Mira Campbell spreads the joy of PJ Library in Edmonton

by Regan Lipes

The name Mira Campbell is probably one of the most recognized names in the Edmonton Jewish Community. Though there are countless reasons for this, the deeply positive impact Mira has had on local children and their families, trumps all others.

“I spent 14 years as an Early Childhood Educator with 4-year-olds at Talmud Torah School,” explained Mira. There are still so many young Jewish Edmontonians whose first memories of school were guided by the knowing and nurturing hands of Mira. Starting out at Talmud Torah School and getting to be in Mira’s class had become a joyful right-of-passage for little ones, but she was presented with an offer she could not refuse. “In 2021 I was offered the opportunity to work with our Edmonton Jewish Federation as a PJ Library Programmer.”

As any parent knows too well, being an early childhood educator is not a job, but a calling.  Mira’s career has always been and continues to be a celebration of her talents engaging with and inspiring youngsters. “I started babysitting in my neighbourhood when I was 11 years old, often earning only $2 per hour, but I discovered a genuine passion and connection for working with children. As I explored career options in high school, an aptitude test confirmed that working with young children was a natural fit for me.” Mira, a teacher who has touched the lives of so many young people over the years found her calling early. “With the support of a meaningful reference letter from one of the families I babysat for, I completed the Early Childhood Education programme at Grant MacEwan and had a 25-year journey in a field that I love and cherish.” As they say – the rest is history!

Parents in the Jewish community are likely familiar with PJ Library because of the lovely books that arrive in the mail around key holidays and festive times of year. Locally, it is thanks to fundraising through the United Jewish Appeal by the Jewish Federation of Edmonton, that there is continuous staffing for PJ Library programming. What PJ Library gives to Jewish children may start with the wonderful books they provide, but as Mira’s work can attest, it is about supporting families as they help their children build strong Jewish identities through learning and exploring. According to PJ Library’s website: “Since Harold Grinspoon first sent Jewish books to 200 children in Western Massachusetts in 2005, PJ Library has grown to send free books to more than 230,000 subscribers throughout the United States and Canada. Today, PJ Library is an expanding global community linked by shared stories and values that spans across five continents and more than 670,000 subscribers.”  Mira is a big part of bringing this vision to the next level.

She elaborated: “Building on the strong relationships I had established with the Jewish community and the families at Talmud Torah, my goal as a PJ Library Programmer was to create a welcoming environment for new families, strengthen community connections, and foster Jewish unity through engaging holiday celebrations and interactive programming.” Her name in the community was already synonymous with early childhood enrichment, so although families were heartbroken that their littlest children would not have the benefit of matriculating in her classroom, the transition was elegant and seamless.

Those older kids who once enjoyed being in Mira’s classroom, now accompany their younger siblings to PJ Library community events and are still met with a big hug and warm smile.  “Thanks to the generosity of our UJA donors and the unwavering support of our Jewish Federation, PJ Library is able to provide meaningful and welcoming experiences that bring Jewish families together. From bi-weekly playtime programmes at the TT gym to holiday celebrations, Chanukah events, Moms’ Glam Brunch, Koffee and Kibbitz get togethers, collaborative engagements with our Jewish partners, park events in the summer, and more, these opportunities foster connection, belonging, unity and Jewish identity,” emphasized Mira. By building community networks for parents early on, Mira organizes programmes that establish essential support systems and long-term friendships.

PJ Library is famous for its mission to give free books to Jewish children from birth to the age of eight, but that is not the end of their investment in nurturing healthy and happy youngsters. “PJ Our Way provides chapter books for children aged 9-12. These books introduce Jewish values, culture, holidays, and traditions through age-appropriate stories that families can enjoy together and inspire a lifelong love of reading,” Mira explained. Those ready for PJ Our Way may not remember the colourful board books that they got in the mail long before they could walk, let alone read, but parents can marvel that PJ Library was there throughout the infant, toddler, and pre-school years, and through the challenges of early literacy, and even along the crucial road leadup up to bar or bat mitzvah.

The Jewish world is diverse, and for some families, the PJ Library content might be the extent of the Judaic content they give their children. For Mira, it is about cultivating supportive networks: “PJ Library programmes are an inclusive and welcoming resource for individuals and families of all backgrounds and levels of Jewish connection. Whether someone is deeply engaged in Jewish life or just beginning their journey, these programmes foster community, meaningful connections, and a supportive space where everyone is encouraged to participate and belong. This works well with Federation’s whole-community approach to welcome the youngest members of our community across the spectrum of Jewish life.” Mira’s lifelong dedication to nurturing a love of learning in the Jewish youngsters of Edmonton makes her the perfect friendly face to make everyone feel truly and sincerely welcome.

For anyone who has ever seen Mira in action in the classroom, her energy and creativity are a force to be reckoned with. There are always big new ideas percolating, and she is not one to sit still if there is something to be done. The landscape of the Edmonton Jewish community has changed since Menorah Academy closed, but there are tremendous efforts underway to revitalize and invigorate local Yiddishkeit. “My vision as a PJ Library programmer is to cultivate a welcoming and inclusive environment where Jewish children and families feel connected, valued, and inspired,” Mira reiterated. “I plan to continue to foster Jewish engagement, encourage leadership, and create opportunities for families to develop lasting relationships and take pride in their Jewish identity.”

Supporting young people to take pride in their Jewish heritage is no light undertaking, as so many postsecondary students go to great efforts to conceal their Jewishness. “Over the past 5 years as a PJ programmer, I have had the privilege of building meaningful relationship with our families and witnessing firsthand the profound impact of PJ programming. Seeing families deepen their connections with one another and share in Jewish life, reinforced the impact PJ has on our community and has been a truly rewarding and fulfilling part of my role. With Federation’s continued support and new community space available in the Oshry / Kipnes JCC opening later this year, I have no doubt that impactful community experiences will continue to be enhanced and flourish and create a vibrant hub for Jewish life at every stage of a family’s journey.”

Tikkun Olam takes many forms, but the work that Mira devotes herself to makes a huge impact for Edmonton’s Jewish youth whether they are conscious of it or not. Instilling a lasting feeling of Jewish pride ensures a more secure tomorrow for the community. “I have often expressed how fortunate our Jewish families in Edmonton are to have this incredible programme and resource. I would have loved to have been able to have the benefit of receiving free age-appropriate monthly books that help promote literacy, explore Jewish values and holidays, and have engaging programming that fosters Jewish identity and belonging when my children were at Talmud Torah. Unfortunately, when PJ Library launched in Edmonton, my 3 children were already aged out.”  Nevertheless, all three Campbell children are eloquent ambassadors of the PJ Library dream and model the solid Jewish values their parents and grandparents instilled in them.

Mira Campbell has been a significant inspiration for so many Jewish Edmontonians. The title of ‘educator’ is one she wears with great joy as she continues to make a difference within the community.

Regan Lipes is a Local Journalism Initiative Reporter