Reprinted From

  By Natalie K. Pollock

The Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford has reached out to the towns in the Farmington Valley by opening a satellite office.

Named Chai: The Center for Jewish Life, the meeting space at 166 West Main Street, better known as Route 44, in Avon, recently opened its doors to the public.

More than 125 people from the surrounding communities of Avon, Simsbury, Canton, Farmington and New Hartford, as well as leaders from the Federation and some of its agencies, stopped by on a recent Sunday for the grand opening.

"The new office is important because the Jewish population has grown so much in the Farmington Valley, and the Federation needs to be responsive to that growth," said Cathrine Fischer Schwartz, Jewish Federation executive director.

Mel Simon of West Hartford, co-chair with Alan Rosenberg of Simsbury, took up the leadership role for the Farmington Valley. Simon had also chaired the Federation's implementation committee, charged with finding ways to act upon the Jewish Federation's last Jewish population study's findings.

"We talked with all the agencies and synagogues, who felt that a working group should be established. We hired a researcher from Brandeis who ran focus groups on the needs in the Valley, and then we had parlor meetings in people's homes. We found out that they wanted a presence by the Federation in the Valley for meetings, information and to act as a contact for opportunities, services and events," Simon explained. 

Three beneficiary agencies in particular, which are supported by the Federation, expressed a desire to become more active in the Valley.

They are the Jewish Community Center, Jewish Family Services, which would like to provide direct counseling, and the Commission on Jewish Education, together with Yachad, which has volunteered to set up a library in the new offices and to start a new program for middle-school-age teens.

Nancy Krisch, newly hired director for the Chai office, she hopes to attract volunteers to staff the office, and to find ways to get the word out to the Valley communities that the office is available to them.

Former administrator at Beth David Synagogue, Krisch explained; "I developed my own theory about walls: that there should be none, that all Jews should coexist together; that the reason for our survival is that we are good at reaching out and breaking down the barriers."

Kirsch hopes to keep the office open every day between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., but underscores that she will also be meeting with area agencies out in the community during those hours. She can be found at 166 West Main Street or by calling (860) 677-1235.

CHAI, The Center for Jewish Life celebrated its arrival in the Farmington Valley with a festive Open House. Local spiritual leaders, (l-r) Rabbis MichaelPincus of Cong. Beth Israel, David Small, Emanuel Synagogue and Howard Herman, Farmington Valley Jewish Cong/Emek Shalom helped dedicate the new space and affix the mezuzah.

Community leaders and Federation agency representatives were on hand, and the crowd enjoyed children's entertainment, and refreshments donated by Avon Old Farms Inn, Tambourine Catering, Yossi Kosher Catering, Marge Gussak Catering and Big Y "We Care" Program.

For more information and schedule of events, please contact Director Nancy Krisch, 860 677-1235, or nkrisch@jewishhartford.org.