Welcome letter
Dear Immigrant Parents,
Many of us have fond memories of stories we were told as children, whether they were The Cat In The Hat, Winnie
the Pooh, The Berenstain Bears or others. Years later these books remain in our hearts because they invoke warm
memories of snuggling up at bedtime, flipping through the illustrated pages and listening to the voice of a loving
adult reading to us.
We at Sifriyat Pijama recognize the importance of children’s books for the growth of language skills, developing
emotional intelligence, empathy and imagination, and providing quality family time. In order to encourage a lifelong
love of reading and foster a culture of conversations in the home around Jewish values and Israeli heritage, the
program distributes 8 picture-books to all the children in the classroom. These books are a gift for you, to enjoy
together as a family.
BUT THE BOOKS ARE IN HEBREW!
The following are some suggestions for enjoying Sifriyat Pijama books with your child:
- If your Hebrew is not yet fluent enough to read aloud, invite your child to “read” the book to you: Your child is likely to already know the story, having been introduced to it in the classroom. Ask him or her to show you the illustrations and “read” it to you. You might even learn some new words in Hebrew from your child!
- At the back of each book are ideas for family fun and conversation surrounding the story. They should be conducted in your mother tongue, and translations of the suggestions can be found on the Sifriyat Pijama website www.pjisrael.org. Choose an activity or discussion idea and enjoy carrying it out together with your child.
- Ask a family friend, older sibling or neighbor to read the book in Hebrew together with you and your child. After the first reading and some practice reading out loud on your own, you may gain more confidence to read in Hebrew to your children.
- Do you have ideas that would help other immigrant
families enjoy Sifriyat Pijama books?
We’d love to hear them!
WE WISH YOU AND YOUR CHILDREN YEARS OF READING ENJOYMENT!
Feel free to contact us at pjisrael@hgf.org.