Jan 20, 2021

PJ Library Celebrates Five Years in the former Soviet Union

Every month, nearly 20,000 children across Russia and Ukraine experience the joy and love of learning when a special envelope arrives in the mail just for them: their PJ Library book. Since PJ Library extended operations to the former Soviet Union five years ago, more than 302,000 books have been delivered, thanks to our overseas partner the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee in partnership with the Harold Grinspoon Foundation and the Genesis Philanthropy Group. While Jewish life in the former Soviet Union is largely shut down due to the pandemic, PJ Library has remained resilient. Last month, more than 10,000 Chanukah-themed books were delivered, enriching home life while providing a much-needed sense of comfort, continuity and connection for families weathering the coronavirus crisis. Our local PJ Library program has also been working with Russian-speaking Jews in our community while creating culturally relevant programming since 2015. Primarily concentrated in the Sunny Isles Beach area, there are more than 300 Russian-speaking subscribers. PJ Library is a gift from the Greater Miami Jewish Federation, made possible by the Harold Grinspoon Foundation and Blank Family Foundation.