’s story also sparked conversation about how parts of our family once lived that kind of life on the Lower East Side in New York City, and about how our family even came to live in America. With many PJ Library books set in New York City, the content of the books provides incredible opportunity for creative local engagement programming through program partners, which in many cases are funded by grants from the PJ Library Alliance. PJ Library engagement programs take place in dozens of local synagogues and JCCs and beyond the walls of Jewish institutions, reaching families in public spaces such as Union Square, at local Whole Foods stores, and at cultural institutions, including the Jewish Museum and the Brooklyn Children’s Museum. This year, the Eldridge Street Synagogue received a PJ Library in New York engagement grant to create a program called History Hunters, in which families

explore what childhood was like on the Lower East Side in New York 100 years ago. PJ Library books set in New York help spark conversations about so many families’ journeys to this country, and about the values we carry with us as we move through and beyond experiences that change everything we once knew. Just like the rabbis of the Talmud, PJ Library parents ask how our world will be sustained in the modern era. Thanks to the gift of PJ Library, families have access to books that help us sustain and enrich our children’s learning, and thereby, sustain our world and ensure our future. PJ Library in New York is made possible by funders, families, and partners, including generous support from: Harold Grinspoon Foundation, UJA-Federation of New York, National PJ Library Alliance, Mike and Sofia Segal Family Foundation, Susser Family Trust, Genesis Philanthropy Group, Andrea and Charles Bronfman Philanthropies, Jeffrey H. and Shari L. Aronson Family Foundation, Arnold Penner, and Louise & Robert Cohen.

Become a funding partner in New York and help PJ Library reach even more families in the metro area. Visit newyork.pjlibrary.org to learn more.

I N M E M O RY

Daniella Moffson's Legacy Brings PJ Library to South Africa By Adrian and Lauren Gore We have chosen to help fund the launch of PJ Library in South Africa in memory of our niece, Daniella Moffson, because we believe it is the embodiment of Daniella – bringing joy to children coupled with the love of Judaism. Daniella was deeply dedicated to working with young children, often those vulnerable due to cancer or disabilities. She set out to inspire these children to see the beauty in Judaism. She also volunteered to help South African HIV/AIDS orphans. Her true dedication to help children transcended the bounds of her community and religion. Consequently Daniella became a committed and hardworking student who set out to pursue a career in medicine at Barnard University in New York. Her ultimate dream was to become a pediatric oncologist – precisely to help children at their most vulnerable time, alleviate their pain, or just put a smile on a child’s face. At a personal level, Daniella was very committed to travelling to South Africa to spend time with her family and to connect with our country. The tragic irony is that she was taken from us while pursuing her interconnected love for children and Judaism. While volunteering in Honduras, Daniella was tragically killed in a bus accident at the mere age of 21. Daniella swapped seats on the bus in order to sit near a window while davening - this seat change cost her her life but saved another. Her tragic death sparked a light within us, a light that inspires us to do more, be better, and help those around us. Through her death, we learned about all the good deeds Daniella performed, not just the formal volunteer work but her day-to-day care and love for humanity. Daniella was never one for affirmation or acknowledgement of her good deeds. Daniella did the right thing not for social acceptance but because she had the innate ability to know what was important in life – something we are inspired by and try to learn from every day. Although her life was cut short, she truly gave meaning to those 21 years and made a significant difference in the lives around her. This has framed our unending passion to perpetuate her memory. We are so pleased to help bring PJ Library to South Africa, a country with a special Jewish community and one Daniella connected with personally. Daniella has taught us the simple but crucial lesson of the importance of putting a smile on a child’s face. We believe education, Judaism, and community are the key ingredients to give meaning to her memory. We are honored to be part of PJ Library. P RO RO O OF F WINTER P WINTER /SP /SP RING RING 2019 2019

17 17

WHY DO YOU

GIVE? My wife, Phil, and I first became aware of PJ Library through our involvement with our local Federation. We are both passionate readers and loved the idea of getting Jewish books into the hands of the next generation. We became one of the main sponsors for PJ Library in Austin. Our true love for this charity really took off when we had the opportunity to spend a weekend in Aspen, CO, with Harold, Winnie, and the entire PJ Library team. What an experience! We hadn’t realized how much of an impact PJ Library is making worldwide.

It’s a true mitzvah in every sense of the word. We are excited to read the books with our baby son, Clayton, and look forward to supporting this amazing organization for years to come! Adam and Phil Loewy AUSTIN, TEXAS

We support PJ Library because it is a light to brighten our grandchildren’s Jewish eyes! Thank you for this incredible mitzvah — its impact is immeasurable. Member of PJ Library’s Grandparent Giving Circle

1 8 PJLI BRARY.O RG

I especially like sharing your stories about ancestors coming to America. I tell my grandchildren that this is their story and how their greatgreat grandparents were tailors too! Member of PJ Library’s Grandparent Giving Circle

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE GRANDPARENTS GIVING CIRCLE EMAIL GRANDPARENTS@PJLIBRARY.ORG

There are many opportunities for us to have a positive impact on our community. We support many capital region organizations, from large high-profile nonprofits to smaller, lesser-known organizations.

We were impressed with the significant impact we could make by funding PJ Library in contrast to the amount of our contribution. And who could not be gratified by the notion of making a positive difference in the lives of children, especially through a program that inculcates values they will carry with them through their lives. Daniel Nolan

The ethics and values of Judaism are within each of the lovely stories my grandchildren receive from PJ Library. The books reflect our history as Jews, as well. The stories are beautifully illustrated and cover a variety of topics. Member of PJ Library’s Grandparent Giving Circle

ALBANY, NEW YORK

FROM OUR INBOX In the UK, PJ Library runs a very popular Parent Pay It Forward campaign. This year, more than 300 families have donated so far, raising £25,000 (roughly $32,000 USD) for the local program. Here are just some of the heartwarming comments the team received alongside the donations.

We hope this helps bring the joy of PJ Library books into another home. We live in Norwich, far from any Judaica shops, and this resource enriches our children and gives the whole family much pleasure. And the kids love to get post! Thank you so much! —Nick, Norfolk

What a fantastic charity! Our nephew has always enjoyed receiving his books and now our daughter will too. Wishing you all the best for the future. —Ian, London Our children love the books, and we wanted to give back so others could also share in the joy. Thank you! —Nicky, London

P RO O F WINTER /SP RING 2019

Family Traditions and Proven Results W H Y PJ L I B R A R Y I S S O I M P O R T A N T T O M E By Sherrie Savett PROUD PJ LIBR ARY GR ANDPARENT NEW PJ LIBR ARY ALLIANCE PARTNER

On the beach in Longport, New Jersey, my grandkids gathered around me, transfixed, to find out how a chameleon saved Noah’s Ark. (He did it by eating the worms that were eating the other animals’ food) In my bed, they all climbed on top of me to find out how Nachshon conquered his fear of swimming and led the Jews through the Red Sea as they escaped slavery in Egypt. When we read New Year at the Pier: A Rosh Hashanah Story, we learned about taschlich, throwing bread into the moving water to throw away the bad and welcome the good on Rosh Hashanah. It became my family’s tradition after that. I believe PJ Library is the most revolutionary and impactful program developed in the Jewish world in the last several decades, a program that helps to perpetuate and ensure the future of the Jewish people. I’m investing in PJ Library as an Alliance partner for this reason and more. First, the reach of PJ Library is vast. In less than 13 years, it has touched hundreds of thousands of families. Today, more than 200,000 children in the US and Canada and nearly 600,000 children worldwide receive its monthly deliveries of free Jewishthemed books. It impacts three generations at once – children, parents, and grandparents – and it connects them to Judaism. Parent ambassador programs create small communities of young Jewish families. Second, the message of PJ Library is completely positive. The books teach children about beautiful Jewish and universal values; Jewish heroes;

20 PJLI BRARY.O RG 20 PJLI BRARY.O RG

and Jewish stories, customs, and holidays all with great creativity and color, age-appropriate words, and exciting illustrations. The book flaps give the adults wonderful questions to discuss and activities to engage in with children. The act of reading a good book with a child is a bonding experience that will never be forgotten. The fact that it’s a Jewish book makes it all the more special. Third, the results are proven. The data shows that the PJ Library experience connects and positively engages Jews of every stripe, including and especially intermarried families, in Jewish life. Many young families connect with their Jewish identity and participate in the joys of Judaism much more, and more deeply, than before they were exposed to PJ Library. Fourth, the PJ Library Alliance materially supplements the enormous contribution of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation and the

combined contributions of all Jewish federations and Jewish community organizations and enables PJ Library to expand its reach where resources are limited. The PJ Library Alliance has made it possible to eliminate waiting lists in many communities and to service families where there is no organized Jewish life. I was very impressed to learn that Alliance support enables PJ Library to provide books and resources to Jewish families in every zip code in the United States and Canada! Finally, and maybe most importantly, PJ Library has deeply affected my family and hundreds of thousands of Jewish families. These amazing books teach us the Jewish values we cherish. They teach us to love Judaism in all its richness, tradition, and beauty. I have personally experienced its profound impacts, and that is one more reason I am making this significant investment in our Jewish future.

“What does PJ Library offer intermarried families?” By Winnie Sandler Grinspoon PRESIDENT, HAROLD GRINSPOON FOUNDATION

I get asked this question a lot. The people asking often share that they are concerned about what intermarriage will mean for the future, whether for their own families or for the broader Jewish community. Our approach at PJ Library is simple: Offer high-quality Jewish children’s books, music, and activities that any family would like, regardless of familiarity with Jewish tradition. We look for engaging stories and captivating illustrations. We provide books that showcase the joys of Jewish life, holiday celebration, tradition, and values in an engaging way. We include reading guides on the flaps of each book to explain concepts, define Hebrew terms, and help with pronunciations, so everything is accessible. We consider every Jewish family to be our target audience. If a PJ Library book or activity isn’t enjoyable for a parent with a deep Jewish background as well as for a parent with no Jewish background, then we haven’t met our mark. Back in 2016, PJ Library engaged a strategic learning firm to conduct a large-scale study of its subscriber families. We were looking to determine not only subscriber satisfaction but also whether PJ Library had influenced a family’s decision to connect with Jewish life in a way they weren’t doing previously. More than 6,400 of the families responding to the survey identified themselves as being an intermarried household – defined in the study as a household where one parent identifies as Jewish and one does not (what many refer to as “interfaith”). We asked the evaluator to analyze those 6,400 responses more closely. How do intermarried families rate PJ Library as compared to in-married families? Do the books and materials resonate? We’ve got good news. Intermarried and in-married families give equally high marks to PJ Library. Nearly all intermarried and in-married families (97% and 95% respectively) report overall satisfaction with the books and resources they receive in their home, and nearly all are likely to recommend the program to others. The two cohorts also interact with the other PJ Library resources, such as the book flaps and social media channels, at statistically similar rates.

Not only that, but PJ Library books and materials provide a snapshot of Jewish life that interests readers and influences many to delve deeper. Survey respondents told us that PJ Library is even more likely to influence intermarried families than in-married families in two areas: their family’s decision to celebrate Jewish holidays (64% vs. 41%) and their family’s decision to learn more about Judaism (89% vs. 67%). Our next step is to help interested families find the inroads to the Jewish community that many are lacking. We learned that PJ Library’s intermarried families are less likely than in-married families to have participated in Jewish community programs and activities. In interviews some mentioned feeling uncomfortable attending Jewish programs and events, and others mention living in areas with little or no access to Jewish programs. Yet intermarried families tell us they are just as interested in getting more connected to their local Jewish organizations, activities and people (77%) as in-married families (74%). In interviews and survey comments, intermarried families mentioned wanting more support in learning how to get involved in their communities, finding a temple or synagogue, and finding events and meeting other Jewish families. We will continue to do all we can to provide the very best books, music, and activities to families in their homes, because great content is the key to PJ Library’s popularity. At the same time, we are developing ways to support all PJ Library families looking to connect to each other and the larger Jewish community. As intermarriage rates continue to grow and as PJ Library continues to expand its program, we can expect to serve an increasing number of intermarried families and provide resources to meet their evolving interest in and relationship to Jewish life. The books are just the starting point to a more connected and engaged Jewish community comprised of all types of families.

P RO O F WINTER /SP RING 2019

ON THE SHELF

PJ LIBRARY A HOOPOE SAYS OOP!: ANIMALS OF ISRAEL Written by Jamie Kiffel-Alcheh Illustrated by Ivana Guljašević Kuman PJ Library Subscriber Age: 2 The book selection committee loves sending out books about Israel, but it can be a challenge to find titles that make sense to our youngest readers. How do we impart a sense of place and history to toddlers? A Hoopoe Says Oop!: Animals of Israel takes a smart approach by pulling out a tried-and-true toddler standby: animal noises. Every animal in this simple, sweetly illustrated board book is indigenous to the land of Israel – including the hoopoe, Israel’s national bird. Many of these critters will be novel not only to little ones but to their parents, too. We’ve all heard of camels, for example, but what about a hyrax? We hope that in addition to learning some new animal noises, families may be inspired to learn a little more about the region... and if they visit someday, they’ll be able to speak directly to some of the furry, feathered inhabitants!

MEET THE LATKES

Written and Illustrated by Alan Silberberg PJ Library Subscriber Age: 7 PJ Library sends out all sorts of books: long books and short books; classic books and contemporary books; deeply religious books and occasionally even a secular book (with implicit Jewish values, naturally). Members of the book selection committee love them all, but sometimes we long for more funny books. That’s because we want kids to ask for these selections to be read to them again and again, and we know that humor is a big part of what makes a book appealing. Meet the Latkes is that rare title that tells the story of Hanukkah accurately, understandably, and – yes! – amusingly. The illustrations are cute, the writing is clever, and the story weaves in solid information about the holiday – all while leaving readers laughing. We suspect families will pick up this title for multiple bedtime readings, and that leaves us smiling.

22 PJLI BRARY.O RG

P L AN AHEAD FO R

PURI M

Starts 2/28 !

Act Out the Purim Story with Finger Puppets

INSTRUCTIONS Cut out each puppet. Fold the white tab on the side. Wrap the puppet around a finger, like a ring, with the tab on the inside. Use glue or tape to secure the tab to the inside of the puppet. Have fun!

King Ahashverosh

Haman

Mordechai

Queen Esther

the King's Elephant

Court Jester

Thank you to the PJ Library in Russian team and educators from partners the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC), Andrei Borovsky and Konstantin Bolotin, for creating this activity! For more activities and printables visit the PJ Library Purim Hub at pjlibrary.org/purim.

features e u s s i s Thi ry’s new PJ Libra d look! logo an

NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID SPRINGFIELD, MA PERMIT NO. 71

67 Hunt Street, Suite 100 Agawam, MA 01001 413-276-0800 www.pjlibrary.org

/pjlibrary @pjlibrary @pjlibrary

Say goodbye to

“ARE WE THERE YET?”

Download the Sweet dreams Sweet sounds PJ LIBRARY

RADIO APP

AVAILABLE ON THE APP STORE OR GOOGLE PLAY STORE

Or stream music on pjlibraryradio.com The home of Jewish kids music

Google Play and the Google Play logo are trademarks of Google LLC. Apple and the Apple logo are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries