1.1M
Downloads
70
Episodes
Deep in the basement of congregation Sofer Shalom, there’s a dusty library that’s really the home of a magical portal to another world. Join siblings Miri and Micah as they explore a mysterious land, where stories come to life! Enjoy fairytales with unexpected twists and Jewish lessons as Miri, Micah, and their friends, encounter golems, book worms, giants and even talking animals! For full credits and accompanying activities, visit pjlibrary.org/podcast.
Episodes
May 30, 2022
May 30, 2022
21 min
In this season finale of Beyond the Bookcase, things go beyond berserk! The kids arrive at the library but it’s eerily quiet and Auntie PJ is NOWHERE to be found. They discover they can now enter the land of Mashal at will. But when they arrive, it’s no longer just a quest to find Auntie PJ, but a mission to save the Golem and ALL their fairytale friends too. Thanks for coming along on this season’s adventure! Stay tuned for new episodes this fall.
- Jacob – Cara Cabal Coniglio
- Evie – Sylvia Beth Schmitz
- Blue – Maya Aoki Tuttle
- Micah – Maxwell Glick
- Miri – Arianna Fox
- Auntie PJ – Madelaine Ripley
- Golem - Pat Bordenave
- Mr. Saifair – Tau Zaman
- Zev the Wolf - Walter Alice Sickert
- Chicken Little - Blair Which
- Humpty Dumpty - John Henry Kurtz
- Marion, the Not-So-Old Woman Living in a Shoe - Tianna Tagami
- Bo Peep - Laura Schreiber
- Hare - Daniel Amerman
May 8, 2022
May 8, 2022
19 min
It’s Shavuot and the kids have arrived in the mystical land of Mashal to find things in chaos! It seems Zev and several of his fairytale friends have introduced the idea of a day with NO RULES. The kids already have their hands full helping to get things back in order, and then Mr. Saifair takes drastic measures, aiming to get Mashal under control ... with no children allowed ever again!
Learn more about the holiday of Shavuot at pjlibrary.org/shavuot.
- Jacob – Cara Cabal Coniglio
- Evie – Sylvia Beth Schmitz
- Blue – Maya Aoki Tuttle
- Micah – Maxwell Glick
- Miri – Arianna Fox
- Auntie PJ – Madelaine Ripley
- Golem - Pat Bordenave
- Mr. Saifair – Tau Zaman
- Zev the Wolf - Walter Alice Sickert
- Tortoise - David Nickerson
- Jack - Richard Wentworth
- Hansel -
- Gretel - Lyra Ericson
Mar 28, 2022
Mar 28, 2022
24 min
A tomato and dairy shortage is threatening to cancel the annual matzah pizza cookoff, and Auntie PJ is freaking out! The kids are whisked away to the land of Mashal where Humpty Dumpty is about to crack under the pressure of hosting his first seder. The kids get help from all their fairytale friends (and even Mr. Saifair) to pick up the Passover pieces and help Humpty keep it together.
Credits
Beyond the Bookcase is a production of PJ Library.
Writers: Jan Schwaid, Petey Gibson
Production: Executive Producer, Alli Thresher; Associate Producer, Elizabeth Korelitz
Audio editing, mixing, mastering, and score: Peter Moore, Palace of Purpose Studios in Malden, MA
Opening Theme Song: Written by Peter Moore and Alli Thresher. Arranged by Peter Moore.
Performed by Mister G (vocals) and Peter Moore (instruments).
Cast
- Jacob – Cara Cabal Coniglio
- Evie – Sylvia Beth Schmitz
- Blue – Maya Aoki Tuttle
- Micah – Maxwell Glick
- Miri – Arianna Fox
- Auntie PJ – Madelaine Ripley
- Golem - Pat Bordenave
- Saifair – Tau Zaman
- Humpty Dumpty – John Henry Kurtz
- Hare – Daniel Amerman
- Goldilocks – Maya Aoki Tuttle
- Snow White – Laura Schreiber
- Chicken Little – Blair Which
Mar 7, 2022
Mar 7, 2022
22 min
It’s time for the purimspiel, the annual performance telling the story of Purim. The kids are trying to decide which characters everyone will play but they can’t get Jacob to settle on a role. Once again transported to the land of Mashal, they meet Bubbe and a not-so-bad wolf named Zev. He’s having his own trouble finding his role in Mashal’s Purim carnival. They’ll all have to work together to help both Zev and Jacob pick the perfect part.
- Micah – Maxwell Glick
- Miri - Arianna Fox
- Jacob - Cara Cabal Coniglio
- Evie - Sylvia Beth Schmitz
- Blue - Maya Aoki Tuttle
- Auntie PJ – Madelaine Ripley
- Golem - Pat Bordenave
- Mr. Saifair – Tau Zaman
- Zev the Wolf - Walter Alice Sickert
- Little Red - Anne Alexander Sieder
Feb 7, 2022
Feb 7, 2022
23 min
The kids come to the library for a Pajama Havdalah event, but their upcoming move has Blue feeling more stressed than blessed. Whisked away to the fantastic land of Mashal, the kids run into Chicken Little, who can relate to Blue’s fear of change. She’s upset about Shabbat coming to an end. A Havdalah walk through Mashal is just what this group needs in order to learn that endings open the door for sweet new beginnings.
- Micah – Maxwell Glick
- Miri - Arianna Fox
- Evie - Sylvia Beth Schmitz
- Blue - Maya Aoki Tuttle
- Auntie PJ – Madelaine Ripley
- Golem - Pat Bordenave
- Mr. Saifair – Tau Zaman
- Chicken Little - Blair Which
- Hare - Daniel Amerman
- Jack - Richard Wentworth
- Snow White - Laura Schreiber
Jan 4, 2022
Jan 4, 2022
18 min
Auntie PJ is teaching the kids about hashavat aveidah, the Jewish commandment about returning lost objects to their rightful owners. Transported to the mystical land of Mashal, they find their fairy tale friend Jack. He’s recovering from a frisbee golf injury, so he needs the kids’ help doing some hashavat aveidah of his own. He has to return a certain golden goose, and its rightful owner is a pretty BIG deal in the land of Mashal. Featuring special guest voice Matt Gutman.
- Micah – Maxwell Glick
- Miri - Arianna Fox
- Jacob - Cara Cabal Coniglio
- Evie - Sylvia Beth Schmitz
- Blue - Maya Aoki Tuttle
- Auntie PJ – Madelaine Ripley
- Golem - Pat Bordenave
- Mr. Saifair – Tau Zaman
- Giant - Mat Gutman
- Jack - Richard Wentworth
Dec 13, 2021
Dec 13, 2021
20 min
A new friend named Jacob joins the kids to help Auntie PJ gather donations for people in need. But since this is no ordinary synagogue library, this tzedakah mission takes a detour to the mysterious land of Mashal. That’s where Goldilocks and Baby Bear happen to be working on some good deeds of their own! The kids end up on a tzedakah adventure, offering help to other fairy tale characters along the way.
- Micah – Maxwell Glick
- Miri - Arianna Fox
- Jacob - Cara Cabal Coniglio
- Evie - Sylvia Beth Schmitz
- Blue - Maya Aoki Tuttle
- Auntie PJ – Madelaine Ripley
- Golem - Pat Bordenave
- Mr. Saifair – Tau Zaman
- Goldilocks - Maya Aoki Tuttle
- Baby Bear - Rich Wentworth
Nov 14, 2021
Nov 14, 2021
21 min
Miri, Micah, and their two friends thought they were headed to the synagogue library to help Auntie PJ prepare for Hanukkah. Instead, they’re swept into a surprise holiday journey, mystically transported to the land of Mashal. They arrive to discover the annual Festival of Lights is in jeopardy. Jack, the high-jumping star of the show, is too afraid to do his big Hanukkiah stunt. Jack may be nimble, but he’ll need serious help from the kids if he’s also going to be brave.
- Micah – Maxwell Glick
- Miri - Arianna Fox
- Evie - Sylvia Beth Schmitz
- Blue - Maya Aoki Tuttle
- Auntie PJ – Madelaine Ripley
- Golem - Pat Bordenave
- Mr. Saifair – Tau Zaman
- Jack - Richard Wentworth
Oct 18, 2021
Oct 18, 2021
19 min
Welcome to Beyond the Bookcase - a new series from PJ Library! Siblings Miri and Micah are visiting the eccentric synagogue librarian, Auntie PJ, when they are suddenly whisked away to a magical world full of fairytale characters.
What does the old story of the tortoise and the hare have to do with Shabbat? Are Golems made to announce sporting matches? Will anyone help Chicken Little with her socks? Find out during the premiere episode of Beyond the Bookcase.
New episodes drop every month--subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts to follow the story.
- Micah – Maxwell Glick
- Miri – Arianna Fox
- Auntie PJ – Madelaine Ripley
- Golem - Pat Bordenave
- Mr. Saifair – Tau Zaman
- Humpty Dumpty – John Henry Kurtz
- Hare – Daniel Amerman
- Snow White – Laura Schreiber
- Chicken Little – Blair Which
- Peter Pumpkin Eater - Mike Ciporkin
- Jack - Richard Wentworth
Sep 29, 2021
Sep 29, 2021
1 min
Mysterious things are happening in Auntie PJ's library! Join siblings Miri and Micah as they journey to the land of Mashal, a magical place where stories come to life (with a Jewish twist).
Subscribe to Beyond the Bookcase to listen to new episodes each month.
pjlibrary.org/podcast