Free Jewish children’s book program set to expand in Greater Naples

The most exciting day of the month in the Rubenstein home in Naples is the day PJ Library books arrive in their mailbox. Jude is 6 and Matias is 5.

“Each month, they get so excited to get their own gift, addressed directly to them,” says Michael Rubenstein, Jude and Matias’s dad. “The books are beautiful. They’re beautifully illustrated and great stories about Jewish holidays or Jewish values.”

He loves the books almost as much as the kids. “The boys love reading PJ books and I like them because they help me to be a good parent and raise kind and caring children,” Michael says.

PJ Library is an international family engagement program that sends a Jewishthemed children’s book each month to more than 230,000 subscribers in the U.S. and Canada. More than 680,000 PJ Library books are delivered each month around the world in 29 countries and in seven languages. All told, more than 41 million books have been distributed by PJ Library in the past 15 years, 20 million in North America alone.

PJ Library is the brainchild of philanthropist Harold Grinspoon, who wants to assure a love for Jewish tradition is passed along to the next generation. What better way to do that than by providing Jewish children’s books so parents and children can snuggle together in their PJs with great bedtime stories?

The books are always free to participants, a gift from the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, in partnership with a local Jewish organization in each community. Since November 2011, the Naples Senior Center/Jewish Family Service has been the local partner for PJ Library. This November, the Jewish Federation of Greater Naples (JFGN) will take over as the implementing partner, hoping to grow enrollment and programming.

“We know there are many families raising Jewish children in Naples that haven’t yet discovered PJ Library,” says Jeffrey Feld, President and CEO of JFGN. “We want to be sure every eligible family in Greater Naples can enjoy these amazing books. That means families with one Jewish parent or two, traditional or nontraditional, observant or not. Wherever a family is on its Jewish journey,” Feld says, “PJ Library will enhance their lives and help build a stronger Naples Jewish community.”

Currently, 183 children are receiving monthly PJ Library books in Naples. In addition, the Federation is planning to expand PJ Library family programming, so young families raising Jewish children can meet each other and become friends. Reneé Bialek, the Federation’s Program Director, will also serve as the PJ Library Program Professional.

“This is so exciting,” Bialek says. “Now, during the pandemic, we’ll do virtual programs on Zoom, but I can’t wait until we can gather again in person for everything from Tot Shabbat to Hanukah parties to Mitzvah days, like clean up the park.” Bialek says she is looking forward to partnering with local synagogues to also host PJ Library programs. “That way, we’re not only connecting Jewish families to each other, we’ll be connecting them to all the great organizations we have in the Greater Naples Jewish community.”

Michael Rubenstein grew up in Fort Myers and has lived in Naples for the last five years. His children went to Preschool of the Arts (POTA) at the Chabad for Prekindergarten. They are currently members of Temple Shalom, where his kids also attend Sunday/Religious School. Additionally, Rubenstein is a board member of JFGN, serves on the Finance Committee and is a member of the Men’s Cultural Alliance (MCA) of JFGN, the Israel Advocacy Committee of the JFGN, and the Families with Young Children group.

Children are eligible to receive ageappropriate books from PJ Library from birth through 12 years old. Sign up at www.pjlibrary.org. For more information about PJ Library, contact Reneé at rbialek@jewishnaples.org or call her at: 239-263-4205.