The Newsfeed
There’s always plenty going on at PJ Library. Here’s a quick roundup of the latest news and events.
This story appeared in the summer 2026 issue of PROOF, a PJ Library magazine.
PJ Library welcomed New York City families for the first Jewish Children’s Book Festival, featuring music, workshops, and beautiful books to browse.
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE HAROLD GRINSPOON FOUNDATION
PJ Library’s First Jewish Children’s Book Festival
More than 2,000 children, parents, and grandparents packed New York City’s 92nd Street Y (92NY) in January for PJ Library’s first-ever Jewish Children’s Book Festival. With support from UJA-Federation of New York and 92NY, PJ Library’s New York team welcomed families for a day of Jewish stories, culture, and creativity, featuring workshops and read-alouds with PJ Library authors, upbeat musical performances by Grammy Award winner Joanie Leeds, and hands-on art activities.
Families explored a vibrant book shuk (market), where they had the opportunity to browse books reflecting the diversity of Jewish life and identity; attendees took home more than 8,000 books. Parents and grandparents also enjoyed the chance to discover books for themselves, thanks to the generosity of the Jewish Book Council.
“This event was a love letter to the PJ Library community in New York,” says Meara Ashtivker, director of PJ Library in New York. “We are helping families find time to be together to delight in the joy of Jewish books.”
— By Rachel Zaimont
Families will receive PJ Library holiday guides based on the age of their oldest child.
Holiday Guides at the Right Time
Starting in August, PJ Library will roll out a novel way of delivering our full suite of family holiday guides — including the new A Time to Gather and A Palace in Time — so that each family receives the right guide at the right time for their oldest child’s age and stage.
A family whose oldest child is 5, for example, may receive Passover resources by mail in March, including PJ Library’s spring holidays guide, A Time to Gather. The guide takes families on a joyful journey from Passover through Shavuot, featuring stories, recipes, and family challenges. A Palace in Time, to be distributed to families whose oldest child is 3, is an immersive, interactive exploration of Shabbat that helps families craft their own weekly practices.
“These guides give families a curated path for Jewish growth — one that meets them where they are, year after year,” says Jessica McCormick, PJ Library’s director of family experience. “We’re proud to offer so many ways for each family to shape their own unique Jewish experience.”
— By Danny Paller
The team designed versions of the doll for Israeli Jewish and Israeli Arab classrooms.
PHOTO COURTESY OF KEREN GRINSPOON ISRAEL
A Friend in Israeli Classrooms
Keren Grinspoon Israel (KGI) organized a profound response for Israeli families after October 7; the team donated thousands of books, delivered activity kits to families in shelters, and hosted online story-hour programs children could access anywhere. But the team also began planning beyond families’ immediate needs. What more could they do to help young children struggling with the long-term — and repeated — impacts of war?
One answer? The Pijama Doll (a nod to Sifriyat Pijama, Hebrew for PJ Library). Recognizing that teachers’ roles are more complex in times of war, KGI designed a classroom doll that teachers could use to address difficult topics with children. The doll debuted in 3,000 kindergarten classrooms in 2025, and teachers also received educational prompts to help children see the doll as a form of emotional support.
“Our goal is to provide a warm new space where young children can feel safe,” says Andrea Arbel, KGI’s executive director. “The doll is a friend they can hug when they need a hug, a friend to whom they can whisper their inner feelings with no questions asked. If we help one child feel more secure, then we made a whole world feel better.”
— By Rachel Zaimont
Celebrating 2 Million PJ Our Way Books
PJ Our Way marked a major milestone this past January: The PJ Library program for tweens ages 9-12 mailed its 2 millionth book! Since 2016, PJ Our Way has encouraged middle-grade readers to choose their own monthly book from a set of curated titles and engaged participants with kid-generated book reviews, videos, and polls. One lucky subscriber in Philadelphia received the 2 millionth book: a copy of Pickled Watermelon by Esty Schachter.
“It’s incredible to think about 2 million Jewish middle-grade books in homes across the US and Canada,” says Jamie Light, deputy director of PJ Library. “I am thrilled that we have been able to engage so many middle graders through PJ Our Way.”
— By Naomi Barnett
PJ Library Podcasts Hit 2 Million Downloads
In 2019, PJ Library created a first-of-its-kind podcast, Have I Got a Story for You! The award-winning show featured contemporary retellings of classic Jewish stories and inspired us to create PJ Library Presents, an entire network of podcasts rooted in Jewish tradition, history, and culture. Our flagship shows, Beyond the Bookcase and Afternoons with Mimi, have racked up honors, award nominations, and notes of appreciation like this one from the Gillette-Scharf family: “Our whole family loves the show. We’ve listened all the way through multiple times.”
In April, PJ Library podcasts surpassed 2 million downloads! That’s 2 million moments of original Jewish storytelling shared by families around the world. Production is now underway for Season 6 of both Beyond the Bookcase and Afternoons with Mimi. To learn more and to listen, visit pjlibrary.org/podcast.
— By Alli Thresher