PJ Library: Free Jewish Books That Raise Curious Kids

What is PJ Library, exactly?

PJ Library is one of the simplest, most beloved on-ramps into Jewish family life: sign up online, and once a month a free, beautifully illustrated book (or, for the youngest kids, sometimes a board book or a bit of music) shows up in your mailbox. The books cover holidays, Jewish values, Israel, biblical stories, and everyday life with a Jewish thread running through it — but they’re written and selected to be genuinely enjoyable stories first, not lessons in disguise.

The program was created by the Harold Grinspoon Foundation and has grown into one of the most widely used family Jewish-engagement programs in North America, delivered in partnership with local Jewish Federations, foundations, and community organizations city by city. Because of that funding model, families generally don’t pay for the books directly — it’s a gift from the community to the community.

Who is PJ Library actually for?

This is the heart of what makes PJ Library special: it was built for every kind of Jewish household. Interfaith families, secular families, families connected to a synagogue, families with no synagogue at all, adoptive families, and grandparents raising Jewish grandchildren all use PJ Library exactly the same way. There’s no religious test, no denominational box to check, and no expectation about how observant your home is. If there’s a child in your life you’re raising with any connection to Jewish identity or curiosity about it, PJ Library is built for you.

That inclusivity is exactly why we’re highlighting it here — HeimishMart exists for the full range of Jewish family life, and PJ Library is one of the most accessible front doors into it. Pair it with a look at local Jewish family events or the family-friendly institutions listed on our Community Explorer to round out the experience.

How the books actually help kids (and parents)

Building a Jewish bookshelf without the pressure

For a lot of parents — especially those who didn’t grow up with much formal Jewish education themselves — PJ Library takes the pressure off. You don’t need to know the holidays cold or have a plan for “how we’re doing Judaism” in your house. The book arrives, you read it together, and a conversation about Jewish life happens naturally, at whatever depth feels right for your family.

A shared experience across a whole generation

Because so many Jewish families across North America receive the same monthly title, PJ Library books have become a genuine shared cultural touchstone — kids compare favorite titles at school, at camp, and at the JCC, the same way a popular TV show might come up in conversation.

PJ Our Way for bigger kids

As children age out of picture books, PJ Our Way lets older elementary and middle-school-age kids choose their own book each month from a curated list, building reading independence alongside Jewish identity.

How to sign up

Enrollment happens directly through the PJ Library website: you provide your child’s age and mailing address, and books start arriving on a regular schedule based on age-appropriate content. Because local Federations and foundations often help fund PJ Library in a given city, availability and specific enrollment details can vary a little by location — but the core program spans communities across the United States, Canada, and beyond.

If you’re new to an area and wondering what other Jewish family resources exist locally — preschools, camps, playgroups — browsing local listings or checking upcoming Jewish events is a great next step after signing up.

Beyond the books: building community around reading

Many local Jewish communities build programming around PJ Library — story times at the JCC, holiday-themed PJ Library meetups, or partnerships with local libraries and preschools. If you’re a parent looking to meet other families doing the same thing, these gatherings are often listed alongside other communal happenings. And if you’re an educator, librarian, or program coordinator running PJ Library-adjacent events, our Add a Listing tool is an easy way to get the word out to local families.

For families relocating and trying to find a home near strong Jewish family infrastructure, it’s worth factoring PJ Library availability, nearby JCCs, and preschool options into your search — our real estate and rentals listings can help you scope out neighborhoods with active Jewish family life. And if you’re looking for work in Jewish early-childhood education or family programming, check our Jobs board.

Why it matters

A book in a child’s hands is a small thing, but multiplied across hundreds of thousands of homes, PJ Library has quietly become one of the most effective, lowest-barrier ways to build Jewish identity and connection in the next generation — no denomination, no dues, no assumptions about your family’s practice. That’s a value HeimishMart shares completely: meet families where they are, and make Jewish life easy to step into.

By the HeimishMart Community Desk — HeimishMart is the community marketplace for Jewish homes, jobs, and local life across North America.