Powered by the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland
Dear PJ Library Families,

Fall is quickly ending and winter will soon be upon us. That means cold and frosty mornings and dark and wet afternoons. For many, that leaves us longing for the warmth of spring and summer and seeking light and coziness. Isn’t it wonderful that there is a festival of lights during the darkest time of winter? In fact, our rabbis comment on the fact that this holiday falls in the depth of winter and we need a dose of light. This isn’t unique to the Jewish community, many of the holidays that happen during this time incorporate themes of light and warmth.

To that end, we have some great Hanukkah events coming up! Join us for our annual story hour with Eric Kimmel at Green Bean Books on Sunday December 22 nd to welcome in Hanukkah! Also, for the first time, join us at Cedar Sinai Park to light candles with the residents, sing songs with Kim Schneiderman and enjoy some sufganiyot (donuts)!

Also, mark your calendars for January 20 th ! PJ Library and all our community partners will be joining together for our 5 th Annual MLK Day of Service for Preschoolers and their families from 10-11:30 AM at the MJCC. Look for registration information in the January newsletter.

If you are looking for additional Hanukkah activities, check out our segmented Hanukkah calendar .

Hag Urim Sameah (Have a wonderful Hanukkah),
Rachel Nelson
Director of Educational Initiatives
SATURDAY
14
DECEMBER
PJ Havdallah
Congregation Neveh Shalom
2900 SW Peaceful Lane 
Portland, OR
5:15 PM - 6:45 PM
Young families say goodbye to Shabbat at  Congregation Neveh Shalom  in our PJs with dinner, stories, art & fun. $30/family without shul pass. RSVP !
SUNDAY
22
DECEMBER
Hanukkah Story Time
with Eric Kimmel
Green Bean Books
1600 NE Alberta St
Portland, OR 97211
12:00 - 1:00 PM
Join Eric Kimmel for our annual Hanukkah Story Time at Green Bean Books to usher in the first night of Hanukkah!
MONDAY
23
DECEMBER

Candle Lighting
at Cedar Sinai Park
Cedar Sinai Park
Rose Schnitzer Manor
6140 SW Boundary Street 
Portland, OR
4:15 PM - 5:15 PM
Join PJ Library families at Cedar Sinai Park for a special Hanukkah Candle Lighting with Kim Schneiderman! There will be candles, music and sufganiyot (donut holes!)
balloons_happy_bday.jpg
TUESDAY
31
DECEMBER
New Year's Eve
at Noon
Mittleman Jewish
Community Center
6651 SW Capitol Hwy
Portland, OR
11:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Join us for this fun family event as we ring in the New Year! Arts and crafts, games, bouncy house, dancing, snacks, pool float, and our annual countdown to 2020 at noon with the balloon drop!
Free and open to the community.
PJ Library Get Togethers are an awesome opportunity to celebrate Jewish life and holidays with 2 or more other families raising Jewish children. Find out more information at pjlibrary.org/gettogether . Applications close April 30, 2020.
This month, each PJ Library subscriber will enjoy a special gift – a fun and colorful apron ! PJ Library kids will also receive The Missing Ingredient , a mini picture book. PJ Our Way kids will receive tween-curated recipe cards.   
Every three years, we conduct a survey to learn more about your family's experience with PJ Library. Please take 10 minutes to share your feedback via the email you have received from our evaluation partner, Atlantic 57. Didn’t see the email? You can learn more here .
 
Community projects are a great way to help your children to be more aware of the people around them and the wider world that they’re living in. These ideas are especially helpful for younger kids, but still worthwhile for the whole family.

Need ideas for enjoying Hanukkah with your kids? Use This one-page guide is your go-to resource for quick stories, activities, and recipes suggestions by age.

Are you the designated Hanukkah Parent at your child's school? Our handy tips and activity ideas will make your visit easier.

While latkes are a fun Hanukkah tradition, there are many more recipes to remind you of the miracle of the holiday. These 12 ideas have got you covered for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks.
There are four wonderful PJ Our Way selections to look forward to this December. Depending on which one you choose, you can learn a shocking secret about a boy’s family history, follow eight kids as they try to save their teacher’s job, join a fun and surprising Hanukkah sleepover, or discover the truth about a famous but mysterious magician. Dive into a great read this month and pick your book by December 10th!

PJ Our Way's Hanukkah Hub is where you’ll find everything you need to celebrate the Festival of Lights. Find recipes, activities, crafts, videos, and more; then, explore the PJ Our Way website for some great Hanukkah-themed reads.