The Newsfeed
There's always plenty going on at PJ Library. Here's a quick take on some of the latest happenings.
By PJ Library Staff
This story appeared in the December 2022 issue of PROOF, a PJ Library magazine.
PJ Library en Español Turns 10
Feliz 10 aniversario to PJ Library en Español, the PJ Library Spanish program! It is celebrating 10 years of providing Jewish children's books to Spanish-speaking children around the globe. The program started in Mexico and now reaches more than 10 Spanish-speaking countries throughout Europe and Latin America.
In 2012, there were very few high-quality Jewish children's books in Spanish, but a partnership with the Jewish educational system in Mexico sparked a change. PJ Library started distributing books to children ages 3 to 8 through Jewish schools, which serve approximately 90% of all Jewish children throughout Mexico. The books were first used in schools to create learning experiences before the children took them home to share with their families.
Other Spanish-speaking countries took notice, and in 2015, Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica, and Uruguay joined the PJ Library en Español family. Soon Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, Chile, Andorra, and Spain signed up. And Paraguay launched in September. The books are distributed to more than 3,600 Spanish-speaking subscribers through schools, Jewish institutions, and home-based programs.
PJ Library en Español, the organization's Spanish program, reaches more than 3,600 children globally. Courtesy photo
By June 2022, PJ Library's Spanish program had translated 172 titles from English and Hebrew and distributed more than 229,000 books. “PJ Library's contribution to Jewish literacy in Spanish-speaking communities has been invaluable,” says Julie Rabinovitz-Kershenovich, director of content and education for PJ Library in Latin America, Spain, and Portugal. “Ten years ago, very few people had heard about PJ Library, and now for most young families in Latin America and Spain, PJ Library en Español is a household name.”
For more information about the PJ Library international program, go to pjlibrary.org/global.
Will You Refer a Friend?
PJ Library has long known that its subscriber families are the best ambassadors to spread the word about the program and everything it has to offer. That's why the annual Refer-a-Friend campaign asks subscribers to invite friends and family to join PJ Library. As a thank-you, families will receive a $5 Amazon gift card for every successful referral. The next Refer-a-Friend campaign is scheduled for the month of February. Keep an eye on email for more information.
Military Connection
PJ Library serves almost 2,000 US military families, and now they have their own Facebook group: PJ Library Military Families. Launched in September, it's already become a safe space for more than 200 parents to connect and share resources.
New Beginnings
PJ Library baby Mikayla and her Welcome Baby box. Photo Courtesy of Hilary Sloane
Over the summer, PJ Library piloted a new partnership with Honeymoon Israel, an organization that provides immersive trips to Israel for young couples who are looking to make meaningful connections to Jewish life and community. All Honeymoon Israel alumni couples who are new parents were invited to opt in to receive a free Welcome Baby experience box. PJ Library provided Israel-focused board books and branded bibs to more than 350 alumni families across the US and Canada in the first three months of the program. The hope? To connect young families to PJ Library early and strengthen the transition from being a young couple to being an active family within the Jewish community. To date, PJ Library has gained more than 75 new subscribers from the partnership and will continue to work with Honeymoon Israel on more ways to engage young families.
Get Ready for Even More Podcasts
Kids take over the airwaves on PJ Library's new limited series podcast: B-Mitzvah Bites. Launched in late August, this bite-size podcast gives real kids the chance to ask the hard-hitting questions about how to prepare for their b'nai mitzvah. The best part? They receive answers and real-life examples from older kids who recently had their own ceremonies. All seven episodes are available on the Have I Got a Story for You! channel on Podbean, Spotify, and Apple.
In addition, PJ Library's award-winning podcasts Afternoons with Mimi and Beyond the Bookcase are back with new and exciting second seasons. Go to pjlibrary.org/podcast for more information.
New Books from Sifriyat Pijama
In 2019, Sifriyat Pijama, the PJ Library program in Israel, began a tradition of holding authors' retreats. The hope was to generate unique Israeli children's literature based on Jewish culture, and it's been a success.
In the 2022-2023 book lineups, three original titles are in the spotlight. Coming out of a miniretreat that focused on Jewish holidays is A Bag of Longing (published by Yediot Sfarim). It's written by Dr. Ruth Calderon, a former member of the Knesset, and illustrated by Tamar Lev. This is a Tu B'Shevat story based on the Sephardic tradition of Bulgaria and Turkey.
Another highlight is Grandpa Tells Without Exaggerating (Kinneret). Coauthored by Orna Landau and Nurit Cohen, it tells the story of the establishment of the State of Israel through the eyes of Grandpa Yoram. He shares with his grandson Yotam his dramatic childhood memories from Kibbutz Hanita (a communal settlement) in northern Israel. And the third book, The Reed and the Cedar Tree (Hamavoch) by Shirley Yuval, shares the Talmudic lesson on the value of being flexible in one's approach to life. To learn more about Sifriyat Pijama, go to pjisrael.org.
How to Buy PJ Publishing Books
Did you know that PJ Library has an Amazon storefront? Readers can find family favorite books from PJ Publishing, the Harold Grinspoon Foundation's in-house press. The online selection includes board books, picture books, and chapter books from award-winning authors and illustrators. The storefront also features gifts that PJ Library subscribers have received, including aprons, a dry-erase perpetual calendar, and the popular In Every Generation: A PJ Library Family Haggadah, an illustrated guide to the seder (Passover ritual meal). Visit amazon.com/pjlibrary and keep your eyes open for new and exciting books from PJ Publishing.