To help spark more meaningful conversations about Jews and Judaism across Ottawa, PJ Library, a program of the Jewish Federation of Ottawa, is launching a new educational outreach initiative later this year: educator book kits for classrooms.

These educator book kits, curated by PJ Library Coordinator Eriel Ben-Gal, will be distributed to schools across both the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB) and the Ottawa Catholic School Board (OCSB), giving students new access to Jewish stories and perspectives. Each kit will contain a selection of books, guides, and digital resources designed to help educators confidently introduce Jewish culture, holidays, and values in their classrooms.

“There will be three books that have been carefully selected,” said Ben-Gal. “Each kit will have a story about Hanukkah, a Jewish value, and Jewish diversity in the diaspora.” She explained that diversity will be reflected through stories from Ashkenazi, Sephardi, Ethiopian, and Latin American communities.

In addition to the books, each kit includes a reading guide for educators to share with their students, a QR code linking to the PJ Library website for further resources, and a letter to the educator offering guidance on how to use these tools effectively.

PJ Library already provides free books, podcasts, and music to hundreds of local children, alongside extensive family programming, but this new initiative expands its reach into classrooms, bridging home and school learning.
Inspired by her own children’s experiences, Ben-Gal wanted to create more opportunities for Jewish stories to be shared with a wider audience.

“I noticed a lack of focus on holidays other than Christmas that take place in winter when my son started kindergarten,” she said. “I wasn’t sure whether it was because of a lack of resources or knowledge.”

Ben-Gal believes these stories will help Jewish children feel seen and proud of their identities while demystifying Judaism for non-Jewish students. Early feedback from teachers confirms the need for such tools.

“Some of the feedback I’ve been receiving from teachers when I initially reached out to school boards about this program also speaks to a lack of resources available for talking about Judaism,” she said.

“More than ever, it is important to be proud of who we are and stand up to antisemitism,” Ben-Gal added. “We can do that in a loving and educational way through sharing these resources.”

The initiative has already generated strong interest: “So far, we have about 200 classrooms between both school boards, and counting,” said Ben-Gal. “More and more educators keep signing up.” 

She hopes this momentum continues into the new year, with the potential for another round of book kits being distributed in May to mark Jewish Heritage Month.

For educators interested in receiving a kit or learning more about PJ Library, contact Eriel Ben-Gal at [email protected].