PJ Library

Your Child’s Treasury of Jewish Books

"What a Wonderful World" book being read outside

Did you know that every child under age 12 in your family can receive their own FREE book each month?

PJ Library sends free, award-winning books that celebrate Jewish values and culture to families with children from birth through 8 years old. Signing up is easy and takes less than 3 minutes. Join today!

PJ Our Way (PJOW) is for kids ages 9-12, and they choose their own books each month, creating a tailored experience totally based on their own interests and reading level. Learn more and sign up your middle grade reader.

PJ Library and PJ Our Way in Greater Washington are made possible by The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, and generous local donors.

Photo above used courtesy of PJ Library.

Want to make connections with other Jewish families?
Check out the JFamily Ambassadors program!

Difficult Conversations: Resources for Parents

Shabbat and Havdalah Celebrations

DC:

Maryland:

 

Virginia:

Ongoing Programs:

  • Little Bookworms with Growing Jewish Families (GJF): monthly at public libraries in Northern Virginia
    Burke Centre Library: Fridays, October 11th, November 8th, and December 13th | 10:30 AM
    Fairfax Regional Library: Mondays, September 16th and October 21st | 10:30 AM
    Vienna Library: Sunday, October 13th | 11:00 AM
  • CJM Story Time: second Thursday of the month | 10:00 AM (Capital Jewish Museum, DC)
  • Shabbat Playgroup: Fridays | 10:30 AM at the Bender JCCGW in Rockville
  • Sunday Sing-a-Along: Sundays | 10:00 AM (Agudas Achim, Alexandria)

(Baby Lap Time and Growing Grasshoppers are on hiatus until after the fall holidays.)

What We Are Reading

FROM THE JEWISH FEDERATION

703-J-CARING Community Support Line
Feeling overwhelmed? Unsure about your options for support? Call 703-J-CARING: The Jewish Community Support Line (703-522-7464), to be connected with the many resources available to residents of DC, MD, and Northern VA.

Discover Local Jewish Preschools

Discover Local Jewish Religious Schools

Discover Local Jewish Day Schools

Discover Jewish Summer Camps

How to Talk to Children About Antisemitism
It’s a sad reality that even as we share holiday greetings and festive foods, we also need to offer expert advice on talking to your children about this topic.

Connect with Purpose with Your Grandchildren

FROM PJ LIBRARY

A Time to Grow

You don’t have to be an expert to get your family engaged with this month’s many Jewish holidays, but you might look like one if you download your free copy of PJ Library’s beautifully illustrated family guide to starting the Jewish New Year or check the limited supply of printed copies for sale on Amazon.com.

Sharing Family Recipes

The PJ Library home office is starting this new year with recipes from staff members’ own kitchens. The first is a grandma-honoring apple crisp with the crumby, crispy, cinnamon-sugary sweetness this new year needs. Then there’s a creative carrot soup, sweet like tzimmes and speckled with delicious pomegranate molasses.

Tikvah Means Hope Family Discussion Guide

Tikvah Means Hope by Patricia Polacco is a powerful Sukkot story with a very cute cat and unfortunate relevance for families experiencing the current wildfires and other natural disasters. PJ Library’s new family discussion guide offers ways to use this picture book as a gentle prompt for meaningful family conversation around supporting — and being supported by — your community.

Two New Years Family Discussion Guide

So many PJ Library families are fortunate enough to have connections to more than one culture. All families will benefit from this discussion guide based on an amazing new book whose author celebrates Two New Years every year.

What Is a Shofar?

Families might be familiar with the traditional horn blown on the upcoming Jewish holidays, but a new post called What Is a Shofar? has explanations and videos covering everything from who blows it and when, how it’s made, and what a shofar sounds like.

PJ OUR WAY

PJ Our Way October Choices

PJ Our Way is proud to offer four fascinating books this month. Your child can read along as Melanie struggles to choose between the popular crowd and a new Israeli friend, follow 11-year-old Yonatan as he works to get water to Jerusalem in Ancient Israel, stand up alongside Beni as he fights bullies while his brother is fights in the Yom Kippur war, and learn to throw a mean knuckleball with VJ Cohen. Learn more about each of these titles. The book selection deadline is the 10th of the month. Next help deciding? Check out these tips.

Here are two ways to get advice from noted expert Dr. Sivan Zakai on discussing the tragic situation in Israel with children:

  • Read her article in Kveller, called “How to Talk to Kids About What’s Happening in Israel Right Now.”
  • The Jewish Education Project hosted a webinar with Dr. Zakai to support adults having these challenging conversations with kids. Watch the recording here.

search iconPreschools

Is your little one ready for preschool? We hope that you are able to find a Jewish preschool to start your child on his/her Jewish journey.

search iconDay Schools

Provide your child(ren) with the building blocks for their Jewish future. Explore the options for area day schools and whether they are a good option for your child(ren).

Family-Friendly Volunteer Opportunities

Helping out as a family is a wonderful way for everyone to do a Mitzvah! Jconnect can help you find family-friendly volunteer opportunities. 

Family-Friendly Events Cosponsored by PJ Library in Greater Washington

Story Time at Capital Jewish Museum: Hodaya

Thursday, November 14, 2024 | 10:00 am - 11:00 am

Wheelchair Accessible

Shabbat Family Jam with Morah Ariel

Saturday, November 16, 2024 | 11:00 am - 12:00 pm

Wheelchair Accessible

Sing-a-Long with the Hazzan

Sunday, November 17, 2024 | 11:00 am - 11:45 am

Shabbat Family Jam with Morah Ariel

Saturday, November 23, 2024 | 11:00 am - 12:00 pm

Wheelchair Accessible

Gan Shabbat with Morah Jen

Saturday, December 7, 2024 | 11:00 am - 12:00 pm

Wheelchair Accessible

Story Time at CJM: Add Your Light to the World

Thursday, December 12, 2024 | 10:00 am - 11:00 am

Wheelchair Accessible

Shabbat Family Jam with Morah Ariel

Saturday, December 14, 2024 | 11:00 am - 12:00 pm

Wheelchair Accessible

Sing-a-Long with the Hazzan

Sunday, December 15, 2024 | 11:00 am - 11:45 am

Shabbat Family Jam with Morah Ariel

Saturday, December 21, 2024 | 11:00 am - 12:00 pm

Wheelchair Accessible

Shabbat Family Jam with Morah Ariel

Saturday, January 11, 2025 | 11:00 am - 12:00 pm

Wheelchair Accessible

Shabbat Family Jam with Morah Ariel

Saturday, January 25, 2025 | 11:00 am - 12:00 pm

Wheelchair Accessible

Gan Shabbat with Morah Jen

Saturday, February 1, 2025 | 11:00 am - 12:00 pm

Wheelchair Accessible

Shabbat Family Jam with Morah Ariel

Saturday, February 8, 2025 | 11:00 am - 12:00 pm

Wheelchair Accessible

Shabbat Family Jam with Morah Ariel

Saturday, February 22, 2025 | 11:00 am - 12:00 pm

Wheelchair Accessible

Gan Shabbat with Morah Jen

Saturday, March 1, 2025 | 11:00 am - 12:00 pm

Wheelchair Accessible

Shabbat Family Jam with Morah Ariel

Saturday, March 8, 2025 | 11:00 am - 12:00 pm

Wheelchair Accessible