Last week, my husband and I boarded a train from New York to Philadelphia. Our destination was The Victor Center for Jewish Genetic Diseases at Albert Einstein Medical Center.  Getting screened for Jewish genetic diseases is a topic much like pre-nups or gets — it’s something that you really don’t want to talk or think about before your wedding, but in this case it’s necessary.

Getting screened for Jewish genetic diseases was not even something I had considered, or even really knew much about, until a friend mentioned it to me recently. Once I broached the topic with other friends of mine, I realized that they too knew little about it. I am assuming that many readers out there are in the same boat, so let me tell you more:

About Jewish Genetic Diseases

There are a number of genetic disorders that occur more frequently in certain ethnic populations. In the Ashkenazi Jewish population (those of Eastern European descent), it has been estimated that one in every five individuals is a carrier of at least one of several severe genetic conditions that can result in the early death of a child if both parents are carriers; Bloom Syndrome, Canavan Disease, Cystic Fibrosis, Familial Dysautonomia, Fanconi Anemia, Gaucher Disease, Glycogen Storage Disease-Type 1a, Maple Syrup Urine Disease, Mucolipidosis IV, Niemann-Pick, and Tay-Sachs Disease. Doesn’t sound pretty, does it?

To Test or Not to Test

Once I heard this, it honestly didn’t compel me to get tested. It actually freaked me out. Who wants to think about the possibility of their child developing a horrible disease? And since my husband and I are already married, I thought to myself “What if we are tested and find that we are both carriers of a disease? What then? Is it going to ruin our relationship?”

After learning more, I realized that no matter where you are in your relationship (or even if you are single) it is important to be screened.  Even if your significant other is not Ashkenazi, or even Jewish, it’s important to get tested because other ethnicity’s can be carriers too. All it involves is a simple blood test, and the results come back within a few weeks.  It is not necessary for both members of a couple to be screened at the same time like my husband and I were; if one person gets tested and is found to not to be a carrier, then there is little risk of your child developing any of the diseases. If the individual who was tested is found to be a carrier, then their significant other should then be tested too.  Getting screened allows you to either put your mind at ease, or to make informed decisions should you both be carriers. FYI- if you both test positive as carriers for the same disease, it does not necessarily mean that you can’t have healthy kids together. There are many reproductive options that can be discussed with a genetic counselor.

If both parents are carriers of a Jewish genetic disease,
there is a 1 in 4 chance with each pregnancy of having a child who is affected.

Where To Get Screened, and What to Ask Your Insurance Company

Most medical labs test for Jewish genetic diseases, and most insurance companies either cover the full cost or part of the cost of testing. It is best to check with your individual insurance company before going for testing. Tell them that you are calling for “pre-approval of Preconception Ashkenazi Jewish Genetic Screening.”  Mention the panel of 11 tests above, and if they ask you for CPT Codes, provide the following:

CPT codes: 83891, 83892, 83893, 83894, 83896, 83898, 83900, 83901, 83909, 83912, 83914, 83080

ICD-9 codes used are V26.31 (genetic counseling for females), V26.34 (genetic counseling for males), V77.6 (carrier screening for cystic fibrosis), V77.7 (carrier screening for metabolic diseases), and V82.71 (genetic diseases carrier status)

The Victor Center for Jewish Genetic Diseases at Albert Einstein Medical Center happens to also offer free or reduced cost Jewish genetic screening for college students, engaged couples, and newlyweds in their first year of marriage.   More than just a lab, The Victor Center provides you with a genetic counselor who takes your family history, and explains the diseases and testing in greater detail.  In addition to Philadelphia, The Victor Center has outposts in Boston and Miami, and also arranges events at colleges and other locations around the country where you can get screened if you do not live in those particular cities.

For more information on getting screened for Jewish genetic diseases, visit VictorCenters.org
I am sure you’ll be glad you did it, just as I was.

Image credits:
Dancing DNA – Adrienne Cohen
Inheritance chart – The Victor Center

Neil Diamond sang Hava Nagila in not one, but two films. He first sang the song in the movie The Jazz Singer in 1980, and then in the film Keeping Up With the Steins over 25 years later!

Being that you’ve found your mate, you might have been hearing the word bashert more frequently. It’s a word that I love so much, I worked it in to my JDate profile name back in the day.  My husband and I joke about the fact that when we met on JDate, he didn’t know what bashert meant– but he soon learned, both literally and figuratively.

Bashert is a Yiddish word that when translated means “destiny” or “fate.” It is often used in the context of a relationship to describe one’s soulmate.  According to the Talmud our bashert is pre-destined– 40 days before a  child is conceived, a voice from the heavens announces who his perfect match will be.  Therefore, a bashert is literally a match made in heaven!

If you’re having a kosher wedding, you might have heard the term “meshuval wine.” Mevushal wine (also known as meshuval wine)  is not a brand of wine, but rather a process by which the wine is made.

The process of making any wine begins with the grapes.  For kosher wine, the grapes may be grown and picked by any individual regardless of whether they keep kosher or not, but once the grapes reach the plant to be crushed and bottled, the wine-making process must be handled by Sabbath-observant Jews. This process is under strict rabbinical supervision, making sure every detail in the wine-making process complies with kosher law.  Even after the wine is bottled, it must only be uncorked and poured by someone who is Jewish in order to remain kosher.

A mevushal wine is one that goes through the extra step of pasteurization.  (Mevushal means “to boil” in Hebrew.) After the wine goes through the pasteurization process, it may be handled by anyone and not lose its kosher status. For instance, if a non-Jewish waiter were to open a bottle and pour your guests wine, the wine would still be deemed kosher.

The good news is that most kosher wines made in the US are mevushal, so you should have no trouble finding mevushal wine for your wedding!

Illustration by Sari Victoria

Being that today is my third wedding anniversary (amazing how time flies!) I thought I would share the version of Hava Nagila that we played at our wedding. It was important for us to play the Hava Nagila at the wedding, but at the same time many of the ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ style versions were just not our cup of tea. We must have sampled dozens of versions on iTunes before we settled on this techno version of the Hava Nagila by Alex M vs. Marc Van Damme. The non traditional rendition of this traditional song was perfect for us. Have a listen…

This was not a Jewish wedding, but I found this video just too irresistible not to post!  Jill and Kevin’s walk down the aisle was anything but ordinary. You’ll just have to watch and see…

If you read the New York Times Sunday Styles Vows section religiously like I do, you may have read the write up about Henry Winkler’s (aka Fonzie from Happy Days) daughter’s wedding. Zoe Winkler wed Robert Reinis in a Jewish ceremony at the Winkler family home on June 27th. Rabbi Kenneth Chasen of Leo Baeck Temple in Los Angeles officiated their wedding ceremony before 270 guests.

What struck me about this particular wedding story was how open the bride was about the separation anxiety she felt about leaving her parent’s home. I am sure a lot of brides feel this way–particularly those who move straight out of their parent’s house to living with their spouse. Getting married is a big adjustment, and so is living with your significant other.

Did any of you feel this type of anxiety when you flew the nest? How did you cope with the changes?

Photo credit: The New York Times

I just came across an online exhibit put on by Yale University’s Library called Art of the Ketubah A Study in Jewish Diversity. The exhibit features Jewish wedding contracts from many different countries, and spans the 17th-21st centuries. It’s a fascinating exhibit–I highly recommend checking it out!

The rumors have been swirling for months that Ivanka Trump, daughter of Donald and Ivana Trump was engaged to her Jewish boyfriend, NY Observer owner Jared Kushner.  Ivanka made the news official this morning when she announced her engagement on Twitter! Word has it that Trump has been going through the process of converting to Judaism and has been studying with Rabbi Haskel Lookstein of Congregation Kehillath Jeshurun on the Upper East Side of Manhattan.  We wish the couple a hearty ‘Mazel Tov’ and can’t wait to hear more about the upcoming wedding!

The chuppah is an integral part of the Jewish wedding ceremony. Chuppah (also spelled chuppah, chuppa, or huppah) literally means a canopy or a covering. Traditionally, it consists of a cloth, sheet, or a tallit, supported by four poles which are sometimes carried by attendants to the ceremony. A chuppah is symbolic of the home that the wedding couple will build together. That there are no walls in this new home, encourages the couple to follow in the ways of Abraham and Sarah, whose tent was always open to guests.

Are you trying to decide on a style of chuppah for your wedding? Browse our chuppah photo gallery where you’ll find an abundance of inspiration. If you’re already married, consider adding your chuppah to our photo gallery!