Award Winning Children's Book Author Erica Perl attends "Lets the Good Times Roll"

BALTIMORE, MD – On Sunday, Oct. 26, the Louise D. & Morton J. Macks Center for Jewish Education, in partnership with the Associated’s Center for Jewish Camping, will celebrate the launch of PJ Our Way, a new program in Baltimore that brings Jewish books into older children’s lives, ages 9 to 11. During “Let the Good Times Roll,” a bowling and pizza party, award-winning children’s book author Erica Perl will interact with children and their parents.

WHAT: During “Let the Good Times Roll,” new and existing Jewish day and overnight campers will learn more about PJ Our Way as they test their bowling skills and enjoy complimentary pizza. Award-winning children’s book author Erica Perl, who wrote When Life Gives you OJ and Aces Wild, will provide parents with a fun and interactive learning session. First-time campers will be entered in a raffle to win a $500 scholarship to attend a Jewish summer camp. Existing campers and their families will reunite with old friends and counselors.

WHO: Special guest, Erica Perl, an award-winning children’s book author; about 50 young people, ages 7 to 11, with their families.

WHEN: Sunday, Oct. 26 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

WHERE: AMF Pikesville Bowling Lanes, 1723 Reisterstown Road, Pikesville, MD.

COST: $5 per child; Parents are free.

WHY: Building on the success of PJ Library, which gives the gift of Jewish children’s books each month to more than 130,000 children, ages six months to eight years old, in North America, PJ Our Way will allow program participants to select one of four books every month, giving them more choice on their journey toward being life-long readers while introducing them to Jewish ideas. As part of the program, PJ Our Way participants can create book trailers, videos, quizzes, author interviews, and other media to communicate with peers about the books. A separate PJ Our Way website – www.pjourway.org – will provide these new avenues for discussion.

The PJ Our Way program is supported by the Harold Grinspoon Foundation based in Agawam, Mass. Sign-up at www.pjourway.org.

About PJ Library

PJ Library is an award-winning Jewish family engagement program designed to strengthen the identities of Jewish families and their relationship to local Jewish community. Created by the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, PJ Library started in 2005 by providing free, high-quality Jewish books and music each month to 200 families. Now, more than 130,000 children between the ages of six months and eight years receive the books in 200 communities in the United States and Canada. In addition, more than 220,000 schoolchildren in Israel receive Hebrew language, Jewish values-based books through PJ Library sister’s program, Sifriyat Pijama. PJ Library is also available in Australia and Mexico with further international expansion anticipated. Originally inspired by Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library which sends books to children in underprivileged areas of the US, PJ Library (“PJ” is short for “pajamas”) strives to contribute to the magic that books bring to bedtime. The Harold Grinspoon Foundation works in partnerships with philanthropists and Jewish non-profit organizations to bring PJ Library to families raising Jewish children. For more information, visit www.pjlibrary.org.

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