With social distancing on the horizon for the foreseeable future, young families with children are on the constant lookout for engaging and educational activities that they can do together at home or safely outside. Our PJ Library program is playing an increasingly important role in keeping young families with children connected Jewishly with several new programs they have recently launched.
The Daily Mitzvah Challenge
Whether it’s making a get well card for an isolated senior, helping out at home by putting toys away, or singing a song that lifts someone’s spirits, it’s never too soon for children to learn the important Jewish value of performing a mitzvah, and the good that can come from it.
PJ Library has launched the “Mitzvah a Day” initiative to help kids learn this valuable lesson and inspire them to put it into practice. Beginning May 21 through the end of June 2020, PJ Library will be posting a mitzvah idea every day (except for Shabbat) on their Facebook page. Families are also encouraged to share stories and photos of their own mitzvot activities on Facebook, so that others can be inspired by their good deeds.
Activities of the Week
It’s not quite an official Top 10 list, but it’s close. PJ Library is curating a weekly list of fun learning activities for families to enjoy, both on and offline. The list is emailed every Monday morning, so that families can plan their week ahead. The list is also posted on PJ Library’s Facebook page.
PJ Playdates on Thursdays
Mark your calendars: PJ Library has teamed up with the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver to present PJ Playdates on Zoom every Thursday afternoon at 3:00 p.m. Topics are inspired by Jewish themes, such as holidays, Shabbat or popular folklore, and each PJ Playdate ends with a song-along led by Monika Schwartzman. Families can join live on Zoom or watch the recorded playdates on YouTube at another time.
“We wanted to know how we could best serve parents during this busy yet uncertain time, so we sent a survey to our 900+ PJ Library families to gauge what type of resources would be most helpful,” explains Lissa Weinberger, Jewish Federation’s manager of Jewish education and identity initiatives. “With this mix of live and curated activities, we’re hoping to give families a variety of Jewish-themed options that spark curiosity, offer learning opportunities and provide some fun along the way.”
For more information about PJ Library’s programs, contact Lissa Weinberger.