Here’s the Story – The PJ Library in Greater Washington Blog
PJ Library Blog
Every Chapter in Your Story Is Important
Twenty-two years ago, I didn’t know what Purim was, but I got my first job in the Jewish community because of it. I had loaned some costumes to a friend who taught at a local preschool, which led to a job interview, which led to a whole new career path for me. That job also […]
Celebrating the Birthday of the Trees
Tu B’Shevat (the birthday of the trees) starts next Wednesday night, and we have ideas and events to inspire your celebrations throughout the month. It may seem odd to celebrate trees during their winter dormancy. However, in Israel, they’re starting to bloom. Locally, you can protect and celebrate trees and their fruits, even in the […]
Bringing Chanukah Values Into the New Year
As we begin 2025, I hope you can bring two values from Chanukah forward into the new year (especially appropriate since 2025 has two Chanukahs!). The first is rededication¸ which is the literal translation of “Chanukah,” and the second is community, or kehillah. Rededication: The name of the holiday means “rededication,” in honor of the […]
Sparks of Joy to Help Us Shine Brighter
It’s no coincidence that there are numerous holidays that celebrate light at the darkest time of the year in this hemisphere.* Adding light when it gets dark is a very human response, whether you are celebrating Diwali, Kwanzaa, the Moon Festival, Christmas, Lou Krathong, or of course, Chanukah! Each of us can “be a light” […]
Sharing Gratitude for You
As you read this, I am probably frantically running around trying to finish the last-minute details for my kids’ b’nai mitzvah* this weekend. As I run through my “to do” list — which seems to get longert every time I look at it — there is one word that keeps running through my mind: hodaya […]
High Holiday Love and Support
In these Days of Awe (the time between Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, and Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement), I want to take a moment to acknowledge the reverberating impact of the events of October 7th and this week’s community commemorations. We understand that this time can bring a mix of emotions — […]
Reflect and Prepare for a Sweeter Holiday Season
Welcome to the new school year. I love seeing all the back-to-school photos that families are sharing on social media! I hope you and your children are adapting well to the transition from summertime to fall routines. In addition to a new school year, it’s now a new Hebrew month: two nights ago, Elul began […]
Lessons from the Olympics
I love the Olympics. Every two years, it feels like the world comes together in celebration of excellence and hard work. From the Opening Ceremony with the joyful Parade of Nations and emotional lighting of the Olympic torch through the many different competitions, it’s an exciting time! We are in the middle of the competition, […]
Celebrating Freedom and Jewish-American History
We are excited to share ways to come together as a community to celebrate freedom and the history of Jews in America. Head to the Capital Jewish Museum’s open house on July 4th to learn about Jewish Revolutionary War history and create an activity bag to use while waiting for the fireworks to begin. Share […]
Shavuot Traditions Are Perfect with Children
Every year, my kids and I look forward to Shavuot (feast of weeks). Staying up late reading and eating ice cream has become a treasured tradition in our family. Shavuot celebrates the receiving of the Torah at Mount Sinai and the first fruits of the late spring harvest. It is a holiday about food, setting […]