Following a summer kickoff filled with partnerships and programs celebrating Jewish books, history, and culture, PJ Library continued bringing meaningful experiences to families across the New York metro area all summer long. From a Bookmobile tour to beachside gatherings, PJ Library spent the summer helping families find more Jewish joy and creating new opportunities for connection through stories and community.
The PJ Library Bookmobile Brings Stories on the Road
This summer, the PJ Library Bookmobile hit the road, bringing free Jewish children’s books and moments of connection to families across the region. The Bookmobile visited all five boroughs of New York City, Westchester, Long Island, and, for the first time, made stops in New Jersey.
Over the course of its two-week tour, the Bookmobile made 39 stops at camps, community organizations, synagogues, and other family-friendly locations, engaging 3,751 children and adults and distributing more than 15,000 books.
At each stop, children and adults were invited aboard the Bookmobile to explore PJ Library’s collection of Jewish storybooks and choose ones to take home. For partner organizations, the visit was a perfect complement to their summer programming.
“The Bookmobile was the highlight of our Truck Day, which is already one of the biggest highlights of camp,” says Rebecca Guralnik of Beth El Synagogue Center in New Rochelle. “The staff were incredible and brought so much joy and excitement to the experience. Our campers are thrilled with their new books, and they couldn’t believe they got to take them home to keep forever.”
PJ Library’s Summer Vacation Connectors Meet Families Where They Are
While the Bookmobile traveled across the region, PJ Library’s Parent Connectors went wherever families were spending their summer, to build and strengthen Jewish community.
Five Summer Vacation Connectors brought PJ Library programming to summer spots across the region, including the Rockaways, Long Beach, Quogue, East Hampton, and Montauk. On beaches and at dockside gatherings, the Connectors brought families together with some old friends and many new ones for meaningful Jewish events.
“It’s been so nice to change pace from city life and host PJ Library meetups in the Hamptons this summer,” says Rebecca. She’s a Parent Connector who plans summer gatherings in the Hamptons, then makes more connections in Brooklyn during the school year. “We have centered our events around nature: feeding ducks at the East Hampton Duck Pond, attending Shabbat services at the beach, and meeting friends at a vineyard and letting the kids run around. It’s been really lovely to expand our community and meet new people this summer.”
In addition, 20 Parent Connectors hosted gatherings in their own neighborhoods across New York City, Westchester, and Long Island. At playgrounds, pools, nature centers, zoos, and mahjong matches, families built relationships, discovered local Jewish community, and connected with PJ Library resources (including the PJ Library Bookmobile).
The Bookmobile and Parent Connector programs reflect PJ Library’s commitment to bringing Jewish stories and community experiences to families wherever they are, any time of year.
