PJ Library is the organisation that brings stories of Jewish life to children around the world; discover more ahead of International Children’s Book Day on 2nd April.
We all enjoy receiving personal mail (anything that comes through the post which isn’t a bill is a nice surprise), but when a child gets a delivery from the postman addressed to them by name, it’s especially exciting. For 8,000 children across the UK, that excitement comes courtesy of PJ Library – a programme dedicated to facilitating family conversations around Jewish life, faith, and tradition.
PJ Library recently celebrated 10 years of sending age-appropriate books to families raising Jewish children. Director of Community Engagement, Sara Kibel, explains that the organisation is about more than distributing books: “We’re not just a literary programme. We’re about sparking Jewish conversation in the home.”
The programme’s reach extends across the whole of the UK. The books arrive monthly and each one is carefully selected to be age-appropriate, from board books with half a dozen words for babies to more complex storytelling for older children. It’s completely free and families wanting to sign up simply need to provide a name, address, and date of birth.
PJ Library remains committed to providing physical books in an increasingly digital age: “We’ve been asked repeatedly about moving online or creating an app, but our answer is always a flat ‘no’. Real books are here to stay. You’re not going to replace storytelling at bedtime with an iPad.”
Part of a global operation present in 41 countries and seven languages, PJ Library partners with 45 publishers and sends 640,000 books worldwide every month. As the programme has expanded and the quality of the books has improved, PJ Library has become a publisher in its own right. Each book features a Jewish element, whether focusing on holidays or traditions, but they’re always engaging stories and not just purely educational texts. A Chanukah book, for example, might be a funny story about candles or dreidels rather than simply explaining the festival.
Every book includes educational flaps on the front and back, detailing the Jewish values being explored and suggesting activities families can do together. This feature gives parents the tools to become educators in their own homes. If a book arrives about a tradition or custom they’re unfamiliar with, the flaps provide a quick way to educate themselves alongside their children.
Central to the PJ Library ethos is the concept of “windows and mirrors”; the mirrors aspect means that Jewish children can see themselves reflected in the books they read, while the windows element offers glimpses into other kinds of Jewish life: “We have a really strong Sephardic initiative, meaning there are lots of migration stories and diverse Jewish narratives – even stories about Chanukah in Alaska. The aim is to show that Judaism isn’t monolithic but a rich tapestry of different traditions and experiences.”
Beyond home delivery, PJ Library works with 31 Jewish primary schools across the UK, providing books and resources for classroom use. The organisation also runs postcode partnerships to help families connect with local communities, mother-and-baby groups, and events like Purim parties. Independent reports have shown that families are doing more Jewish activities at home as a result of receiving the books, from making challah to exploring traditions they might not have engaged with otherwise.
There’s a permanent PJ Library at The Fed – a pop-down to the community centre to start your PJ journey!
Families interested in joining the programme can sign up online at pjlibrary.org.uk.
Fast Facts
- Since 2015, more than 21,000 Jewish children have received PJ Library books.
- More than 8,300 Jewish children are currently enrolled across more than 6,300 households.
- In an independent survey, 93% said that PJ Library has supported their family in having conversations about Jewish traditions, values, and customs.
- 75% said the programme is an important parenting tool for them.
