Positive Charge PDX

📚✡️ May is Jewish American Heritage Month — and here at Positive Charge! PDX, our Compassion Through Literature Little Free Libraries are sharing and welcoming books, celebrating our Jewish families, friends, and neighbors!

We are so lucky to call Portland home — a city with a rich, deep Jewish history AND some of the country's most beloved authors living right in our backyard.

🌹 Start local — Portland authors we're proud to feature:

📖 Eric A. Kimmel (Portland!) — Oregon's own teller of tales and Caldecott Honor winner has written nearly 150 books rooted in Jewish folklore and Yiddish storytelling. Beloved by generations of young readers, Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins, The Chanukkah Guest, and Gershon's Monster are just a few of the treasures you'll find in our libraries. He is, simply put, a Portland literary legend. ⭐
📖 Trudy Ludwig (Portland!) — Award-winning author and nationally acclaimed speaker, Trudy's Gifts from the Enemy is a powerful true story of a Holocaust survivor, unexpected acts of moral courage, and the danger of hatred — told with grace and hope for readers ages 8 and up. A CTL cornerstone book.
📖 Polina Olsen (Portland!) — Want to understand the Jewish roots of the city you love? Polina's Stories from Jewish Portland traces our own community's history from the Gold Rush era through the present, through letters, interviews, and extraordinary stories. A love letter to Jewish Portland — perfect for teens and adults.

📖 Recently published books for all ages:
🕯️ Don't Feed the Lion by Bianna Golodryga & Yonit Levi (2025) — CNN anchor Bianna Golodryga and Israeli news anchor Yonit Levi wrote the book they couldn't find for their own kids after October 7: three middle schoolers navigating antisemitism, identity, and the courage to stand up. Ages 8–12 ⭐
🕯️ Everybody's Book: The Story of the Sarajevo Haggadah by Linda Leopold Strauss (2024) — A true, remarkable story of a sacred Jewish text protected across centuries by people of every faith — a breathtaking message of hope and shared humanity. Ages 4–8
🕯️ Lily's Hong Kong Honey Cake by Erica Lyons (2025) — A Jewish family flees Vienna and rebuilds their life in Hong Kong, carrying their traditions and sweetness into an unfamiliar world. Ages 4–8
🕯️ The Night War by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley (2024) — A Jewish girl in WWII-occupied France chooses courage over safety. Ages 9–12
🕯️ The Choice (YA Edition) by Dr. Edith Eger (2024) — Holocaust survivor and psychologist Edith Eger's award-winning memoir, adapted for young adults — a profound and transformative gift of hope and inner freedom.
🕯️ When We See You Again by Rachel Goldberg-Polin & Jon Polin (2026) — The #1 New York Times Bestselling memoir from the mother of Hersh Goldberg-Polin — taken hostage from the Nova music festival on October 7 and murdered in captivity 330 days later. Raw, shattering, and ultimately an extraordinary testament to love and the human spirit. "Hope is mandatory." ⭐

Find a CTL Little Free Library near you 👉 PositiveChargePDX.org/Compassion

💬 We want to hear from YOU! What books about Jewish life, history, culture, or identity — for any age — would you add to our list? Every recommendation helps us build a more compassionate Portland, one book at a time. 👇📚

⏳ Final days to make a difference! 💗

We’re in the final stretch of Positive Charge! PDX’s Period Power Project — and we need your help to finish strong.
Through May 10, you can:

👉 Donate period supplies + cards of encouragement at 20+ locations across Portland
👉 Order directly from our wishlist: https://tinyurl.com/4j2szmbf
👉 Donate funds and we’ll purchase supplies

We’re collecting:
• Tampons, pads, panty liners
• Reusable period supplies
• Travel-size hand sanitizer

✨ Then RSVP and join us for our Community Packing Event on May 16 (1–3pm) at Ida B. Wells High School Cafeteria, where we’ll assemble kits and include your cards of support

👉 Learn more, find drop-off locations, and RSVP:
https://www.PositiveChargePDX.org/PeriodPower2026

💗 One item. One note. One act of kindness. It all adds up.