I had the pleasure of presenting my children’s picture book, Just Say Welcome (Kar-Ben Publishing, September 2025), to participants at the Jewish Book Council (JBC) virtual conference on May 21. In addition to JBC staff and other JBC Network Authors, conference participants included more than 130 member organizations–JCCs, synagogues, Hillels, Jewish Federations, and cultural centers –interested in hosting Jewish authors at their events. The JBC did a great job of making sure the conference and pitches ran smoothly. Fun fact: I presented my book right after the son of Spock presented his! Yes, Adam Nimoy spoke about his book, The Most Human, which discusses his relationship with his father, actor Leondard Nimoy, best known for his beloved portrayal of Spock on Star Trek.
Now I wait to hopefully hear from organizations who want me to speak at their events. If you are part of one of those organizations and were unable to attend the conference, here is my pitch:
Based on my family’s real-life experience, Just Say Welcome is a modern-day story for children in preschool through third grade illustrating the Jewish value of welcoming the stranger. Young Tilly and her Jewish-American family open up their home to an Iraqi refugee family while they get settled. Both families learn and experience kindness from each other and the larger community. Synagogue members donate clothes, neighbors share food, and the Iraqi boy Youssef teaches Tilly’s little brother Adam soccer tricks. Everyone realizes they have more in common than not. Tilly learns that sometimes, just saying “welcome” is all it takes for strangers to become friends.
Being welcoming doesn’t mean you have to host a family in your home. When I speak to kids about ways they can be welcoming, I start by asking: Have you ever had a visitor you didn’t know come to your house? Or maybe a new student joined your class. How did you feel when you met that stranger? When we hosted the family at our house, my daughter Tilly was 7 and my son Adam was 3. They were shy and didn’t know what to say to this family who spoke and dressed differently than they did. But once we all started talking and eating and playing together, we realized we had a lot in common. We also introduced each other to fun, new things, like trying new foods. All it took was being welcoming. What do you think it means to welcome someone? It could mean inviting that new classmate to sit next to you at lunch or baking cookies for a new neighbor. There are ways we can be welcoming every day, but it all starts with listening to people’s stories, sharing your own, and simply saying “welcome.” An author program featuring my book can include a read-aloud, followed by kids enjoying some labneh and pita and then designing a welcome mat or sign for their home to show people they are welcome there. Additionally, my book could be part of a larger community program, such as a “Refugee Shabbat” weekend or supply drive, school discussions on Jewish values, or cross-cultural events on ways we can make our communities more inclusive, such as Jewish day schools and Islamic schools teaching each other about their cultures. I’d love to speak at your event. Thank you.
Emily Raij 