by Rachel Weaver Tay-Sachs. Fragile X Syndrome. I vaguely remembered hearing about these genetic diseases in a high school biology classroom that smelled like glue, or over the buzz of a lecture hall at the University of Georgia, but I had never paid them much mind. While grave, they just seemed like ominous disorders
by Kevin Levine A lot of people have bucket lists. I often see posts detailing friends achieving things on their lists. They might include a description and some pictures of their accomplishments. I never had a huge bucket list. When I was a child my bucket list was 2 items long. The first item on the
by Meira Katz Lyons “I screen. You screen. We all screen with JScreen!” That was the chant heard loud and clear as we marched down 5th Avenue with JScreen as part of the Israel Day Parade in Manhattan. Aswe took our first steps onto 5th Avenue, holding the large banner in support of JScreen and to celebrate
by Ilana W. Wow is all I can say! After a whirlwind AIPAC policy conference with over 18,000 people from different backgrounds, cities, and ages, I am more invigorated than ever. I felt like I was in a microcosm of Jewish life; high schoolers interacting with Holocaust survivors, Rabbis and politicians conversing, and pretty
Research estimates that 1 in 17 people will experience the symptoms of a rare disease in their lifetime. Collectively, these individuals represent a large population, however, separately they are in desperate need of representation in research and healthcare. Rare Disease Day, on February 29th, helps to bring these issues to light, as the global community comes together to raise awareness
by Kara Wexler With the New Year finally upon us, it’s time to whip out a notepad for our annual resolutions. While popular goals may include looking like a celebrity who belongs on the cover of People magazine, you’ll feel more fulfilled and empowered if your resolutions encompass the improvement of your mind, body, and
Since the JScreen logo includes the beautiful tree of life, it’s fitting for us to commemorate Tu B’Shevat, the New Year of the Trees. Humans are often compared to trees, both in relation to strong roots and the responsibility to be fruitful and multiply. We also rely on trees for our daily oxygen intake, so why not
by Kara Wexler Hanukkah is a beloved Jewish holiday celebrated for a miraculous triumph of the righteous underdog, modern traditions of family gatherings, and the delicious food among other things. The holiday commemorates the victory of the Maccabees over their Greek rulers in the 2nd century B.C.E., as well as the rededication of the Second
by Rabbi Jennifer Kaluzny “You’re perfect for each other! You really should get married!” You might think that our best friends said this to us, or maybe even our parents. They did too, but this time, it was our fertility doctor. He wasn’t complimenting my husband Ryan and I on our symbiotic relationship or the
People are sometimes concerned or surprised about finding out that they carry a genetic condition. Every person on earth carries several genetic conditions (mutations), usually without any symptoms or signs, so it’s actually quite normal to test positive. But when two people are carriers for the same genetic disease and have children together, their