Jewish moms pony up for PJ Library
by Deborah Moon
Jewish Review
January 14, 2007
A year of free Jewish stories and songs will soon enter the homes of up to 1,200 young families in the greater Portland area thanks to the generosity of six Jewish moms and a group of teen philanthropists.
Parents of children ages 6 months to 5 years with at least one Jewish parent can sign up for the PJ (pajama) Library from the Oregon Jewish Community Foundation.
The Harold Grinspoon Foundation created the PJ Library in 2005 to build Jewish life in Massachusetts. The Grinspoon Foundation now administers the program for partnering communities that finance the cost of the books, music and mailing to local children. Families who sign up receive one book or CD each month for one year at no cost.
"Children are our legacy for the future," said OJCF Executive Director John Moss. "That special moment when a parent is reading to a child is transformed into a Jewish moment …with this gift from the community."
Locally, the first donation for the project came from the Oregon Jewish Community Youth Foundation. Participants in the youth philanthropy board "discovered this program at a (youth philanthropy) conference hosted by Harold Grinspoon and that Jordan Schnitzer sent them to," said Moss. "They gave their largest gift from funds they raised to jumpstart this outreach project."
Since then, six Jewish mothers have stepped forward to bring the PJ Library to families in the greater Portland area (including southwest Washington).
Those sponsors are Elizabeth Menashe, Eve Stern, Lila Goodman, Shirlee Lenske, Renee Holzman through the Holzman Foundation, Inc., and Lois Schnitzer from the Lois and Leonard Schnitzer Supporting Foundation of OJCF.
"I thought it would be a good project for mothers," said Menashe. "What a positive thing to do for the children in our community. It's a win-win situation—for our children, our families, our synagogues and the future of Portland. … Children can learn about their heritage from the beginning."
"It's exciting to be part of this innovative program," said Schnitzer. "We can provide outstanding Jewish books and music for parents to share with their children and instill a connection with their Jewish heritage."
A panel of early childhood experts selected the books and music. In the first month, every family receives Dr. Wendy Mogel's acclaimed parenting book, "The Blessing of a Skinned Knee," and "Before You Were Born" by Howard Schwartz, a storybook that can be enjoyed by children of many ages. In each subsequent month, families receive one book or CD geared especially to their child's age. Each book or CD comes with a guide to help families use the selection in their home.
The CD "Oy Baby," featuring the singing of Portland's Schneiderman sisters, is among the CDs young children receive.
In 2006, book selections ranged from board books such as "My First Shabbat Board Book" for infants and "Spin the Dreidel" for 1-year-olds, to more in-depth storybooks such as "Why Noah Chose the Dove" for 4-year-olds and "It Could Always be Worse" for 5-year-olds.
"The books I've seen that are in the library plant such positive and loving seeds about the beauty of Judaism," said Stern, who said she has fond memories of her parents reading to her and reading to her own children. "It excites me that young Jewish families, particularly the unaffiliated, will have the opportunity to share these books and special moments together reading these books."
"Books stimulate a child's mind and nurture the spirit," said Lenske. "I am grateful for the opportunity to help plant the seeds."
Goodman, who said she read to her children a lot, believes the books will be especially helpful for parents who did not grow up in a Jewish home. She said the selection of books, especially those on the holidays, provide a warm welcome to Jewish life. She said one of her daughters-in-law is a convert to Judaism who became very interested in early childhood Jewish education because it had a very personal meaning for her.
"John Moss sold it to me with statistics on intermarriage and the need for our community to welcome newcomers," said Goodman. "Working through the children is a good path to take because you become connected to your neighborhood and community through the activities of your children."
Holzman also credited Moss with being very persuasive about the benefits of providing children with the beginnings of a Jewish library.
"I am all for children reading and parents reading to their children," she said. "I think those early impressions are long lasting—that's why I decided to help."
Moss explained the program before the Oregon Board of Rabbis at its January board meeting to an overwhelmingly positive response.
OBR President Rabbi Daniel Isaak said the program has a great deal of potential with no downside.
"It's an open invitation for families however connected or disconnected they are," said Isaak. "Perhaps the books will be a step toward connection to our Jewish institutions and organizations and families will choose to explore our synagogues and more serious Jewish education. But even if it stops with just the books, I think something powerful will have been established for these families."
To enroll in the PJ Library, fill out a form available at many synagogues or from the OJCF by calling 503-248-9328 or visiting www.ojcf.org.