Colon Cancer Seen Linked to Bloom Gene
Ashkenazi Jews are two to three times more likely to develop colon cancer if they carry the gene for Bloom syndrome, according to a September 2002 study by American and Israeli researchers.Dr. Kenneth Offit, senior author of the study and chief of the clinical genetics service at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, said
Two Young Women, One Bad Leukemia
In a small auditorium in the basement of the 369th Regiment Armory in Harlem, Jackie Donahue is chatting with a co-worker. A bright orange head-wrap covers her bald head and gold hoop dangle from her ear lobes. She looks happy, almost ebullient — characteristics that seem incongruous with someone in her condition.Elsewhere, in St. Paul, Minn.,
Doctors Find Fanconi Link to Pancreatic Cancer
There is some bad news for those carrying genes that can lead to Fanconi anemia, a rare blood disorder.Recently, a team of scientists at Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center found that three genes linked to Fanconi anemia play a role in pancreatic cancer, one of the most lethal forms of the malignancy.The study, directed by Dr. Scott Kern,
Cultural Exchange Helps Classes Broaden Their Borders
Two Jewish day schools – in different countries, speaking different languages — will launch a cross-cultural exchange this fall that administrators hope will lead to a growing friendship between their two communities.In September, students at the Westchester-Fairfield Hebrew Academy in Greenwich, Conn., and the Jaim Weitzman School in
Images on Nightly News Pose Challenge
Teaching about Israel was a major topic of conversation at a recent conference organized by the Coalition for the Advancement of Jewish Education.The three-day meeting, held in late June at Hofstra University on Long Island, featured a number of sessions designed for educators who are grappling with different ways to present Israel
Yiddish Words Gain Recognition in American Dictionary’s New Edition
It may mean bubkes to some, but oy, does it mean a lot to others. This week, a major force in the American dictionary establishment recognized two of the Yiddish language’s most common slang words.Merriam-Webster released the 11th edition of its dictionary on Tuesday, and many readers were delighted to find in it the Yiddish words “oy” and
Ad Targets Lactose Intolerant Jews
Lactose intolerant Jews, don’t be ashamed; you’re not alone. According to a new ad for Lactaid milk, 60% of Jewish Americans suffer from the painful cramps, excessive flatulence and other uncomfortable symptoms associated with the disorder.The ad, which first appeared in the June issues of Hadassah and Reform Judaism magazines,
Former Political Hand Embraces Kid’s Conversion
The Jewish community has gained a new member — and a prominent new in-law.Katherine Gergen, a recent convert to Judaism and the daughter of former presidential adviser David Gergen, married Mark Barnett last Sunday in a Jewish ceremony held at Music Mountain in Falls Village, Conn. Rabbi James Ponet, a Conservative clergyman and the Jewish