Page 12 - Jewish News_July-2020

12 July 2020 FEDERATION NEWS

PJ Library families are getting closer in spite of distance

By Andrea Eiffert, Teen and Family Program Coordinator
hile some readers out there of comfort at 4:59:59 each day, and resource guide, that would be enough. lies also participated in a Zoom Seder
are embracing Zoom video bath time may or may not be the night- But, PJ Library has also provided pro- for Passover.
Wconferences, finishing proj- ly ritual it once was, but there has been fessional development opportunities Dori has been personally calling
ects that have long been put off and something else reliably comforting and collaborative spaces for PJ Library families to check in, see how they are
even enjoying solitude, the safer-at- to you and your family each day: PJ professionals to be thought partners and remind them that their PJ Library
home experience has been quite differ- Library. in the creation of new ways to engage family is there for them. MG is con-
ent for many PJ Library families. PJ Library of Sarasota-Manatee, a with families virtually. There are social necting with families through social
Imagine adding yet another re- partnership between the Harold Grin- media groups for professionals to share media and transforming the Facebook
sponsibility to your other full-time spoon Foundation and The Jewish ideas, resources, successes, support group into a support group complete
jobs of career, parent and CEO of your Federation of Sarasota-Manatee, and information. with friends, activities, Jewish content
household, because you must now em- sends free Jewish children’s books On the local level, our two Com- and rituals, and a place to share one’s
brace your new role as teacher. So now to approximately 450 families across munity Connectors, Dori Goldfarb “oys and joys.” The PJ Library Com-
you have all these jobs to juggle with and MG Berman, are working directly munity Connector Program, the caring
limited separation of space to man- with families in a
age any of them. Your bedroom is now multitude of ways.
your office and your dining room table Through virtual spac-
is your classroom. Your lanai is the sci- es such as our active
ence lab and your family room is the PJ Connector Face-
library and activity center. book group, Dori and
While you and your spouse have MG are maintaining
been fortunate enough to succeed at and, in many cases,
creating a home office setup that is even strengthening,
connections with PJ
Library families. Dori
and MG are listen-
ing carefully to par-
ents and working
hard to address their PJ Library Committee member Ilanit Klang Geffre
Jacob Berman with his PJ Library project needs and concerns. with children Jonathon and Nathaniel
for Yom HaShoah Our Community Connectors engage Community Connectors who devote
both counties every month. We know families by sharing meaningful PJ Li- their time to running these programs,
that something magical happens when brary resources, creating opportunities and the individuals they serve, who
parents sit down together to read with for parents to have some adult time at come together to form this amazing
their children. PJ Library shares Jewish night (Cinco de Mayo Trivia Night), community, are all working to support
stories that help families talk together and coordinating unique family events each other and cope in this unprec-
about values and traditions that are im- which provide opportunities to be to- edented time. For that I say, Dayenu!
portant to them. But, there’s so much gether without risking safety or health For more information about PJ

Casals family baking challah more. (a recent car parade for the residents of Library, PJ Our Way or the PJ Com-
for Facebook Live Shabbat During the first days of our global Aviva). Each week a different family munity Connector Program, please
functional for both of you, you now pandemic crisis, PJ Library leapt into welcomes Shabbat with candle lighting contact me at aeiffert@jfedsrq.org or
find yourself needing to share your action, creating an online resource and blessings on Facebook Live. Fami- 941.552.6308.
computer screen, during the middle guide for quarantined families. This
of your workday, with your four-year- webpage includes daily parenting re-
old child who has back-to-back Zoom sources, story times and activities for
playdates and a video consultation with children, and virtual field trips that
his teacher! help families cope and even thrive. 280 kosher characters twitter.com/jfedsrq
Wine may or may not be a source Dayenu! If it were just this amazing
from

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to all

graduating seniors

Congregation for
Humanistic Judaism

Looking for something to do in your spare time? Visit jfedsrq.org/volunteers