Seven Modern Additions to the Seder Plate
In recent years, a number of new Passover items have been adopted—or at least proposed—to include in and around the traditional seder plate.
Why You Should Know Your DNA: Genetics, Testing and Disease Prevention with Paul Root Wolpe, Ali Rogin and Emily Goldberg
You can’t change your DNA but understanding your genetic makeup might just save your life. Dr. Paul Root Wolpe, director of the Center for Ethics at Emory University and journalist Ali Rogin, author of Beat Breast Cancer Like a Boss: 30 Powerful Stories join JScreen genetic counselor Emily Goldberg for a conversation about the importance of knowing your risk for developing genetic diseases. Learn how to become a ‘previvor’ no matter your ethnic background or gender.
Beshert | In Italy, “Destinato”
Writer Carolyn Ariella Sofia longs for a deeper connection to her Italian Jewish heritage. Finally, after years of waiting, she finds home.
Book Review | Inheritance
That insight—that culture and identity are not DNA—is one that Dani Shapiro, author of the recently published Inheritance: A Memoir of Genealogy, Paternity, and Love, doesn’t get.
Ask The Rabbis | Should We Edit Our Children’s Genes?
INDEPENDENT
Maybe not edit. Maybe just proofread and add a comma or a few comments in the margin. If circumstances require, perhaps add an exclamation mark,...
‘If I Was at Risk, I’d Rather Know’: Our Readers’ Genetic Testing Stories
In our last issue, we wrote about genetic diseases that affect those of Jewish ancestry. We also asked our readers to share their experiences with genetic testing. They told us about the anticipation, worry and—hopefully—relief involved in the process.
The Promise of Cancer Immunotherapy
In 2010, Rob Densen’s wife was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer. The doctors gave her 36 weeks to live, but she lived for 40 months. “She had a genetic mutation for which there was a targeted therapy,” says Densen. “We got that time because 10 or 15 year
Tell Us: Have You Been Tested for the BRCA Mutations?
Tell us about your encounters with genetic testing.
Hadassah Doctor Brings New Hope to Cystic Fibrosis Patients
Twenty five years ago, Dr. Batsheva Kerem and Dr. Eitan Kerem made a significant contribution to the scientific world’s understanding of genetic mutations and cystic fibrosis. Together—with their medical-research teams—they mapped the genetic mutation profile of cystic fibrosis among different Jewish ethnic groups in Israel. Since then, life expectancy for individuals with cystic fibrosis has shifted dramatically, thanks in part to their medical and genetic research and ongoing commitment to fighting the disease. These Israeli doctors, long married, represent two of the world’s major cystic fibrosis research centers: the Hadassah Medical Organization and Hebrew University. Today, the Kerems’ research serves as a map for the genetic counseling many Jewish couples undergo before having children.
Sephardi Jews Need Genetic Testing, Too
For the Jewish community, perhaps the biggest success story in genetic testing is Tay-Sachs: The disease is carried by one in 27 Ashkenazi Jews (who come from Eastern Europe), and nearly always has been fatal. Today, among Ashkenazi Jewish populations, it has been almost entirely eradicated.
The BRCA2 Male Minority
Matt Diamond is a 39-year-old financial planner whose sister happens to be an amateur genealogist. After creating a family tree for a school homework assignment, she was hooked and spent the next 25 years digging into her family’s Ashkenazi roots. In 2014, she sent a saliva sample to a genetic testing company, hoping to find more family members through their DNA database. She was shocked when the test identified her as a carrier for the BRCA2 mutation, a fact later confirmed by her medical doctor.
A Daughter of a Male BRCA2 Carrier
Michelle Wilson was dealt an unexpected hand: Her father had breast cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, the lifetime risk for men is one in 1,000. In 2006, Michelle’s father reached for his seatbelt and felt an excruciating pain through his arm and left breast. At 52, he was diagnosed with stage 3C breast cancer