PJ Library Bay Area
Reading stories together that connect us to Jewish culture, values, and tradition.
PJ Library® and PJ Our Way™ send free, age-appropriate, high-quality books to families each month. Through PJ Library, parents can create a special time with their children through 8 years old to learn about and appreciate their Jewish customs and traditions. But the magic of free books doesn't stop as kids grow. With PJ Our Way™, the program grows with them! Kids ages 9-12 can choose their own free chapter book or graphic novel each month.
Beyond the books, we offer holiday events, family meet-ups, opportunities for volunteering, and many more ways to connect with the values in the stories and the people in our community. We hope to see you soon!
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Research has shown that experiences in the first five years establish the basis of a child's Jewish sense of self.
Our community is committed to Jewish early childhood education and has responded to this need through the Bay Area’s Early Childhood Education Initiative, launched in 2007. We are dedicated to addressing the needs of the youngest members of our community and their families.
PJ Library® is a program of the Early Childhood and Family Engagement Initiative of the Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund, with support from the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, the Albert and Janet Schultz PJ Library Fund, the Alexander M. and June L. Maisin Foundation, the Newton and Rochelle Becker Charitable Trust, and other generous local funders. Thank you to the Libitzky Family Foundation, a supporting organization of the Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund.
PJ Library®, for kids through the age of 8 years old.
PJ Library sends free Jewish children's books to families across the Bay Area every month. We know that something magical happens when parents sit down together to read with their children. PJ Library shares Jewish stories that can help your family talk together about values and traditions that are important to you.
Through guides on book flaps, online resources, and local engagement programming, PJ Library empowers parents to create their own Jewish practices that are meaningful and resonant.
Families with kids through 8 years old with Judaism as part of their lives are welcome to sign up. PJ Library welcomes all Jewish families, whatever your background, knowledge, family make-up, or observance may be.
Sign Up for PJ Library
PJ Our Way™, for kids 9–12 years old
PJ Our Way offers the gift of free chapter books and graphic novels with Jewish themes that kids get to choose themselves. Every month, from the 1st – 10th, kids visit this website to choose a book from a selection of four high-quality titles that have been reviewed by a panel of PJ educators, parents, and kids. To make the choice easier, every title offered comes with a synopsis and author bios, ratings and reviews, and video trailers. Kids can also take polls and quizzes, participate in monthly interviews and challenges, and comment on blog posts.
The PJ Our Way site is a completely safe and moderated space, perfect for acclimating older kids to using the web independently. Each title has a parent guide that provides family discussion questions and identifies values or topics in the book, as well as any content advisories you or your child should know before making a selection.
Kids ages 8.5–12 need to sign up online
Listen to PJ Library Radio
PJ Library Radio brings fun, kid-centric, Jewish music to your family’s mobile and streaming devices.
PJ Library on YouTube
Need a good story read-along to watch during a long trip? How about 20 minutes worth of Jewish music to enjoy in the car? Or a quick primer on a Jewish holiday? A visit to a falafel restaurant? You can find all of that and more on PJ Library’s YouTube channel.
PJ Library on Spotify
Listen to your favorite secular and Jewish musical artists in over 30 playlists for specific themes including Jewish holidays, PJ Library books, and even values like tikkun olam.
PJ Library Podcast: Have I Got a Story For You
Every episode of Have I Got a Story For You takes a classic Jewish folk tale and gives it a modern twist. When you find an episode you really like, be sure to click on the episode page to find activities and book lists to keep the fun going.
Subscribe to the PJ Library podcast on Apple, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Watch full episodes of Shaboom!
Shaboom! is an animated series for Jewish kids and the people who love them. Learn More
There are a multitude of resources for families with young children in the Bay Area.
Seeking local family-friendly events?
Visit our online community calendar.
Want to connect with other families?
Jewish Baby Network is for Bay Area expecting parents and families with at least one child age newborn through 3 years of age.
Need regional resources?
Join the Sprout East Bay or Kesher Marin Facebook groups for Jewish educational resources, as well as opportunities to meet other parents and explore Jewish life near you.
Looking for a Jewish preschool?
Check out this list of local preschools near you, and learn about preschool scholarships offered by the Federation.
Thinking about summer camp?
The Federation supports scholarship and grant opportunities for a variety of camp experiences, including overnight camp, day camp, and family specialty camps. You can also learn all about our wonderful Bay Area Jewish overnight camps at a new centralized online hub – the Bay Area Jewish Camp Collective.
