Welcoming Shabbat with a Dolly Parton Influenced Lecha Dodi at Houston's Congregation Beth Yeshurun

Dolly Parton, the American singer-songwriter, actress and businesswoman who died last week in Nashville had a profound impact on the education of Jewish children worldwide. In 1995 she founded the Imagination Library in honor of her father, who never learned to read or write. It mails one book per month to each enrolled child from the time of their birth until they enter kindergarten. 

The idea inspired Jewish philanthropist Harold Grinspoon to take the concept even further by creating PJ Library using Parton's model to mail free, high-quality books directly to Jewish children, adapting it to focus on Jewish stories, values, and traditions for families worldwide. 

The PJ Library team selects an age-appropriate board book, picture book, or early chapter book every month for kids ages 0 to 8. Older readers ages 9 to 12 get to choose their own middle-grade book each month from a selection of fiction, nonfiction, and graphic novels.

At Congregation Beth Yeshurun in Houston last Friday night, Cantor Rachel Goldman paid tribute to Parton by singing Lecha Dodi to her song, 9 to 5.

Enjoy, and Shabbat shalom!