INSIDE THIS ISSUE Purim/Chavurah Fun! ................................2 MBFJW Thank You ...................................3 President’s Message ..................................4 Cantor’s Notes ..........................................5 Youth ............................................................6 Religious School .........................................7 Adult Learning & Programming/Milestones ................. 8-9 Keruv ......................................................... 10 Library ....................................................... 11 Calendar.................................................... 12 Israel Trip ................................................. 13 Sisterhood .......................................... 14-15 Men’s Club ......................................... 16-17 Anniversaries/Birthdays ........................ 18 Donations ........................................... 19-20 Yahrzeits ................................................... 21 Advertisements ................................. 22-23 Candlelighting and Services .................. 24
Rabbi ................................................... Aaron Melman Cantor .................................................. Steven Stoehr Assistant Rabbi ..................................... Ari Averbach Executive Director ............................ Michael Garlin Dir. Of Jewish Life & Learning ................................................. Leann Blue Director of Education ......................... David Barany Ritual Director .................................... Naomi Weiss Director of Youth Activities................ Matt Rissien Controller ......................................... Susan Karlinsky President .......................................... Larry Grossman Sisterhood President................................. Beth Sher Men’s Club President ............................Scott Rogoff USY President .............................................. Bari Sigal
Rabbi Emeritus .......................................Carl Wolkin Executive Director Emeritus .................................... Harvey Gold, FSA z’l Director of Education Emeritus ................... Rabbi Sander J. Mussman, RJE
SHALOM INFO Shalom is published monthly by Congregation Beth Shalom, 3433 Walters, Northbrook, Illinois 60062-3298 for the exclusive use of its members and staff. All material contained herein is the property of Congregation Beth Shalom.
MAY 2016 • VOLUME 49, ISSUE 11 Rabbi Melman
RABBI MELMAN’S MINUTES Every couple of years I dedicate a bulle!n ar!cle to a very important subject - to help educate the congrega!on on the issues of Jewish Gene!c Disorders. As I write this, we will dedicate the next two Shabbatot (the Torah por!ons of Tazria and Metzorah) to promote awareness on this very important subject. Synagogues around the country will par!cipate in a program I helped create almost seven years ago – Jewish Gene!c Disorders Shabbat – a Shabbat designed to bring awareness to a subject very close to my heart. Congrega!on Beth Shalom has had the honor of hos!ng Gene!c Educa!on and Screening for Young Jewish Adults programs in the past. The events, organized by the Center for Jewish Gene!cs (www.jewishgene!cs.org), are designed to allow people the opportunity to be educated on, and get tested for, gene!c disorders that affect the Jewish community at a significantly reduced cost. I have served on the Center’s Board of Directors for over ten years and have been involved in the Center since my arrival in Chicago almost fourteen years ago. This is something that is very close to my family and me and I felt it was very important to be involved on a greater level. Jewish Gene!cs Shabbat is designed to bring greater awareness of these issues that affect the Jewish community.
In addi!on to these disorders it is important to know that we must also be informed about Hereditary Cancers (such as Breast and Ovarian Cancer and Colorectal Cancer) that are prevalent par!cularly in the Ashkenazi Jewish community. I encourage all of us to become more aware of the diseases that can and do have an impact on our lives. The following is a par!al list of the Ashkenazi Jewish Gene!c Disorders: · Bloom’s Syndrome
· · · · · · · · · · · · · What is a Jewish gene!c disorder? Certain inherited condi!ons occur more frequently in various ethnic · and racial groups than in the general popula!on. Such is the case for Jews as well, par!cularly those of Ashkenazi ancestry from Central and Eastern Europe. It is important to note that scien!sts have iden!fied diseases that can affect those of Sephardic descent. Most Jewish gene!c disorders are severely incapacita!ng, and some are tragically debilita!ng, leading to death in infancy or early childhood. Both parents must be carriers for a child to suffer from the disorder. It is of the utmost importance for all of us to be aware of these disorders and whether or not we might be carriers. With every couple that I meet with before I perform a wedding, I discuss with them the importance of being tested. It is important to know that we are tes!ng for nineteen Ashkenazi Jewish Gene!c Disorders and five disorders common in the Sephardic popula!on.
Niemann-Pick Disease, Type A Canavan Disease Spinal Muscular Atrophy Cys!c Fibrosis Tay-Sachs Disease Familial Dysautonomia Usher Syndrome TYPE 1F and Type III Familial Hyperinsulinism Gaucher Disease, Type 1 Glycogen Storage Disease, Type 1A Joubert Syndrome Maple Syrup Urine Disease Mucolipidosis IV (MLIV) Nemaline Myopathy
There are also disorders that affect that Sephardic community:
· · · · ·
Beta Thalassemia Familial Mediterranean Fever G6PD Deficiency Glycogen Storage Disease, Type III Wolman Disease
For more informa!on on these and other diseases you can contact: Chicago Center for Jewish Gene!c Disorders 30 South Wells St. Chicago, IL 60606 312-357-4718 www.jewishgene!cscenter.org