Inspired by Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library aimed at improving literacy among children, the PJ Library has been sending books based on Jewish values, traditions, and holidays free of charge to children in the Greater Boston area for five years.
The program, founded by philanthropist Harold Grinspoon, sends out over 3,000 books each month to children aged 6 months-5.5 years in 37 communities in the Greater Boston area alone and is a national program as well.
“The program is for people who self identify as Jewish and are interested in Jewish books,” JCC PJ library coordinator Debra Distler said.
The PJ in the title stands for pajamas, according to Distler, who said that is a nod to the magic moment between parent and child when you read a bedtime story.
Distler said she has heard from couples that use the books to teach their faith’s history and values, from those with a non-Jewish parent that learns along with their children as well as couples who are undecided on what faith to raise their children in and are using the books to provide resources to represent both sides of parents’ faith.
The books are age appropriate and are sent once a month to all children in a family that is registered with the program. Sometimes music CDs or a Shalom Sesame DVD is sent instead.
While she and her husband are both Jewish, Heather Lambrecht of Mansfield said her husband’s family is not. They use the books, particularly Chanukah books as another way to explain Chanukah to nieces and nephews.
She signed her son, Benjamin, 6, up for the PJ library program as soon as he was born.
“I like the messages that the books convey,” Lambrecht said. “In addition to basic teaching around holidays, Israel, the Hebrew language, and Jewish culture, the books reinforce the message to be a good person.”
Lambrecht said many of the Jewish holidays revolve around a family gathering and food and the books show families practicing within the home and community while also highlighting Yiddish and Hebrew words.
“Occasionally a book will remind me of something that my family did during my childhood and sometimes that will encourage me to bring back those rich traditions,” Lambrecht said.
Barbara Crowley of Easton said she too loves the PJ Library books. She is Jewish but her husband is not and she uses the books to make a faith connection.
She signed up for the program when her son Logan, 6, was 2 and while he is now too old for the program, her daughter Molly, 4 is receiving books.
“I just wanted to have literature and a connection to the Jewish community that would bring it into the house,” Crowley said. “(PJ Library) bridges that gap.”
She said the books have helped her learn along with the children because they ask questions prompted by the stories the family reads.
“The kids ask you questions related to the stories and you have to find out more answers,” Crowley said. “Children are eye openers, they make you (learn).”
Crowley said her rabbi at Temple Chayia Shalom in Easton sometimes reads the books there and when she was a Hebrew school teacher Crowley also used some of the books with her students.
“They are wonderful books, illustrated so beautifully,” Crowley said. “It’s a wonderful gift.” Paula Vogler can be reached at 508-967-3510 or by email at writedesk84@comcast.net.