Emily Raij

Recent Posts

Author: Emily Raij

  • Author Copies!

    A week ago, I was in a Zoom meeting that got interrupted by my dog barking at the door. When I went to see whether he was alerting us to the mail carrier, a neighbor, a plastic bag floating in the wind, another dog who dared to take a walk, or some mystery visitor, I…

  • I’m a Jewish Book Council Network Author!

    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…

  • Little Free Library

    I was so honored to be interviewed recently about the Little Free Library (LFL) I helped install in 2019 at Temple Israel Orlando for the roundup from Oviedo Community News. Check out the article to find out more about some wonderful Little Free Libraries in Central Florida. We added a Little Free Pantry next to…

  • Welcome Signs

    I love seeing all the different welcome signs outside homes around my neighborhood. On a recent walk with my dog, I spotted a welcome sign in an unexpected place. Have you ever encountered a welcome sign where you least expected it? More importantly, has there been a time in your life when you were welcomed…

  • Celebrating Friendship

    This past weekend, I had the honor of attending my friend’s synagogue gala honoring his service as their rabbi for 13 years–a rabbinic bar mitzvah! I have known this friend since high school, and another friend and I traveled to New York to join in celebrating. From the second we walked in the door of…

  • Kveller’s Passover Parody Contest

    My daughter Tilly and I entered a Passover song parody contest on Kveller.com, a Jewish family/parenting website, and just found out our parody is a finalist! You can read about it here: https://www.kveller.com/help-us-choose-kvellers-3rd-annual-passover-parody-contest-winner/. Then, if you’re so inclined, please vote for us here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScHpuPOxHzvoNtbEOkBPwuT2qHS4bXY09z8eWWXGY0JVSJ6bQ/viewform All of the finalists are clever and fun, and we really…

  • I Love Community Journalism!

    In addition to writing children’s books, I’m also a contributing writer at J Life, Orlando’s Jewish community magazine. The spring issue just came out, and I’m honored to have written the cover story on Jonathan’s Landing Foundation, a nonprofit aiming to build housing for 500 adults with autism and create 5,000 career pathways and meaningful…

  • Book Marketing

    Although I have written more than 40 children’s books, most have been nonfiction educational titles that are marketed and sold directly to schools and libraries. My forthcoming picture book, Just Say Welcome (Kar-Ben, September 2025), will be my first trade title, and I know I need to work hard to spread the word. One marketing…

  • Jewish Festivals and Traditions

    My newest book, Jewish Festivals and Traditions, part of the Religious Festivals and Traditions series from Capstone Publishing, is available now. In this 32-page book for K-3 readers, children can explore the key Jewish holidays and milestones celebrated throughout the year, including Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Hanukkah, Passover, Shabbat, bar and bat mitzvahs, and weddings, plus…

  • New Book Coming in September!

    I am excited to share that my book, Just Say Welcome, will be released by Kar-Ben Publishing on September 9, 2025. 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…