Reader of the pack
New survey shows how PJ Library is impacting young families across the UK
To help better understand the impact of its programme, at the end of 2019 PJ Library completed a wide-ranging survey of its subscriber families in the UK and received close to 600 survey responses.
The results highlight how PJ Library books and resources are having a positive impact within Jewish households in the UK.
Impact amongst families not engaged with organised community life
With the support of targeted investment from Genesis Philanthropy Group, PJ Library has focused efforts on sharing books with families who are not otherwise engaged with Jewish community life.
- Over half (58%) of responses came from families that PJ Library identified as the ‘least likely to be engaged with organised Jewish life’. This demographic includes families that speak either Hebrew or Russian as a primary or secondary language; and/or have not attended a Passover seder in the past year; and/or live outside of London.
- Within this cohort, 48% of participants noted that PJ Library is either the main or one of only a few sources that their family relies on for learning about Jewish values and traditions; and 85% of responses within these families indicated that PJ Library serves as a valuable parenting tool for them.
Impact within interfaith households
Over a fifth (22%) of responses came from interfaith households, defined as households with one Jewish parent.
- 93% of interfaith households reported that PJ Library books had boosted their confidence to discuss Jewish traditions and values at home. 68% of households with two Jewish parents also reported the same effect.
- 31% of respondents from interfaith households said that PJ Library had influenced their decision to celebrate Jewish festivals and/or Shabbat.
Encouraging Jewish practice at home
The survey results identified that PJ Library books and resources are having a real impact in encouraging Jewish practice at home.
- 36% of families reported that PJ Library books had encouraged them to build upon or incorporate new Jewish traditions into their home lives
- This percentage increased to 58% for those families least likely to be engaged with organised community life.
Lauren Hamburger, Director of PJ Library in the UK said:
“We are thrilled that PJ Library is enabling so many parents to learn about Jewish values and rituals alongside their children, in particular by making a difference to those families who feel less attached to the community.”
PJ Library parent Beth Katz, whose children Raviv and Zev both receive the books in Edinburgh, has said:
“Thank you so much for letting us be a part of this programme. I can’t tell you what a tremendous gift it has been to our family and to helping support our Jewish learning and practice!”
Marina Yudborovsky, Genesis Philanthropy Group CEO added: “The power of family reading never ceases to amaze us. The results of this survey show the profound difference that high-quality Jewish children’s books and resources can have, enabling families to feel connected to their Jewish roots and have the confidence to share Jewish traditions and values with their children. By continuing to support PJ Library’s vital work, we hope that every Jewish child in the UK and beyond will have a fun and interactive way to engage with the richness of Jewish culture and identity”.
PJ Library now operates in over 23 countries and has been busy planning ways in which it can make the High Holy Days meaningful this Autumn, when children may not be able to attend synagogue services.
The research was conducted by Atlantic 57, an independent consulting firm that is part of the Atlantic Group.
July 31, 2020