I grew up Jewish in Los Angeles, surrounded by books and by the voices of adults who believed that reading together mattered. Some of my earliest sensory memories are of my parents reading to me, and one story that always stuck out was Simms Taback’s Joseph Had a Little Overcoat. I can still picture the illustrations, hear the rhythm of the words, and feel the sense of closeness that came from being wrapped up in a story that was both playful and deeply rooted in our Jewish heritage. At the time, I didn’t have language for it, but those moments were helping to form my understanding of identity, values, and belonging.

Years later, when my daughter Maya was born, those memories came rushing back in an unexpected way. Without my knowing, my aunt had signed us up to receive books from PJ Library. For those that don’t know, PJ Library is a free program supported by the Harold Grinspoon Foundation and local partner organizations (in our case, The Jewish Federation!) that sends Jewish-themed books to families raising Jewish children each month. When our first book arrived in the mail, I opened the package and found myself suddenly emotional. There it was – that same book from my childhood – now sitting on my own family’s shelf. In that moment, I felt the magic of what PJ Library offers: continuity, connection, and the opportunity to create ordinary moments that become sacred memories.

Sharing PJ Library books with Maya has been one of the most meaningful parts of our Jewish life as a family. Even at just one year old, she knows exactly what she’s looking for. She’ll paw through the stack of books on the shelf, rejecting each one until she lands on a favorite – maybe I Like Your Chutzpah or My Face Book. She lights up when she reaches the page with the “mishpocha” or the little girl making a silly face. Watching her delight in those moments has become one of my greatest joys as a parent. My background as an elementary school teacher taught me the power of exposing children to stories that act as both windows into other identities and cultures, and mirrors of their own. In my own family, PJ Library gives us these mirrors — stories that reflect our Jewish experience and our shared values of kindness, curiosity, and community. The Jewish Federation of the Greater San Gabriel and Pomona Valleys makes this experience possible for my own family, and for so many others like ours. For that, I am eternally grateful.

Since August, I have been fortunate enough to take on the role of our Jewish Federation’s PJ Library and PJ Our Way Program Director. I spend my days at our office in Monrovia and out in the field, connecting with our subscribers, and planning community programs for our families that are relaxed, meaningful, and joyful. It has been such a special experience so far, and each day I am reminded of my “why”. I know what it feels like to receive this gift, and I know how transformative it can be. PJ Library helped me reconnect with my own Jewish memories while creating new ones with my daughter. Now, I feel lucky to pay that gift forward, made possible by our Jewish Federation – by strengthening our community, nurturing connection, and helping share stories and programming that spark belonging for the next generation of Jewish families.