PJ Our Way Kids Blog

Thanks for being a part of PJ Our Way! Now that you’re graduating from the program, here are our top book recommendations for teens. Do you have others to recommend or do you have great books to recommend for PJ Our Way? Let us know in the comments below and scroll down to see Hannah’s top book recommendations!
 

	Incantation by Alice Hoffman This poetically beautiful story, from the very talented Alice Hoffman, is about two best friends, Estrella and Catalina, who find themselves in love with the same boy. You’ll be riveted by this story of friendship, jealousy, passion, and regret set in rural Spain during the Inquisition.
	The Entertainer and the Dybbuk by Sid Fleischman Freddie, a struggling ventriloquist, has a new tenant. Avraham Amos, the dybbuk of a child murdered in the Holocaust, has taken possession of Freddie’s body and is determined to get revenge. The late Sid Fleischman outdid himself in this creative and entertaining tale, full of gallows humour, and “Borscht belt” style slapstick.
	The Berlin Boxing Club by Robert Sharenow Karl is Jewish in 1934 Berlin, not that he ever noticed it before. When the local bullies discover his identity, he gets beaten up and must learn to defend himself. Max Schmeling, German heavyweight champion, offers him boxing lessons in exchange for a painting from Karl’s father’s gallery. You’ll love this gripping story about sports, love, boxing, and life in Nazi Germany.
	Playing with Matches by Suri Rosen After a prank goes sour, sixteen year-old Raina is expelled from her Manhattan high school. Sent to live with her super strict aunt in Toronto, she’s desperate to make things right with her sister, Leah, who blames her for destroying her engagement and chasing her fiance away. In a hilarious series of events, Raina becomes a much sought after, anonymous, matchmaker, healing broken hearts through her online personality, Matchmaven.

And now, top book recommendations from Hannah from Ohio (member of 2014-15 Design Team):

Top of the list:

• One for the Murphys by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
• Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
• Found (part of the series 'Missing') by Margaret Peterson Haddix
• Out of my Mind  by Sharon Draper (I did my review on this book to get into the DT)
• Wonder by R. J. Palacio

More books that I love:

• The Giver by Lois Lowry
• The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
• Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
• Space Case by Stuart Gibbs

 
 

PJ Our Way member, Yovel, turned into a credit card!

What did you dress up as?

(Want to send us a photo of your costume?  Download this parent permission form and send it to us at info@pjourway.org along with your photo!)

 

HI! I’m Isaac from the Design Team, and I wanted to tell you how much I love music. I have been playing a string instrument called the cello for 6 years. I practice every day. I mostly play classical music, but my favorite songs to play are Jewish songs. Some of my friends and I have started a band that plays Jewish songs! We have played “Sevivon, Sov Sov Sov” at Hanukkah, and are now working on another song, called “Hevenu Shalom Aleichem”.
 
What is your favorite Jewish song? Please post in on the comment thread below. I can’t wait to see what song you like!

Hey Guys! I’m Sydney from Dallas, Texas, and I’m 11 years-old.

Pesach (Passover) is good in so many ways but like all holidays it has a few catches. In our home, we don’t eat any bread! The only thing I eat ALL Pesach is matzo-brie (scrambled eggs fried with matzah) and hard boiled eggs. What else is there to eat?!

I have some of my best experiences during Pesach. Every year I go to Los Angeles to visit family. I always go to the Santa Monica Pier with my Mom, Dad, brother, sister, and Uncle David. We go on rides and my Uncle David ALWAYS wins every game he plays.

One of my favorite parts of Pesach is the Seders. I get to spend time with my family that I barely get to see. The best part of the Seder is the afikoman (a piece of matzah that is hidden during the Seder and found by the kids). We have the funniest stories and the funniest hiding places! Once, my brother found it behind a picture hanging on the wall! How we play is if you find the afikoman at any point during the Seder, you can re-hide it so when it comes time to bring it out, you know where it is. But everyone still gets a present. My Uncle Abie favors my brother since he is the youngest and always tells him where it is, but luckily I have already looked and have re-hid it before he can get there. In my family, we all want to win (find the afikoman first so we can re-hide it) and we are all SUPER competitive. Sometimes even the adults join in the fun!


I have a few questions for you guys:

• What is your favorite afikoman present?
• Where was the craziest hiding place you ever found the Afikoman?
• Finally, what do you eat on Pesach and if you have any good food/recipe suggestions (kosher for Pesach) PLEASE post them!