Celebrate culture through reading
LINKSFIELD – The special launch of the PJ Library was hosted on 15 April at the Linksfield campus of King David School.
The South African Board of Jewish Education, alongside the King David Schools Foundation and the Herzlia Foundation, launched the PJ Library on 15 April at the King David School Linksfield campus.
The library is a nationwide reading programme with the purpose of allowing parents and children the chance to explore Jewish identity and values through storytelling.
A spokesperson for the King David Schools Foundation, Sheri Cohen said, “The PJ Library, through partnerships with philanthropists and local Jewish organisations, sends Jewish books to over 540 000 children in over 140 cities every month at no cost to the recipients.”
She added that through partnering with schools across South Africa, approximately 3 000 students between the ages of three and eight will receive ten books each year. She said, “The books are carefully selected by foremost early-childhood educators and children’s literature experts and are intended to make exploring Jewish identity and values, a bonding, loving, joyful experience for parents and children.”
Head of Jewish Education and Jewish Life at King David School, Rabbi Mark Friedman said, “Every year, Jewish families sit down at the Seder and tell the story of our exodus from Egypt. As People of the Book, storytelling has always been an incredibly important tool in capturing our children’s attention and imagination.”
Rabbi Friedman added, “As parents, we should remember that we are vital components in the transmission of Jewish identity to our children. Besides the obvious goal of providing high-quality readers to Jewish families, the overarching goal of this project is to create opportunities for parents to speak to their children about Jewish values that are meaningful and relevant.
“We are extremely excited to be able to provide these wonderful books as a valuable resource to enhance reading, bring Jewish conversations into the home and use the themes in the books to contribute to school activities for the students and families based on the themes in the books.”
Details: Lorrin Pimstein pimsteinlo@sabje.co.za
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