Source: Harold Greenspoon Foundation
PJ Library, the Harold Grinspoon Foundation’s popular national program that sends free Jewish-themed books and music each month to tens of thousands of children up to age 8, is launching a new edition: PJ Our Way. The new two-year multi-city pilot project, being launched in 10 communities (nine cities and one site in New York): Baltimore, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Marks JCH (Brooklyn), Miami, North Shore (MA), Seattle, Silicon Valley, and St. Louis., expands the program to Jewish kids ages 9 to 11 and, for the first time, lets them choose the books they receive.
Every month, children can go online to pick from a selection of high-quality titles reviewed by a panel of PJ educators, parents and kids. They also will be able to write reviews, upload their own video trailers, and share ideas on the PJ Our Way website.
Those who want to take an even more active role can apply to the National Design Team, where they will have early access to PJ Our Way books and work with PJ Library to create videos and reviews for the website.
PJ Our Way also offers parents the opportunity to read about each book and find suggestions for family discussion on the PJ Our Way Parent Blog. They can join the conversation online and learn about activities and events happening in their local Jewish communities. Congregational educators and day schools also will develop related programming.
Any child age 9-11, living in a pilot community is eligible to sign up. Kids can sign up beginning on their 9th birthday, up until the day before their 12th birthday.
The PJ Our Way program will be expanded across North America over the next two years.