AEPi Israel Goes Pink!

By: Tal Weiss, Philanthropic Chair, AEPi Aleph Colony

I am proud to be a part of the Aleph Colony of the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity’s (the first fraternity in Israel) inaugural event in support of Sharsheret. Last night, our chapter presented Pink!, a Cabaret-style benefit concert to promote breast cancer awareness and empowering women. We hosted the event at the Interdisciplinary Center (IDC) in the city of Herzliya. A trio of amazing IDC women, Ilana Gindis, Saphira Tessler, and Naomi Winkler, dazzled the audience with awe-inspiring renditions of contemporary Broadway and Cabaret songs. In a first-ever collaboration between AEPi chapters in Israel and the United States, the show will be broadcasted live to select U.S. universities and will also be available via live stream following the event. Thanks to everyone who helped make this incredible event possible. We are excited to work with Sharsheret, in what we know will be the start of a very long collaboration.

Watch the Pink! concert now! http://www.ustream.tv/channel/pink-a-benefit-concert 

Starting For You, Finishing For Us

By: Rochelle Shoretz, Sharsheret Founder and Executive Director

Dear Heather, Janine, Tami, Natalie, Alyse, Aviva, Penina, Alexa, Melanie, and Amy,

You must be excited. I’ve heard about your training, the months of stretching and practice runs that you’ve plowed through to finish the NYC Half-Marathon on Sunday. You’ve been comparing athletic gear, finish times, running techniques. Many of you are competing for the first time, proving to yourselves that you can take on this challenge. Others have competed before, proving to yourselves that you are stronger and faster than in years past. On Sunday, you’ll stand at the start line with a rush of adrenaline about the personal challenge ahead.

But at the end of your run – when you cross that finish line – you will have raced for us, the women and families of Sharsheret. We will be there – patients and survivors – to say thank you for all you have done to support our journey through breast cancer and ovarian cancer. We will be there – mothers, fathers, sons and daughters – to say thank you for the funds you have raised for the programs that make life so much better for those we love facing cancer. We will be there – friends, community leaders, doctors and nurses – to say thank you for raising awareness about the impact of breast cancer on our Jewish community.

So run your best race for you. We’ll be there at the finish line to say, “Thanks. We know you did it for us.”

Best,
Rochelle

Queen Esther’s New Normal

By: Shera Dubitsky, Sharsheret Clinical Supervisor

On Purim, we read the story of Esther. After the King of Shushan banishes his queen for disobedience, a beauty contest is held to find a new queen. A lovely young Jewish woman named Esther is selected as queen, reluctantly. Esther has no choice but to accept her new circumstances. Upon entering the kingdom, she finds herself in very unfamiliar territory. She chooses not to disclose her Jewish identity. In order to survive, Esther struggles between holding on to her sense of self and her values and needing to make choices that are outside of her comfort zone. She needs to embrace the new normal. Esther realizes that she does not have to face these challenges alone – she turns to the Jewish community for strength and support and ultimately, together they find reward and victory.

When a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer or ovarian cancer, she finds herself in very unfamiliar territory, reluctantly. She learns a new language of tumors and treatment. Her body changes due to surgery or medical side effects. She may choose not to disclose her diagnosis publicly. She may not know what her life as a survivor looks like.

Living with cancer and surviving cancer means living outside of your comfort zone, at times. Your challenge is to embrace the new normal. Like Esther, you don’t need to experience this in isolation. We learn from Esther that collectively we can be stronger than any one of us is individually. By turning to Sharsheret, you find a Jewish community of women and their families, health care providers, and spiritual leaders and the experience is rewarding. Drawing from the story of Esther, we celebrate the strength of women and the incredible support of the Jewish community. Wishing you a very happy Purim from all of us at Sharsheret!

Only A Few NYC Triathlon Slots Left!

"Race Day was truly amazing! Training and racing with Team Sharsheret took me on a life changing journey. Thank you from the bottom of my heart."

- 2010 Team Sharsheret Athlete

Looking to compete in an elite Triathlon event this Summer? Team Sharsheret only has a few slots left for the 2011 Nautica NYC Triathlon on August 7! APPLY NOW by sending an e-mail to athletes@sharsheret.org with your name, your phone number, and a brief description of who you are and why you want to join Team Sharsheret.

We:
· Provide a coveted slot in the now sold-out Triathlon, race registration, and related fees
· Dress you in official Triathlon gear
· Offer bike training in New York's Central Park and Northern New Jersey, as available
· Can arm you with online running, swim, and bike training routines
· Surround you with athletes who will motivate and inspire you to reach the finish line in support of this important cause

You:
· Agree to raise a minimum of $5,000 for Team Sharsheret to support our national programs (We make it easy, with personalized pledge pages on Sharsheret's website!)
· Notify friends and family of your participation in this year's Triathlon
· Have the competitive experience of a lifetime

For more information and to apply now, please e-mail athletes@sharsheret.org with your name, your phone number, and a brief description of who you are and why you want to join Team Sharsheret.

Please feel free to share this with a friend.

See you at the finish line!

Celebrate Purim With Sharsheret!

Celebrate this joyous holiday with Sharsheret Purim Cards! Our festive Purim Cards are a wonderful way to send best wishes to your family and friends, both near and far. Sharsheret Purim Cards come in packages of 12 for a contribution of $36, with an additional charge for shipping and handling, or you can pick them up at our Teaneck office. To order online, click here. Sharsheret Purim Cards are also available for purchase at The Judaica House, 478 Cedar Lane, Teaneck, NJ.

Join in our 10th Anniversary National Campaign and tell 10 friends to purchase Sharsheret Purim Cards.  Share this blog post with 10 friends now!

How Do You Wear Pink?

Our staff celebrates Pink Day! Top (l to r):
Ellen, Rochelle, Elana, Julie, and Sari.
Bottom (l to r): Rebecca, Shera, and Adina.

By: Tzvi Solomon, Sharsheret Volunteer

Tomorrow, thousands of “soldiers” from 68 schools across the globe will march together. Our army has soldiers stationed in high schools, day schools, college campuses, yeshivot, and seminaries. We like to call ourselves pink soldiers. We are an army that is ready to make a difference. We are an army that is here to show Jewish women and families affected by breast cancer that we stand by them. Our soldiers understand that when one person is hurting, we are all hurting. People may look at us and think that we serve as their hope and inspiration. However, those affected by breast cancer are our hope and inspiration. They inspire us to never give up the fight, to always keep going, and of course, to unite together in the battle against breast cancer. Join us for Sharsheret’s 2nd Annual Pink Day Worldwide and wear pink tomorrow - to school, work, around the house, or at the gym. Join our army of pink soldiers and show your support for Jewish women and families facing breast cancer.

Join Sharsheret's 2nd Annual Pink Day Worldwide tomorrow, Wednesday, February 9th!

Sharsheret's Pink Day Worldwide, launched last year by students on high school and college campuses across the globe, empowers students to educate their peers about breast cancer in the Jewish community and Sharsheret's national programs.

3 easy ways you can join Sharsheret's Pink Day Worldwide:

1. Rally your co-workers, family members, and friends - Ask them to wear pink tomorrow, take a "pink" group photo, collect $5 from each participant, and donate to Sharsheret.

2. Become a Sharsheret Facebook Fan - Change your status to: "February 9th is Sharsheret's 2nd Annual Pink Day Worldwide. Do you have your Pink on? Post this status in honor of Jewish women facing breast cancer." If you took a Pink Day photo, upload it to our page!

3. Donate online - Make your Pink Day donation online at www.sharsheret.org/payonline.php and choose Pink Day 2011 in the drop down menu.

For more information, contact Sharsheret's Program Manager and Campus Liaison Ellen Kleinhaus at ekleinhaus@sharsheret.org.

Save The Date: 10th Anniversary Benefit

Naomi Kanovsky

Marcie Cappell

Join us at Sharsheret's 10th Anniversary Benefit, Sunday, May 15, 2011 at the Marriott at Glenpointe in Teaneck, New Jersey, featuring renowned singer and songwriter Neshama Carlebach. We will recognize the valuable contributions of Guest of Honor Naomi Kanovsky (Englewood, NJ) and Lisa Altman Volunteer Tribute Award recipient Marcie Cappell (NYC). The 10th Anniversary Benefit will also feature "Sharsheret, Changing the Face of Breast Cancer," a photo exhibit by acclaimed photographer Gail Hadani and a silent auction with valuable items including electronics, jewelry, Judaica, sports memorabilia, and gift certificates.

For more information about the 10th Anniversary Benefit and sponsorship opportunities, please e-mail events@sharsheret.org.

Sharsheret Teleconference Explored Prophylactic Surgery for Breast and Ovarian Cancer

You can now listen to an audio recording of Sharsheret’s national teleconference, Prophylactic Surgery for Breast and Ovarian Cancer: How Will it Affect Me?, recorded on December 22, 2010. The teleconference featured acclaimed author Dina Roth Port (Previvors: Facing the Breast Cancer Gene and Making Life Changing Decisions), personal stories about the impact of prophylactic surgery on personal and family life shared by Sharsheret Peer Supporters, and Sharsheret’s Clinical Supervisor, Shera Dubitsky, MEd, MA, who discussed the psychosocial and physical side effects of prophylactic surgery for breast and ovarian cancer.

The teleconference was made possible with generous support from The Gorlin Family Foundation, Julius and Emmy Hamburger Memorial Fund, and Stephanie Sussman and Ann Nadrich Memorial Fund.

Listen to Sharsheret’s National Teleconference, Prophylactic Surgery for Breast and Ovarian Cancer: How Will it Affect Me?, share your comments, and read comments posted by other listeners.