Free library helps Jewish families keep values, traditions alive

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This article was published 04/01/2024 (1005 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

BEDTIME is a special time for the Paul family.

That’s when parents Amanda and Ryan get to read books provided free to their children — Asher, 8, and Zev, 6 — by the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg.

“It’s a great way to teach the children about Jewish values and traditions,” Amanda said of the books, which arrive each month from PJ Library, a program operated by the federation.

Through the program, the children get to learn about things like kindness, generosity and “tikkun olam” — improving or caring for the world — along with Jewish culture and history.

Asher and Zev are just two of 700 children from newborns to age 12 in Winnipeg who get books through the federation each month.

Florencia Katz directs the PJ Library — PJ stands for “pajamas” — for the federation. “The books are a gift to Jewish families,” she said, noting they are free to all Jewish families that want them.

The free library started in Massachusetts in 2005 and is based in the U.S. Today it sends books to more than 670,000 Jewish families in the U.S., Canada and other countries.

The Winnipeg branch of the PJ Library started in 2009. In December, it announced that it had given out its 100,000th book in the city.

Cost of the program is $60,000 a year, said Katz; the budget is covered by donations from local foundations and individual donors.

The books, which are age appropriate for young readers, are selected by the PJ Library office in the U.S. They are written by Jewish authors writing on Jewish themes and topics.

To date, only one Winnipeg Jewish children’s author is on the list: Sheldon Oberman, who wrote Things Should Match and The Always Prayer Shawl. He died in 2004.

The library is always looking for new authors of children’s books, Katz said, adding they are interested in books that are as inclusive as possible.

This includes for stories for children of interfaith or same-sex parents, as well as different ways of practising and interpreting Judaism — Reform, Orthodox and Conservative. Families can choose which books they want to read to their children, Katz said.

“We hope they can find a little bit of everything in the books,” she said, adding “we do our best to meet all needs.”

One way families learn about the program is through baby showers put on by the federation, where new parents can find out about the library.

“That’s a big way of promoting it,” Katz said.

Since the books are shipped from the U.S., this can sometimes lead to misses, such as when they sent out a book about Thanksgiving on the American Thanksgiving date in November, or when a book talks about racial or immigration issues from an American perspective.

“We remind them we have a different experience in Canada, but we are good friends,” Katz said, adding since both nationalities share the same Jewish holidays it is usually not a problem.

Another challenge is the books are only available in English in Canada, something Katz would like to see change since Jewish immigrants are coming to the province from other countries.

Once children have outgrown the program, some families donate used copies back for the program to give away. “We give them out to grandparents, and public schools can also apply for them for their libraries,” Katz said.

Overall, Katz is pleased about the impact of the program. “It’s a great way to pass on Jewish culture, traditions and religion and to reach out to families in the community and help them feel included,” she said.

That’s the experience of the Paul family. “It’s more than just books, a whole community comes along with them,” said Amanda, noting they have done things with other families, such as visiting a corn maze and a farm, and do arts and crafts.

When Asher turns nine, he will join PJ Our Way for kids from that age to 12. Through that program, children choose their own books. “He’s already excited about being able to make his own choices,” Amanda said.

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