Donor Spotlight: Danielle and Reid Capalino

PJ Library books offer one family a path to Jewish learning and inspire them to carry on a legacy of giving.

By Netanya Thompson, Senior Manager of Annual Giving and Donor Relations

This story appeared in the summer 2026 issue of PROOF, a PJ Library magazine.

Danielle and Reid Capalinoʼs son Rex has received PJ Library books since he was a baby.
PHOTOS BY JAMI SAUNDERS

When Danielle Capalino reflects on what motivates her, she thinks about her grandfather.

Joseph Gurwin arrived alone in the US after parting from his family in Lithuania as a teenager in the 1930s. He found success as a textile manufacturer and became a prominent philanthropist. After losing his parents during the Holocaust, Joseph dedicated himself to strengthening Jewish life through charitable support to Jewish organizations in the US and Israel. He hoped to ensure that future generations of Jews would be cared for and protected.

“Jewish philanthropy was the most important thing in his life,” Danielle shares. “He wanted to make sure the Holocaust could never happen again. He wanted to take care of Jewish people in the way he knew how.”

Danielle and her husband, Reid, are now carrying on her grandfatherʼs legacy as supporters of PJ Library. Their 8-year-old son, Rex, started receiving PJ Library books when he was a baby. Getting a new book in the mail each month has become an exciting tradition for the whole family. Already avid readers, the Capalinos say that because of PJ Library, their book collection now includes a wide variety of vibrant and diverse Jewish children’s literature that they probably wouldn’t have discovered otherwise.

Danielle didn’t grow up with the same exposure to Jewish children’s books. “PJ Library simply didn’t exist yet,” she says. “So seeing Rex grow up with this kind of access to Jewish stories feels very different and very meaningful.”

Danielle and Reid say the books have nurtured their son’s growing interest in Jewish learning and identity. After attending nursery school at a synagogue, Rex wanted to continue his Jewish education in religious school. “Rex has a much broader and richer knowledge of Jewish customs and values than he would otherwise,” Reid says.

For Reid, who didn’t grow up in a Jewish family, reading PJ Library books with Rex has offered a shared entry point into Jewish tradition that has benefited them both. “The books cover a wide range of topics and are very accessible,” Reid says. “They make Jewish customs and values understandable not just for kids but for parents too.”

After Danielle’s grandfather passed away in 2009, her family continued to carry on his philanthropic work — and they were especially inspired to give to organizations that had impacted them personally. “Supporting PJ Library is an extension of our commitment to Jewish philanthropy with a focus on children, and that became very relevant for us after becoming parents,” Danielle says.

The Capalinos are passionate about making it possible for other children and families to experience PJ Library. “What’s important to me is being able to think beyond just ourselves,” Danielle explains. “It’s meaningful to know that these books are reaching families in rural communities and other countries who wouldn’t otherwise have access to them.”

Danielle and Reid already see Rex carrying forward the values of his grandparents and great-grandparents — the same values found in his PJ Library books: integrity, compassion for others, curiosity about the world, and commitment to giving back. In that way, PJ Library has become part of their family’s Jewish legacy — one passed carefully from generation to generation.