Read + Meet New Friends + Make a Difference = Best August Ever!
JWI's Young Women's Impact Network (YWIN) is thrilled to be hosting its first-ever virtual Read-a-Thon in support of JWI's National Library Initiative (NLI) this August! JWI's NLI builds and supports children's libraries in domestic violence shelters nationwide to give the shelters' youngest residents safe, calm spaces and educational resources in times of traumatic upheaval.
You can sign up now for this amazing opportunity to put your favorite pastime to good use, or read on to get a clearer picture of what exactly this program will entail.
JWI YWIN Read-a-Thon Q&A
How will I be assigned by YWIN Read-a-Thon group?
Once registered, you will be randomly assigned to a team with other young Jewish women who are a part of a JWI YWIN from across the country. Team sizes will be determined by final number of registrants (we are estimating 5-8 people per team). You will meet and connect with your team the week of July 24th.
When and where does the Read-a-Thon take place?
The month of August. The entire series will be held virtually and will consist of author talks, communication over a private Slack channel, book discussions, and more. The first author talk will be on Wednesday, August 10th with Hanna Halperin, author of Something Wild.
How many books am I supposed to read?
There is no set number of books. You get a certain number of points for reading certain books, attending author talks, reading different types of books, etc. The team with the most points at the end gets a prize!
Who picks the books?
A list of suggested books will be provided at the start of the program. You can read the same book as your team members or pick your own. Book suggestions include: Becoming Eve (Abby Stein), Something Wild (Hanna Halperin), Woman on Fire (Lisa Barr), Red Tent (Anita Diamant), Joke's My Father Never Taught Me (Rain Pryor), and more.
Is there a cost to be a part of this?
There is no cost to participate. Since this is a fundraiser, we do request a give-or-get donation of at least $36 to JWI's National Library Initiative, with a goal of getting to $100. You can donate on your own or encourage friends and family to donate on your behalf.
How do I raise money?
We will provide a custom URL where you can keep track of your Read-a-Thon success and share with family and friends to encourage donations.
Whom should I contact with questions?
You can contact JWI's YWIN Coordinator Melanie Schaeffer at or any of the Read-a-Thon chairs: Paige Bookoff, Carrie Seleman, and Elizabeth Slotnick.
Anything else I should know?
You do not need to be an avid reader to participate – all are welcome!
Registration will be open from July 12th to July 23rd.
Open to anyone in their 20s & 30s who identifies as a Jewish woman or non-binary person.