Hi all, just sharing an opportunity that I saw on Facebook from PJ Library, a nonprofit that sends out Jewish books to kids. It's for their new College Storytellers Cohort.

Copying and pasting what I saw, I am not affiliated outside of being Facebook friends with the person who's organizing this...

PJ Library has launched the College Storytellers Fellowship, a paid, year-long fellowship for 10-15 undergraduate and graduate students across North America who are interested in writing Jewish picture books.

From October 2026 through July 2027, fellows will:

• Develop and revise an original Jewish picture book manuscript
• Participate in monthly virtual workshops
• Receive feedback from peers and mentors
• Meet authors, illustrators, editors, literary agents, and publishers
• Explore careers in children's publishing and the Jewish nonprofit world
• Build lasting friendships with fellow storytellers

Fellows will also receive:

• A $1,000 stipend
• A fully funded overnight trip to New York City (January 2027)
• The opportunity to have their manuscript considered by PJ Library (participation does not guarantee publication)

Eligibility:

We're looking for undergraduate and graduate students who are: 

• Enrolled at a North American college or university during the 2026–27 academic year  
• Passionate about Jewish stories and children's books  
• Excited to learn, collaborate, and grow as writers  
• Able to participate in monthly virtual programming and the in-person event
• No previous publishing experience required

Applications are open now and due September 22, 2026.

Learn more + apply:
https://airtable.com/app9FyefIsUIFyXTO/pagMvlPjoW1NjhsoP/form

Good luck! I don't know anything so can't respond to messages haha sorry, just sharing!!

I was in a rut last year, and I realized it had been years since I had really taken Shabbat seriously.

Just staying off my phone during Shabbat made a world of difference! I even inspired my 2 kids to join. We've had phone-free Shabbat dinners for 6 months.

Turns out the ancients knew what they were talking about...

I live in rural Arkansas and want to know if there is anyone else in Cleburne County who would want to get together for Torah study. Obviously if it was on Shabbos it would require driving, but I would not be averse to another day/evening.

EDIT: open to a group Zoom too

I recall hearing about a service where someone can call a number from a flip phone to set up a ride share trip without needing any ride share apps. Does anyone know the name or number of this service? I know about 1-833-USE-UBER, but I think there was a service tailored specifically for the Jewish community.

Thanks!

Former agnostic, current Noahide and potential future Jew here. I've been struggling with alcohol for a long time and I have a liver disease to where I really need to quit for the sake of my health. I've been talking to my doctor and she's going to set me up for an outpatient medicated detox later this month, but during the first five days I'm sober she wants me to attend as many AA meetings as I can humanly make it to.

The Jewish community where I live is small. There's the Reconstructionist temple I attend, a Chabad center (which I've never been to because I know I'll never be halachically Jewish in their eyes), and that's it. I've done AA here in the past, and the meetings here are overwhelmingly Christian, and it's almost a universal part of a meeting that the group says the Lord's Prayer out loud. I don't have any objection to respecting other people's beliefs and I know there's nothing stopping me from being silent while the rest of the group recites that prayer, but I'd like to be able to say (or at least think) something during this portion of the meeting that's more relevant to a Jewish POV.

Does anyone know of an established blessing for sobriety or recovery that I can say to myself?

I met this person I knew since I was a kid after many years. I call her “aunt”. She went to Israel when she was 22 to work and returned back home when she was like 35-40. She is also a non- Jewish person. I know there’s lot of hate and anti- semitism going on all over the world so I asked her about her life in Israel.

To my surprise, she said Jewish people are the most smart, intellectual and kind hearted people in the world. I think she worked as a caretaker, but I’m not sure. She is considered pretty rich in my country. Millions invested and makes few hundred K every month ( local currency) and lives like a queen. She says her former employer was very kind and taught her everything about life, parenting, finance and everything. She also gave me few valuable life lessons I had never thought before. Every year her former employer or the “household” they send her gifts that are not available in my country.

Sorry for my English. No ai used. I guess my point is Jewish people are not as evil as the world or social
Media usually portrays. I have a huge respect and admiration of Jewish people. I wish you all the best.

Rosh Hashanah is right around the corner! I’m trying to pull together a list of food traditions from different Jewish communities around the world. I know the main ones, like apple in honey, fish head, pomegranate seeds, carrots, and dates. Im looking for ones that are specific to a Jewish community from somewhere around the world. If you have one, please comment it below! And try to include where it’s from, the meaning behind it, and the recipe if possible. Thanks all! Shanah Tovah!

Hi,so the high holidays are coming up and I wanted to know what to do for the high holidays and when you’re alone,you have no friends and family is deceased,and you have social anxiety?

Interested to hear thoughts.

Online non-Jewish, Native American friend who knew several holocaust survivors who are now deceased. Wants to know what prayer (presumably a Jewish prayer) to say for them. What should I tell her?

I was wrongfully terminated in December for requesting religious accommodation for Shabbat/Sabbath. I'm attempting to go through the EEOC for all of that, but it's getting nowhere. I still haven't been able to secure a full time job and we're barely making it week to week. I go for interviews, but all employers wants me to work a schedule that'd violate Shabbat/Sabbath. What jobs do you guys have that accommodate the practice?

Hi! I am a high school teacher in the US and I am currently teaching my World Religions unit in world history.

What are some good representations of Judaism (practice, thought, worship, culture, anything) in media that is appropriate for 16-17 year olds? I like to use TV, movies, music, and other media to help students connect with and recognize different religions. For example, I use Turning Red to teach Confucianism and Avatar: The Last Airbender to teach Buddhism and Taoism.

I am looking for something that is about 10-25 minutes long. Any other resources or reccomendations you have for teaching Judaism are absolutely welcome. Thanks!

I understand you can forgive someone when they ask, because then you can assume that they regret their actions and are now a changed person…but how do you let go when they DONT ask for forgiveness (maybe because they don’t think they ever did anything wrong), while at the same time remembering what they did to you so that you set boundaries to ensure those things dont happen to you again?

My question is fairly open-ended: for those of you who have gone in a different direction Jewishly than your family, how has it affected your family relationships?

"Different direction Jewishly" could be making Aliyah, joining the diaspora, BT, OTD, different hashkafa, etc. For example, I've heard some wonderful stories from BT who were able to find a kashrut solution at their parents' house, but I've also heard of other cases where it becomes very tough to see non-religious family.

I found a silver necklace in a box of belongings from my maternal Grandmother. I'm not from a Jewish family, but the necklace intrigues me. I'm not sure if it's a star of David necklace with religious significance, or simply a necklace with a star motif that may appear in other cultures.

Engraving on the back of the pendant says 'John Alvin' and 'Ray-India'.

My maternal Grandfather was an engineer with the RAF in WWII. I know people used to gift or trade items like jewellery and medals for food, clothes etc. So there is part of me that wondered if this might be how this was acquired, and if it was, how I might go about getting this necklace back to the family of the original owner.

The detailed engraving on the inner ring (touching the points of the star) have almost been rubbed away, which makes me think it was worn daily and touched with affection frequently.

I'm grateful for any insight people may have to help me understand what I have in my possession.

Went to an Orthodox shul with Bestie. My background is (lapsed) Reform. Any websites/books/resources for understanding the order of Orthodox liturgy, specifically Shabbat morning? They use the Koren (Jonathan Sacks) siddur and Torah.

Thanks! I read Hebrew and I was lost in the sauce.

One thing what have been on my mind from time to time is what time religious jewish people normally wake up in societies where you can keep Jewish traditions and laws, and does that time differ from people who are living on countries where is different time cycles?

Of course I understand that there might be huge variations and not everybody is following the same schedules but mostly I am keen about people who are living keeping jewish traditions, morning prayers and so on? Is waking up related to sun? Does that differ on countries where day and night are not staring even close to same time every day in year?

Sorry if this is a dumb question.