Jewish families, neighbors, and friends have enjoyed more than 10,000 gatherings since September, from holiday meals and rituals to crafting and volunteering
In just six months, PJ Library’s Get Together microgrant program has distributed more than $1 million directly to Jewish families across North America, fueling over 10,000 small group gatherings and marking a dramatic expansion of the program’s reach and impact.
The Get Together program provides $100 microgrants to PJ Library subscriber families in the United States and Canada who host at least two other Jewish families for gatherings centered on Jewish holidays, values, or traditions. The program was streamlined and relaunched in September 2025 to make participation easier and more accessible, and the response was immediate.
“In Jewish tradition, community is essential. The popularity of our Get Together microgrants indicates just how much Jewish families from all different backgrounds and experiences are eager to embrace opportunities to meet up,” said Jessica McCormick, director of Family Experience at PJ Library. “Families tell us that they’ve connected with neighbors and friends for Rosh Hashanah apple picking, Hanukkah sufganiyot (jelly donut) tastings, challah baking, Havdalah ceremonies, neighborhood clean-ups, and so much more. PJ Library provides families with the tools, framework, and now, incentive to put Jewish traditions and values into action. These grants make it easier for families to celebrate in community.”
A Dramatic Increase in Participation
The fall relaunch of the Get Together program saw a simplified process to make it even easier for families to secure the $100 grant. Within a few months, participation nearly doubled from the prior year. Participants held more than 8,000 gatherings between September and December 2025 alone, and the organization directly granted families $800,000 to host Jewish celebrations. The most popular uses for the grants included High Holiday season activities (23 percent), Shabbat and Havdalah gatherings (31 percent), and Hanukkah celebrations (26 percent). Throughout fall 2025, nearly 2,500 families hosted a Get Together for the first time, with more than 5,000 hosts organizing more than one Get Together. So far in 2026, more than 2,000 grants have been issued, marking a continued rise from the previous year.
Local Impact: Bergen County, N.J.
In Bergen County, N.J., one of the original pilot communities for Get Together in 2016, families hosted 146 gatherings in the fall of 2025 alone, bringing $14,600 directly into homes for Jewish celebrations.
“Buying kosher food is expensive, and hosting people is expensive,” said Miriam Pedler, director of Early Childhood for the Kaplen JCC on the Palisades and a local PJ Library partner. “To be able to do this in a way that is slightly less stressful is a helpful tool to be proud Jewish participants in our community. It also means that for those with less means, it’s a chance to feel connected, and like they belong.”
Pedler added that even in highly engaged communities, the grant adds intentionality. She noted that the $100 Get Together grant “helps families center their gathering around a Jewish theme and motivates them to talk about what it means to have a Jewish gathering. Get Together helps keep the Jewish values front and center, intentional, and not only routine.”
Meeting a Documented Need
The approach behind the Get Together microgrant program aligns with recommendations from the 2025 Jewish Families Today report, which urged funders to “launch microgrant programs to empower families to create unique Jewish home experiences.” PJ Library’s own research shows that families, particularly those less connected to formal Jewish institutions, benefit most from accessible, parent-led Jewish engagement.
“In our most recent triennial study, we found that PJ Library has the largest impact on the families who need accessible, parent-led Jewish engagement the most,” McCormick said. “They want tools that ground their children in Jewish identity, develop empathy, and help them engage with core values. They get this from PJ Library’s books, holiday guides and web resources. And, the Get Together grants help them turn that learning into action, by inviting other Jewish families to experience holidays, celebrations, and activities in community.”
PJ Library subscribers are eligible to receive a $100 Get Together up to five times in a calendar year. The program allows families to host two to 10 other Jewish families and receive reimbursement after submitting a brief narrative report. No receipts are required. The Get Together grants are open to all active PJ Library subscribers in the United States and Canada. Families can visit pjlibrary.org to enroll, and existing subscribers can check their email for instructions on participating in the Get Together program.
About PJ Library
PJ Library inspires joyful Jewish experiences by sending free storybooks and activities to families with children ages 0–12 and offering ways to connect with community. The program was founded in 2005 by the Harold Grinspoon Foundation (HGF) and, with the support of generous donors and partners, now distributes more than 650,000 books in seven languages to children in over 40 countries every month. The PJ Library family experience is built around the monthly storybooks and also includes family-focused holiday guides and other free gifts. Anyone who visits PJ Library’s website can hear original storytelling podcasts and explore a vast collection of Jewish parenting resources. The program welcomes families across the diversity of Jewish life. Learn more or sign up for monthly children’s books at pjlibrary.org.