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West Hartford

Jewish Federation's And Chai Center's "Mother's Circle" Program Receives National Honor

Clubs & Organizations

Submitted by Elana MacGilpin, Chai Center for Jewish Learning, on 2010-11-09.

Left to right: Cathy Schwartz, Laura Kinyon, Liddy Doyle, Sara Milch, Christine Kaufman, Barbara Fischler.

The Mothers Circle, a program currently underway in West Hartford for women of other faiths raising Jewish children, was honored at the Jewish Outreach Institute's (JOI) 2010 Tribute Evening on Monday, November 1 in New York City at The Harmonie Club.

JOI is the non-profit organization that developed The Mothers Circle program, working with literally hundreds of Jewish organizations throughout North America to offer resources, support and education that recognize and assist mothers of other faith backgrounds who are raising Jewish children. Liddy Doyle, a Granby mom of two, spoke at the November 1 Tribute Evening on behalf of all mothers participating in Mothers Circle program across the country. For more information about The Mother's Circle www.motherscircle.org and for more information on local programs www.jewishhartford.org.

"When I joined The Mothers Circle, I did not expect for it to change my life or to become an active Jewish family. My girls are so proud of being Jewish and I am so proud and grateful for that. When I joined the Mothers Circle I thought I was the only one trying to navigate the Jewish world without being raised Jewishly -- I never thought there were other women like me in Greater Hartford" remarks Mrs. Doyle on her experience with The Mothers Circle program.

Mrs. Doyle was a member of the first Mothers Circle group that started in February 2006 and since completing the 16-session course has participated in Beyond Mothers Circle, an alumni group that meets in Avon on a monthly basis and is facilitated by Avon resident Laura Kinyon, LCSW. This year, the women of The Mothers Circle program were honored as true heroes in the Jewish community.

Liddy Doyle is a Mothers Circle alumna who lives in Granby with husband Alan and their two daughters where they are members of Farmington Valley Jewish Congregation in Simsbury; Liddy is the Special Educational consultant for the Religious School.

The Chai Center, a program of the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford, has run The Mother's Circle program locally for the past four years in Avon, Glastonbury and West Hartford. Thirty moms have graduated from this 16-week program which has been funded on an annual basis by the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Hartford. The program and curriculum was developed by the Jewish Outreach Institute (www.joi.org) and is facilitated locally by Laura Kinyon, LCSW and Betsy Marantz, MA and has helped these intermarried families become more knowledgeable, comfortable and engaged in Jewish life.

Chai: The Center for Jewish Life is a Jewish community center with out walls in the Farmington Valley. Newcomer or native, young family or empty nester, there is something for everyone. Chai: the Center for Jewish Life is funded by the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford and the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Hartford. The Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford is the region's leading authority on identifying, communicating and efficiently addressing the needs of our local and global Jewish community.