Quality Time in Pajamas

Sifriyat Pijama, the largest program in Israel for encouraging reading and a love of books, was launched in Israel in 2009 by the Keren Grinspoon Israel Foundation (KGI), in partnership with the Ministry of Education. The nation-wide program operates in daycare centers, kindergartens and elementary schools. In 2014, KGI established Maktabat Al-Fanoos, a similar nation-wide initiative in Arabic.

The Foundation became the largest distributor of children's books in Israel, and every year it sends approximately 3.7 million books to more than 500,000 children and families across the country, through more than 14,000 educational institutions.

Sifriyat Pijama was founded on the PJ Library program, which was launched in 2005 in North America by the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, with the goal of strengthening Jewish connection and identity in Jewish communities overseas, and to nurture the joy of reading. Every month, PJ Library provides children's books to hundreds of thousands of Jewish families in 36 countries around the world, in five different languages.

Sifriyat Pijama was adapted to the Israeli public, and it encourages children's exposure to original Hebrew works, Israeli classics, and Jewish culture, thereby strengthening a cultural common denominator within Israel's unique social fabric. When the program was launched in Israel, it stared in kindergartens affiliated with the MOE, the State Education and State-Religious Education systems. Later, the program was expanded to include schools and daycare centers. The program followed up on significant activities related to books that take place as part of the educational curricula. A child who joins the program in daycare and finishes it at the end of 2nd grade enriches their home library by 35 books (for around 40% of the children, these are the only children's books in their homes).

Around ten years ago, the Foundation established the Arabic-language program Maktabat Al-Fanoos (Lantern Library) in order to advance equality between children from the Arab and Jewish sectors. The program, in partnership with the Ministry of Education and The Price Family Foundation, nurtures children's love of reading and books, and encourages a culture of reading and dialogue in kindergartens, elementary schools and within families. The program enriches the Arabic language and strengthens the feeling of belonging to Arab society and culture.

Rekindling the joy of reading
"When I took over the position three years ago, I discovered a new and exciting world," reveals Andrea S. Arbel, Executive Director of Keren Grinspoon Israel. "I came to the Foundation after 18 years of holding management positions at The Jewish Agency for Israel." Although Sifriyat Pijama was founded in the United States, Arbel points out that the Israeli program went through an evolutionary process and received an 'Israeli twist.' "Unlike in other countries where the books are sent directly to the children's homes, in Israel the books are first sent to the classroom. We're talking about thousands of institutions which receive a delivery of books from us every month. The box is delivered to the classroom and the fun begins – high-quality books that are accompanied by supplementary content such as suggested activities and games, videos with tips for reading, recorded stories, etc. We aim to maximize meaningful engagement with the books, so that the children take the books home only after they have first engaged with them in a meaningful way in the classroom," explains Arbel.

Inbal Tofach-Ben Hevron, Director of Sifriyat Pijama, adds that the child's place in the program is no less important than that of the educators. "The teachers read the books to the children and work with them in the kindergartens and schools in an impressive manner, but we know that at the end of the day, whether or not a parent reads the book to the child at home depends a great deal on the child. The children become 'change agents' at home; they are the ones who bring the book home and they are the ones who encourage the parents to read it to them. They come home with a book that they already know and love, and want it to be read to them again and again."

"The books' impact on the children is amazing," says Asma Zhalka, Director of Maktabat Al-Fanoos, recalling a meaningful incident in a kindergarten where there was a boy who had not spoken for nearly two years. The teacher read the book "Rabbityness," about a rabbit that fills the forest with song and cheer, and one day disappears. "It's a very sensitive story about loss. While the teacher was reading, the boy moved closer to her and at the end of the story he started speaking for the first time and said that his mother had died. The child identified his mom with the rabbit, and that was the first time he connected and spoke. In my view, that is part of a book's therapeutic power."

Bridge to the inner world
Everyone agrees that reading books is essential for children's linguistic and cognitive development as well as for their emotional development. This approach is supported by numerous studies that confirm the importance of reading books and their contribution to children's achievements and emotional wellbeing. Tofach-Ben Hevron explains that books are also a wonderful way to create a meaningful connection between children and parents. "Children often encounter 'real life' in books, when they' are protected by the presence and safety of their parents. They meet strange, distant characters who experience challenges and dilemmas, and they can choose whether to escape from their worries or confront them within the safety of their parent's hug. In this way, rather than ending the day with the question 'How was school today?,' parents can engage their children in deep and moving discussions."

Zhalka adds that, "Books enable children to connect to their inner worlds, to their families and to the significant adults in their lives. We encourage this through intimate adult-and-child reading sessions. Through the experiences of the book's characters, the children become aware of their emotions and connect to their personal experiences, as well as acquiring language and values, which portends emotional and cognitive development as well as moral development."

If you can't beat them, join them!
The desire to bring books back into the spotlight is understandable and laudable, but how does one do this when our children's attention is being diverted by innumerable screens? Arbel's answer is surprising: "We aren't competing with technology. Rather, we are making use of it." Tofach-Ben Hevron adds: "The program's strength lies in its flexibility and the fact that it remains relevant. We work together with the parents, the educators and the children – wherever they are – all the time, bringing them back to the physical book. If they listen to Spotify in the car, we are there with our books through a Sifriyat Pijama podcast; if they watch YouTube videos – we are there with story hours, and interviews with authors and illustrators; if energetic Moms and teachers are on Pinterest – we're there with boards full of inspiration and DIY videos for crafts related to books; if they are stuck home because of Covid or in the safe room because of the war – our website offers many fun and comforting activities. We are there, with them, and with the books that accompany them during their childhood."

"On the back of every book there is a QR code that leads to relevant media," adds Arbel, "and we have our finger on the pulse, constantly checking what works best. Our ultimate goal is to extend the experience with the book and to continue enriching it, on Facebook, Instagram and any other relevant platform."

What are you especially proud of?
Arbel: "Every year, we make sure there is a book that is common to both the Arab and Jewish sectors, and we create similar activities in schools in both religious and secular schools. Also, we transmit the nuances of Israeli and Jewish values to many families, with the necessary sensitivities, and enrich the home library for Israeli children." Recently, we mourned the loss of two significant figures in Israeli culture: Meir Shalev and Yehonatan Geffen. In their memory, changed the books list to include books that they wrote for our kindergarten program.

Tofach-Ben Hevron: "I am proud of our pioneering program that we recently launched for 15-month-old toddlers. We are investing in early childhood because we understand that the brain's development is very significant during the first few years of life. Moreover, the children are exposed to art, values, history, Jewish-Israeli culture, classics and knowledge about the world thanks to our high-quality, diverse books. They grow up with Sifriyat Pijama and become knowledgeable, ethical and sensitive adults."

Zhalka: "I'm proud of the quality of the books that the program brings to the children and their families in the Arab sector, as well as local Arab culture and other cultures from around the world. In the past few years, we have promoted excellent Arabic children's literature by holding creative writing retreats and mentoring writers and illustrators. All this would not have been possible without an amazing professional staff whose goal is to help improve society through our work."

to the website >>> Sifriyat Pijama

Partnered with Keren Grinspoon Israel