Rabbi Sam Trief
This winter break, I was able to spend lots of time with one of my closest friends, Rabbi Lindsey Danziger. Lindsey lives with chronic, incurable cancer. She is also a Jewish writer, and in The Sacred Struggle: Jewish Responses to Trauma, she shares the story of her diagnosis — one that is familiar to far too many.
After discovering a lump and being repeatedly reassured that she was “young and fit and fine,” Lindsey continued to feel that something was not right. After months of advocating for herself, she finally insisted on a biopsy. Two and a half weeks later, on a Friday evening, she heard the words that changed her life: “You have cancer.”
Today, while Lindsey will never be fully cured, she lives in remission and leads a full and meaningful life. Her experience reminds us of the importance of listening to our bodies, asking questions, and seeking care when something feels off.
In the Jewish tradition, each day, we recite the blessing Asher Yatzar, thanking God for the miracle of our bodies and for the gift of being healthy enough to be present in community. This Shabbat invites us to take that blessing seriously; to care for ourselves and advocate for our health. And this is why we are highlighting Sharsheret this Shabbat at Temple Sinai.
Sharsheret is a Jewish nonprofit organization that provides support, education, financial assistance, and genetic counseling to individuals and families facing or at increased genetic risk of breast and ovarian cancer. Their work is especially important in Jewish communities, where Ashkenazi Jewish women are statistically more likely to carry inherited BRCA gene mutations that increase the risk of both breast and ovarian cancer.
Let this Shabbat be a sacred reminder to pay attention to your health, ask questions, and advocate for yourself and for those you love. Temple Sinai is here to support you in whatever way we can.
During services, we will invite anyone who has been touched by cancer, including caregivers, to come forward to light a candle in recognition of courage, healing, remembrance, and hope.
Shabbat Shalom!
Rabbi Sam Trief
