PJ Library, a program of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation (HGF), is one of the most, if not the single-most, successful Jewish engagement programs since Birthright, as it brings Judaism into households and brings young Jewish families together through shared experiences. Across central Indiana, nearly 2,000 Jewish households have benefited from this program since the program launched locally in 2009. More than 100,000 books have been read to instill Jewish values in children and inspire parents and grandparents to be a child’s first Jewish educator.

Jewish Federation News regularly highlights PJ Library programming, showcasing the various opportunities available to the more than 550 currently enrolled families. The books and programming through PJ Library represent low-barrier entry points into the Jewish community for families and children. Beyond that, the program builds closer bonds between grandparents, parents, and children and helps interfaith parents find common language and values through a Jewish lens.

Locally, no family has supported this program more than Alan and Linda Cohen. The Cohens have supported PJ Library programming and book distribution since the program started in Indianapolis in 2009.

The newly minted grandparents were “looking for programmatic causes to help fund in [Indianapolis],” said Lauren Edmundson, the daughter of Alan and Linda. “Children’s books that incorporated Jewish themes seemed like a great fit for our family to support.”

From day one, the Cohens and their family were able to participate in and experience this program first-hand.

Thanks to the generous support of the Cohen family for more than a decade, hundreds of households are engaged each year in Jewish programming and have shelves full of PJ Library books. These books can often also be found at many local synagogues and with JFGI itself.

Today, JFGI is proud to announce its participation in the HGF PJ Library Endowment Initiative, to ensure this program remains a staple across central Indiana for generations to come. Now through April 2025, HGF has committed to matching 25 percent of all funds raised to support the PJ Library Endowment as well as provide additional funds for any legacy gifts in which PJ Library is a beneficiary.

Earlier this year, the Cohen family committed to endowing their own support of the PJ Library program with a transformational lead gift for the initiative.

When asked about their experience and what led them to make this tremendous contribution, the family came back to the original vision, stating “it was such a simple way to incorporate Jewish education into our kids’ lives when it worked for our schedule.”

Edmundson recalled the books opening dialogue about many aspects of Judaism and also “taking my three small boys for story time at the JCC, painting ceramic menorahs, and making matzah at the matzah bakery.”

These and other programs have continued to make PJ Library a critical piece of the Indianapolis Jewish community, and the family feels it is “so wonderful to see and hear from the community how much this program means to so many families,” she said.

In honor of their years of commitment to PJ Library and now their endowed support of the program, JFGI is proud to announce that Alan and Linda Cohen will be honored at this month’s legacy celebration with the Or L’Dor Award, recognizing them as “a light unto the generations” for their generosity toward and belief in the community.

Thanks to the Cohens, JFGI is well on its way to achieving its goal, and now looks to the rest of the community to reach the finish line. Join the Cohen family and the dozens of other families who have already made commitments to the PJ Library Endowment by making a gift toward this fund or including PJ Library in your estate plans. Your support of this initiative represents an investment in the Jewish community’s future and your recognition of the importance of instilling Jewish values and sustaining Jewish relationships. Beyond that, it shows you share the belief that children with strong Jewish identities will become parents with strong Jewish identities, and that, as the Cohens say, “we can ensure that children in central Indiana will continue to benefit from the books and events for many years to come.”

Help shape the community's future by investing in the children and young families of today and tomorrow.

Help write the next chapter of central Indiana’s PJ Library story by making a cash gift or legacy commitment to the PJ Library Endowment.

Help ensure that every Jewish child and household can receive PJ Library books and resources, form a stronger Jewish identity by learning Jewish values, and establish deeper relationships as families and peers by sharing Jewish experiences.

Contact Brian Hoffman at bhoffman@jfgi.org for more information on how you can support the PJ Library Endowment for Greater Indianapolis