The JBI Library

Join JBI for the kickoff to our poetry series coming up on Saturday, November 9th. Please visit our poetry program page to register and for more information.

From left to right are images of three adults, Rabbi Sivan Rotholz of Central Synagogue who is a woman with short wavy gray hair, poet Ed Hirsch who is a man with short straight gray hair, and poet Jessica Jacobs who is a woman with short brown hair. There is a purple banner at the bottom of the graphic with white lettering that says: “Walking the Narrow Bridge: Jewish Poetry as a Path for Access & Resilience”. On the left-hand side of the graphic from top to bottom are JBI’s logo (a teal box with white lettering), Central Synagogue’s logo (two white pillars on a purple background), and Yetzirah’s logo (a white rectangle with the word Yetzirah and a tree).
Founded in 1931, JBI provides people of all ages and backgrounds living with blindness, low vision, or print disability access to a vast circulating library, liturgical texts, customized materials, and cultural offerings, enabling connection to the rich literary, cultural, and religious life of the Jewish community.
JBI creates, publishes, and distributes thousands of Jewish-interest materials in audio, braille, and large print formats; all provided free of charge and delivered directly to our patrons’ doorsteps.
Image: Grace at her Bat Mitzvah
Image: A JBI Patron, sitting at a table and smiling
Image: A man reading a book with his granddaughter

Visit our highlights below to register for our High Holy Day programs, programs such as our Judaism 101 Rosh Hashanah workshop series, English and Russian Book Clubs, and our November Poetry workshop.

Highlights
A few of the things taking place at JBI - opportunities and updates for patrons, organizational partnerships, and more.
Witnessing. A special series featuring works from Israeli authors, authors in Israel, and Jewish writers around the globe in the aftermath of October 7th.
Jewish Book Council Collaboration
We’ve recorded Israeli writers’ firsthand accounts, essays, and poetry, as shared with and published by JBC.

Listen Here
Three documents that are accessible, self-guided museum tours
Free Accessible Materials for NYC Nonprofits
Learn more
On a light blue background, the text states 'Judaism 101 Learning Series' with a dark and light blue Jewish star below
JBI Judaism 101 Series
Register for JBI’s exciting new learning series.

Click Here
Rolled up scrolls of The Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution
Jewish Voices on Democracy

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An animation of four hands holding books that meet in the center. Text states 'JBI Book Clubs: Virtual and Year-Round'
Book Clubs with JBI
JBI offers fully accessible English and Russian book clubs that are virtual and year-round. Register for an upcoming book club.

Click Here
A black outline of a notebook with the JBI logo top of center. Text states 'Jewish Poetry Workshops'
Jewish Poetry Workshops with JBI
JBI is excited to announce our new poetry series!

Learn More
A document with the word 'Diploma' written in English scribe.
The Nathan L. and Suzanne K. Wolfson Scholarship
Meet our 2024/2025 winners.

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2023 JBI Annual Report
JBI’s 2023 Annual Report

Read it Here
JBI in Your Life
We are committed to increasing accessibility and inclusion for all individuals living with vision impairment, from our youngest readers pursuing a Jewish education to adults seeking materials for pleasure or religious observance to families who read together—and everyone in between with an interest in Jewish life and culture. Our services are always provided free of charge!
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Anyone who is visually impaired, blind, physically disabled, or reading disabled is eligible to receive our free services.

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Our offerings
JBI provides access to a vast circulating library, liturgical and lifecycle materials, and customized materials in a variety of accessible formats and multiple languages.

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With help from donors like you, JBI is able to continue providing free of charge critical, life-altering services to the visually impaired around the world.

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See what our patrons are saying
"Not everybody understands what an avid reader experiences when he/she suddenly becomes visually impaired. JBI is doing a great job helping people like me. Thanks to you I see new perspectives. You have helped improve my life quality."
Yakov G. • St. Petersburg, Russia
"After my husband became blind, the wonderful Talking Books you sent him brought him hours and hours of pleasure. Thank you for making his difficult problems so much more bearable."
Mildred R. • New York, NY
"When I gave my mother the Large Print Haggadah, her face lit up. She was so grateful that she won't have to just listen at her communal Seder, but be able to follow along as she has always done. Your work is really appreciated."
Chana H. • Ra'anana, Israel
"Although Tyler received many wonderful gifts on his Bar Mitzvah, yours was surely his greatest gift. Tyler will never be blind to the beauty of his heritage, in large part thanks to JBI. With gratitude from one proud and thankful family."
Stephanie K. • Leawood, KS
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