Families raising young children today are seeking meaningful community-building opportunities on their own terms.

Through our celebrated initiative, jkidphilly, we meet families in welcoming spaces around Greater Philadelphia to connect them to each other, resources, and happenings around the Jewish community. We also work with congregations in the Berger Network to apply our proven engagement strategies in their own settings.
Through jkidphilly, Jewish Learning Venture manages PJ Library and PJ Our Way in Philadelphia.

why it matters

Families raising young children today are seeking community and meaning, but in different ways than in previous generations. And while many in the Jewish community have bemoaned these new realities, Jewish Learning Venture sees tremendous opportunity to create a vibrant Jewish community for the future.

In order to be equipped for lifelong Jewish journeys, families need welcoming, accessible, and compelling Jewish experiences that help them make Judaism meaningful and relevant in their day-to-day lives.

Jewish Learning Venture implements these programs to support families with young children. ➝

  • PJ Library and PJ Our Way in Philadelphia: free monthly subscriptions of age-appropriate Jewish books, music, and more for children ages six months to eleven years old.
  • jkidphilly in-person and online engagement: Jewish-themed programming throughout the Greater Philadelphia area, online resources and communication, and DIY resources for families to apply Jewish rituals, values, and cultural experiences at home.
  • Inclusion for children with special needs: sensory-friendly jkidphilly programs, visual supports, parent seminars about adapting Jewish practices, and one-on-one consultation.

  • Berger Synagogue Network for Young Families: support for synagogues to develop new approaches to engage families with young children, with the support of Jewish Learning Venture staff.

HOW WE CAN HELP YOU

Jewish Learning Venture is here to support families across greater Philadelphia and the organizations that work with them. Find out more:

A woman with curly hair and glasses smiling as she kneels next to two young boys, one wearing a baseball cap and reads a book to them.

For children

Sign up to receive free age-appropriate Jewish books every month with PJ Library (birth to 8.5 years old) and PJ Our Way (8.5 to 12 years old). Contact Robyn Cohen for more information about PJ Library in Philadelphia

A woman with sunglasses bends over to talk to two young children who are playing, one of them wearing a baseball cap.

For families

Check out the jkidphilly calendar with programs happening every week. And keep in touch at jkidphilly.org, Facebook and Twitter. To learn more, contact Lisa Litman.

A man with a kippah standing in the middle of two young boys who are also wearing kippahs. He is helping them with something they are learning. The boys are smiling and seem excited to be working with the man.

For congregations

The Berger Network can help you implement new engagement strategies for families. You can also learn about other congregation’s engagement programs in The Berger Synagogue Network. To learn more, contact Lisa Litman.

How You Can Help

Interested in helping more families in our community connect through Jewish programs, books, resources and more? It truly takes a village. Here’s how you can help: