The Martyl Rifkin Reinsdorf Archives
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Welcome to a glimpse into the life and times of the incredibly talented and gracious Martyl Rifkin Reinsdorf. This website serves as an archive of the many endeavors of the deeply missed Martyl Rifkin Reinsdorf, sharing images of her incredible cloisonné jewelry- which could be seen on ads and in various newspaper articles; as well some of her design work, seen on a few famous folks fingers including the world champion Chicago White Sox and Chicago Bulls.
Most important of all (we think) this site contains a small selection of the 1000s of smiling faces she created with her world famous coloring books, as well as a few of the many letters the children and organizations sent back to "Grandma Martyl". Please enjoy! |
Martyl Rifkin Reinsdorf is a humanitarian and active Jewish communal leader. For 25 years she was an acclaimed designer of Cloisonné jewelry. A Japanese and Chinese history major in school, Martyl has designed pieces from adaptations of ancient Oriental and Greek legends. She is also a celebrated designer of championship rings for professional Chicago sports teams.
Dividing her time between Chicago and Phoenix, Martyl Reinsdorf has quietly pursued her charitable work with little public recognition. Her involvement has benefited children, primarily the visually impaired, in the US, Israel and throughout the world. Her customized coloring books and art packets have not only brightened the lives of hospitalized children, but have instilled in them an appreciation for coloring, which Martyl believes is a lost art. This amazing charitable endeavor began by making drawings for her eight grandchildren to color. Martyl later learned simple computer graphics to design more diverse pictures. Under the name of 'Grandma Martyl' she expanded her labor of love with a dedicated project launched at Phoenix Children’s Hospital. ‘Grandma Martyl’ is now a thriving global initiative that distributes 30,000-35,000 coloring and activity books to hospitals, orphanages and shelters across the world. Martyl and her husband Jerry Reinsdorf, a fellow humanitarian and owner of the Chicago Bulls and the Chicago White Sox, provide different versions of the coloring book packages to many local organizations, among them: Ronald McDonald House, The Child Crisis Center, The Foundation for Blind Children in Phoenix, the Delke Center for Visual Rehabilitation (a global organization headquartered in Chicago) and a pediatric cancer center in Israel. Coloring books and packets were also been sent to victims of Hurricane Katrina.
The philanthropic couple also lends their generous support to the Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago, Northwestern University and Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix. In 2006, AFHU received a generous gift from the White Sox Charities for the LA Scopus Award Dinner honoring Jamie and Frank McCourt. In 2004 Martyl received the Clarence Troyer Volunteer Award from the Lions Club International (which serves the sight and hearing impaired). Jerry Reinsdorf is the recipient of numerous awards, among them, the 1997 Order of Lincoln Award.
Martyl and Jerry Reinsdorf are the devoted parents of four children and grandparents of eight grandchildren.
From American Friends of Hebrew University
Dividing her time between Chicago and Phoenix, Martyl Reinsdorf has quietly pursued her charitable work with little public recognition. Her involvement has benefited children, primarily the visually impaired, in the US, Israel and throughout the world. Her customized coloring books and art packets have not only brightened the lives of hospitalized children, but have instilled in them an appreciation for coloring, which Martyl believes is a lost art. This amazing charitable endeavor began by making drawings for her eight grandchildren to color. Martyl later learned simple computer graphics to design more diverse pictures. Under the name of 'Grandma Martyl' she expanded her labor of love with a dedicated project launched at Phoenix Children’s Hospital. ‘Grandma Martyl’ is now a thriving global initiative that distributes 30,000-35,000 coloring and activity books to hospitals, orphanages and shelters across the world. Martyl and her husband Jerry Reinsdorf, a fellow humanitarian and owner of the Chicago Bulls and the Chicago White Sox, provide different versions of the coloring book packages to many local organizations, among them: Ronald McDonald House, The Child Crisis Center, The Foundation for Blind Children in Phoenix, the Delke Center for Visual Rehabilitation (a global organization headquartered in Chicago) and a pediatric cancer center in Israel. Coloring books and packets were also been sent to victims of Hurricane Katrina.
The philanthropic couple also lends their generous support to the Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago, Northwestern University and Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix. In 2006, AFHU received a generous gift from the White Sox Charities for the LA Scopus Award Dinner honoring Jamie and Frank McCourt. In 2004 Martyl received the Clarence Troyer Volunteer Award from the Lions Club International (which serves the sight and hearing impaired). Jerry Reinsdorf is the recipient of numerous awards, among them, the 1997 Order of Lincoln Award.
Martyl and Jerry Reinsdorf are the devoted parents of four children and grandparents of eight grandchildren.
From American Friends of Hebrew University