Free Jewish books and music for kids 5 and under
by
Marblehead Reporter
December 10, 2006
The PJ Library, which offers free Jewish books and music every month to promote a sense of Jewish pride in young children, has been expanded to include children born anytime after Jan. 1, 2001.
Provided free by the Robert I. Lappin Charitable Foundation, the library works like this: Parents sign up their child, and each month for one year they will receive one free book or music CD with Jewish themes in the mail. The books, valued at $142, are mostly hardcover with beautiful illustrations. The Lappin Foundation is one of 12 communities nationally to be part of this growing program offered in partnership with the Springfield, Mass.-based Harold Grinspoon Foundation, www.pjlibrary.org.
Leslie Sack, director of Congregation Shirat Hayam Preschool said, “This program is fabulous. It is a great way to get parents to read Jewish literature. So much education is derived from literature, and it is so wonderful that this Jewish literature can be given to our kids at no cost.”
Added Deborah Coltin, executive director of the Robert I. Lappin Charitable Foundation, “The PJ Library is a very rich program, accessible to parents no matter what their level of Jewish knowledge, a wonderful entry point to Jewish programming for families. It is an opportunity to begin building a child’s library of quality Jewish books. PJ Library empowers parents to teach their children about Judaism in a meaningful way.”
The program is open to Jewish and interfaith families who live or attend preschool in the Lappin Foundation service area. There are a limited number of memberships available. For more information, contact Julie Newburg, Lappin Foundation program director, 978-740-4404 or e-mail jnewburg@rilcf.org, or to register online, visit www.rilcf.org and click “PJ Library” from the “What’s New” box.