Building Belonging Through PJ Library

May 12, 2026 | Events

PJ Library books do more than fill family bookshelves. They help spark Jewish conversations, build relationships, and create meaningful connections between families and community.

At this year’s PJ Library International Conference, two Baltimore parent connectors reflected on the ways Jewish belonging grows through storytelling, friendship, and small moments of welcome.

Finding Jewish Connection Through PJ Library

Ellie Batkhan, Beth Am Synagogue Parent Partner Connector, attended the conference through her work with the Jewish Connection Network and reflected on her own journey back into Jewish communal life as a parent. Ellie spent years working professionally in Jewish engagement and organizing community gatherings throughout Baltimore. Parenthood later gave her a new perspective on what community-building can look like.

“At the time, we had no CRM to track engagement or map the relationships being formed,” Ellie shared. “What existed instead was a living network of people connected through trust, invitations, and repeated moments of welcome.”

The Relationships That Matter Most

Conference conversations often focused on practical questions. Participants discussed accessible event spaces, family-friendly timing, and ways to make gatherings feel welcoming for exhausted parents balancing the realities of raising young children. But for Ellie, the deeper takeaway centered on relationships.

“What makes the difference is not simply the event itself but rather the relational bridge into it,” she reflected. “It could be someone remembering your child’s name, saving you a seat or texting afterward to say they were glad you came.”

Stories That Stay With Families

Jenna Lessans, Krieger Schechter Day School Partner Connector, shared how PJ Library has been woven into her family’s story across multiple moves, seasons of parenting, and chapters of life. After moving away from Baltimore for her husband’s job, PJ Library books became a familiar and comforting part of home while building new community in unfamiliar places.

While living in Atlanta, Jenna met a local PJ Library connector named Pam, who welcomed her with friendship and support during pregnancy and early parenthood. Years later, at the international conference, the two reunited.

“When I walked into the conference, I saw Pam from Atlanta,” Jenna shared. “I told her how grateful I was for her friendship years ago as a young parent in a new city. Now, I have the chance to give back and help parents in Baltimore build meaningful relationships with one another.”

Today, both Ellie and Jenna help create spaces where families can build those same meaningful connections through PJ Library programming and family engagement in Baltimore. Their reflections highlight something at the heart of Jewish community-building: belonging often grows through small, personal moments of care and connection.

PJ Library books may arrive one story at a time, but the relationships they inspire can last for years.