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Your Child’s Treasury of Jewish Books

parents reading to small children The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington is thrilled to share PJ Library® (PJ, as in “pajamas”) with our entire community. This program provides families raising Jewish children from 6 months–8 years old with a FREE treasury of Jewish books and music! Every month, families enrolled in PJ Library receive a high-quality, expertly-selected and kid-tested (!) Jewish book or CD as a gift from the community. PJ Library in Greater Washington is a gift from The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, the Emanuel J. Friedman Philanthropies, the Bender Foundation, the Charles E. Smith Family Foundation, the David Bruce Smith Foundation, and the Harold Grinspoon Foundation.

Enroll Your Family in PJ Library (books for kids 6 months-8 years old)
Enroll Your Family in PJ Our Way (chapter books for kids 8 1/2-11 years old)
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Featured Events

Check out the full calendar of Sukkot and Simchat Torah Family Events recommended by PJ Library!

Announcing the PJ Our Way Book Group!

Next Meeting: Sunday, November 3, 2:00 p.m.
Chill Zone Cafe Arlington (2442 N Harrison St, Arlington)

The only thing better than finishing a great PJ Our Way book is getting to talk about it with friends! Join us for one or more of our monthly pop-up book group meetings around the Northern Virginia area, led by staff from Gesher Jewish Day School. The November meeting will discuss the PJOW Book, The Doughnut Fix by Jessie Janowitz.

Future meetings will be held on the first Sunday of each month at 2 pm in a cafe in Northern Virginia. Get the full list of books and locations on the Gesher site.

Monthly Events

Book Buddies

Run by Pozez JCC’s Growing Jewish Families

Thursday, October 3, 10:30 a.m.: Chantilly Library (4000 Stringfellow Rd, Chantilly)
Wednesday, October 2, 10:30 a.m.: Fairfax Regional Library (10360 North Street, Fairfax)

All parents, grandparents, caregivers and children who love books are welcome to join us for fun stories and movement activities that relate to Jewish culture, traditions and holidays. The monthly Book Buddies focus on the nearby holidays.

PJ Storytime at Barnes & Noble

Run by Bender JCCGW’s JPlay

Barnes & Noble, 12089 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD 20852
Wednesdays, 10:00-11:00 am

November 6
December 11

Join the Bender JCC and PJ Library at Barnes & Noble for Storytime, Snacks, and Arts & Crafts. This program is free, but please register yourself and your child(ren) in advance.

Challah Tots

Run by Pozez JCC’s Growing Jewish Families in NoVa and Bender JCCGW in Maryland.

Sunday, October 6, 10:00 a.m.: Whole Foods Market (11660 Plaza America Dr, Reston)
Thursday, October 24 at 4:00 p.m.: Whole Foods Market (11355 Woodglen Dr, North Bethesda)
Also: November 21 at 10:00 a.m., and December 19 at 4:00 p.m.

At Challah Tots, you will enjoy a storytime, craft and braiding challah to take home to bake for Shabbat! Whole Foods Markets provides the dough, and PJ Library and our partners will provide the activities and the braiding help (if you’d like). Click the JCC links to register for this free program.

Create n’ Play Park Play Dates

Run by Pozez JCC’s Growing Jewish Families.

Friday, October 11, 4:30 p.m.: Burke Lake Park (7315 Ox Rd, Fairfax Station)

Create ‘n Play with Growing Jewish Families at your neighborhood park play date! Join us for messy fun while you meet other families that live near you! GJF and your local j.family ambassadors are excited to help you connect with other Jewish families close to home. These events are FREE and weather dependent.

PJ-Cosponsored Shabbat & Havdalah Programs

In DC:

P J Library Tot Shabbat and Participatory Dinner, first Friday of the month, 6:00 p.m. at Temple Sinai (DC)

In Maryland:

First Fridays, first Friday of every month, 5:30 p.m. at Temple Shalom (Chevy Chase)
Tot Shabbat, first Friday of every month, 5:30 p.m. at Washington Hebrew Congregation Bindeman Center (Potomac)
Tot Shabbat, first Saturday of the month at B’nai Shalom of Olney (Olney)

In Northern Virginia:

Shabbat Family Service with Birthday Blessings Friday, October 4, 8:00 p.m. at Temple B’nai Shalom (Fairfax Station)
Gan Shabbat, Saturdays, 11:00 a.m. at Agudas Achim Congregation (Alexandria)
Oh Say Shalom, Sunday, October 13, 11:00 a.m. at Agudas Achim Congregation (Alexandria)
Erev Shabbat Family Service, second Friday of the Month, 7:00 p.m. at Congregation Adat Reyim (Springfield)
Tot Shabbat, fourth Saturday of the month, 10:00 a.m. at Congregation Adat Reyim (Springfield)

Resources

Sign up for free books for kids 6 months-8 years old

PJ Library Books

Sign up for free chapter books for kids 8.5-11 years old

Check out the PJ Library in Greater Washington blog!

Character Day is a global conversation about why character matters. We offer insights, conversation catalysts and questions for your family to explore what it means to be a mensch (a good person).

cartoon of girl balancing the earth

“Judaism Values” Cards for Families

What We Are Reading

FROM THE JEWISH FEDERATION

New Year’s Resolution 5780: Stop and Taste the Honey!
The Jewish idea of holiness, from which holiday/holy day may derive, is linked to the notion of making something unique, special, and thereby sacred. Get a list of 13 ideas and 13 conversation starters to make the holidays sweet and meaningful.

Visit the Improved Jconnect!
Looking for events, resources, directories…an all-inclusive and free guide to all things Jewish in Greater Washington? Then check out the improved Jconnect website! There are High Holiday resources, family events, lists of local schools and more. Check it out.

FROM PJ LIBRARY

4 Ways Kids Can Participate on Yom Kippur
Although children may be too young for some of the rituals associated with Yom Kippur, like fasting, there are still meaningful ways for them to get involved and learn about the holiday.

7 Jewish Children’s Books That Teach Kids About Being a Good Neighbor
When you’re a good neighbor, you contribute to your community, make people happy, and turn the world into an all-around better place. These adorable, brightly illustrated stories are all about building community and friendship between neighbors.

The Quick Guide to Celebrating Sukkot with Kids
Sukkot, the fall holiday of thanksgiving, starts five days after Yom Kippur and lasts for a week. The most popular tradition of Sukkot is building, decorating, and spending time (even sleeping!) inside a hut called a sukkah. This quick guide is chock-full of ideas for kids of all ages.

7 Fun Things to Do with Kids on Simchat Torah
Since Simchat Torah is a joyful holiday, there are lots of wonderful ways to involve kids. Traditionally, families dance, decorate flags, and start the next annual cycle of reading. Here are seven ways to mark Simchat Torah with your family.

7 Books That Help Children Learn to Say “I’m Sorry”
The seven stories in this list can help children learn and understand the concept of forgiveness.

FROM PJ OUR WAY

October’s PJ Our Way Books
Check out PJ Our Way’s choices for October! This month, travel back to Victorian London for an eleven-year-old chimney sweep’s fantasy-adventure; find out about the life of a world-famous fashion designer; follow a kid and his family as they escape the Nazis in France; or relate to a sixth-grade girl as she balances family, friends, and Hanukkah. No matter which of these awesome books your child picks, make sure your child chooses by October 10th!

Author Interview: Ari Goelman, The Path of Names
In The Path of Names, main character Dahlia gets into some spooky situations at her Jewish summer camp. PJ Our Way National Content Team members Hanah, Nathalie, and Rylee got the chance to ask author Ari Goelman some serious and funny questions about it – watch the video to find out what he had to say!