Community partners are hosting a community conversation on hereditary health risks and genetic screenings, titled “What’s In Your Genes? A Conversation about Jewish Genetic Screenings,” on April 6, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Jewish Community Campus Social Hall.
The event aims to raise awareness about the importance of genetic screening for Ashkenazi Jews, who face higher rates of hereditary conditions, including those linked to increased cancer risks and genetic diseases affecting reproductive health.
"Genetic screening is a powerful tool that can help individuals and families manage hereditary health risks, and we are pleased to offer this important opportunity to our community," said Molly Hess, director of Jewish Experiences, a collaboration of Jewish Federation and The J. "This event will provide attendees with the information they need to take proactive steps toward their health and wellbeing."
This session will feature healthcare experts and genetic counselors who will discuss the latest advancements in genetic screening, the prevalence of inherited genetic conditions within Jewish populations and the significance of early detection for individuals and families.
Hosted by Jewish Experiences; The Temple, Congregation B'nai Jehudah; Congregation Beth Torah; and Congregation Beth Shalom, the event will feature an educational talk by genetic counselor Ilana Chilton, MS, CGC, and a personal perspective on BRCA mutations from Madeline Benjamin. The program will also include a panel discussion with Benjamin, Dr. Christa Balanoff and representatives from JScreen Genetic Testing and Sharsheret, a Jewish breast cancer organization.
“Our tradition teaches the principle of pikuach nefesh, which is the obligation to save a life and refers to both immediate threats and issues that could become more serious,” said Rabbi Rachel Rothstein of The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah. “Our goal for this program is to educate all members of our Jewish community – no matter their age, whether they’re planning to have children, don’t want to have children or are past that stage of life – about the benefits of both cancer and reproductive screening. What we can learn from genetic counselor Ilana Chilton, JScreen and Sharsheret will benefit all of us in the here, now, and the future so that what is precious to us can be passed down to future generations and enjoyed to the fullest.”
“Exploring your genetics can be scary,” said panelist Madeline Benjamin. “But, if you have a family history of cancer, doing this exploration can save your life. Knowing my genetic risk ended up saving my life. My breast cancer wouldn't have been caught had I not been going to regular oncology appointments due to my BRCA gene mutation.”
A light reception, supervised by the Vaad, will follow the program.
Genetic screening kits will be provided on-site by JScreen, with the option to pre-order them when registering. These kits include JScreen’s Reproductive Carrier Screen and Hereditary Cancer Test, which will be available at no cost to those who select the "Need a JScreen Code" option during registration.
The cost of the testing kits is covered by the Benjamin and Mayer families.
More information and registration is available at thejkc.org/GeneticScreen.