PJ Library in the UK welcomed community professionals from 30 partner organizations to its third annual Community Engagement Conference on November 3, hosted at the London School of Jewish Studies (LSJS). Attendees travelled from Brighton, Norwich, Bristol and Surrey, joining community partners from across London. PJ International colleagues from France, Germany, America, and Israel also made the trip for a day of professional development, inspiration, and collaboration.
The conference, themed “Grow and Behold,” opened by celebrating PJ Library's proliferation. PJ Library recently reached its 23,000th child since launching in the UK, with almost 9,000 current subscribers. Participants then explored PJ Library's Theory of Change and the staff unveiled the new PJ Library mission and Content Framework.
Shira Hecht-Koller, internationally renowned Jewish educator and author of the PJ Library book “Dream Big, Laugh Often” delivered an inspiring keynote exploring leadership, courage, trust, and how to build thriving communities. She also led a creative workshop on identity and belonging, where participants made personal portraits using objects representing themselves and the communities they serve.
Jewish mental health charity Jami delivered a timely session on talking to children about resilience, while Charlotte Gillis, Client Services Director at Creative and Commercial Communications Ltd, shared practical tips on using social media to attract more families to community programmes.
The ‘Steal This’ Wall of Fame showcased imaginative, book-inspired activities developed by PJ Library partners, encouraging attendees to share successful ideas and adapt them for their own communities.
The warm, cross-communal atmosphere was a highlight, with attendees particularly valuing the opportunity to network, exchange ideas and share best practice. Tova Ellituv, Rabbanit from Lauderdale Road’s Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue said “The whole event was beautifully organised and there was a really 'buzzy' atmosphere. I loved the Chanukah workshop; it gave me loads of ideas to pass on to our youth director team. The session about how to go beyond the walls of our synagogue building to connect with families raising Jewish children in the community, was filled with new ideas we can easily implement.”
"There's very little dedicated professional development available for Jewish educators working with children aged 0–8 and this conference fills an important gap,” says Sara Kibel, Deputy Director of PJ Library in the UK. “We want our community partners to feel supported, inspired, and equipped with fresh ideas and practical resources that complement their everyday work and help them deliver outstanding programs for families. Seeing everyone so engaged, sharing experiences and learning from one another, is exactly what this conference was about. It's an investment in the people who make Jewish family engagement happen."
Ultimately, participants left with tangible skills they could use to bring their communities back home together. “Today was really engaging and informative,” shared Jack Cayton, a teacher at St Albans Masorti Synagogue. I was surprised by the breadth of the itinerary and the variety of sessions on offer. It was great to make so many connections with peers. I’ve also learned a lot about social media engagement which I’ll be taking back to my community.”
