PJ Library - JewishColumbus

PJ Library is more than just the books.

The PJ Library program gifts families with Jewish children’s books every month! Cuddle up with your kid(s) and unlock a world of imagination through these beautiful books centered on Jewish holidays, values and folk tales. Every book is kid tested, age appropriate and thoughtfully illustrated. You’ll love them just as much as your kids do.

Throughout the year, we gather for story times and special programs where you and your kids can meet new friends. PJ Library is for any family raising Jewish children—affiliated, unaffiliated, interfaith or non-traditional—from birth through 8 years old.

Visit our Facebook page for information about upcoming PJ Library events or contact us at pjlibrary@jewishcolumbus.org.

PJ Our Way

People often ask what comes after PJ Library?

In 2016, we launched the answer to that question with PJ Our Way. PJ Our Way offers the gift of exceptional books with Jewish themes to kids ages 8½-12 – books that they choose themselves!

At the beginning of each month, kids visit this website to choose a book from a selection of four high-quality titles that have been reviewed by a panel of PJ educators, parents and kids. That’s 12 books a year! To make the choice easier, every title offered comes with a synopsis and author bios, ratings, reviews and video trailers. Kids can also take polls and quizzes, participate in monthly interviews and challenges and comment on blog posts. The PJ Our Way site is a safe and moderated space, perfect for acclimating older kids to using the web independently.

PJ Library Pod Squads

What is the PJ Pod Squad and what does a leader do?

PJ Library Pod Squads are groups of local community members who meet to have PJ Library branded events in a local neighborhood around Columbus. As a PJ Library Pod Squad Leader, you will welcome new families, organize, and facilitate Pod Squad events in your local neighborhood.

A Pod Squad “event” can be as small as getting together with one or two other families for a playdate or as large as having 15 families meet you at the park.

You will be given all the training, knowledge, and resources to be successful in this position.

Pod Squads will be created in: Bexley/East, Worthington/Dublin, Downtown/Central, New Albany/Gahanna.

What can I look forward to doing in this role?

• Organizing one meetup every two months within my region (with some flexibility, if approved in advance).

• Running the events with a great team and keeping everything on track.

• Being open to using different ways of communicating, like text, email, phone calls, and others.

Examples of Pod Squad Leader expectations after training

Whether it’s hosting a PJ in the Park event, coordinating a Baby & Me playdate, or delivering challah to families new to the area, the role is flexible and family-friendly. The possibilities are endless and completely driven by YOU. Imagine gathering with other parents for a Shabbat dinner or Passover Seder, coordinating a fun Parent’s Night Out, or helping a neighbor host a PJ Library Get Together Grant program.

If you love bringing people together and helping families feel connected, the PJ Library Pod Squad is the perfect place for you!

Interested in becoming a leader? Email Hanna Fotsch at Hanna@jewishcolumbus.org.