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Everything You Need to Know about Jewish Genetic Carrier Screening {with JScreen}

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If you’re thinking of starting a family in the next few years, you might have heard about genetic carrier screening. You may even have considered getting screened yourself. But it can be hard to know where to start. The process can seem intimidating, expensive, and scary – but it doesn’t have to be any of those things. Knowing where you stand genetic disease-wise – and what your options are going forward if it turns out you are a carrier – is actually really empowering!
 
That’s why I’m so excited to tell you that this Wednesday, 22 July, at 9:00 am PDT / 12:00 pm EDT / 5:00 pm GDT, I’ll be chatting on Facebook with Hillary Kener Regelman, Director of National Outreach at JScreen, a US-based not-for-profit at-home education and carrier screening program for Jewish genetic diseases.
 
JScreen‘s mission is to give individuals and families easy access to information convenient home testing (so you can get the process started even in lockdown) at a reasonable price point. Screening for over 200 genetic diseases – including those that are commonly found in Ashkenazi, Sephardic, and Mizrahi Jewish populations – is performed by a certified laboratory and results are reviewed and reported to participants by genetic counselors, so if it turns out you are a carrier for a disease, your counselor will be there to talk you through the options (and there ARE options!).
 
Hillary will be addressing a range of topics including the following:
  • What is genetic carrier screening?
  • Who should consider genetic carrier screening?
  • What diseases does JScreen test for?
  • How accurate are the results?
  • Is it worth testing through JScreen if I’ve already done genetic carrier screening?
  • How much does JScreen cost? How does it work with insurance?
  • How does JScreen’s process work?
  • What are the next steps if a couple finds out they are carriers for a disease?

If you decide to go forward with genetic testing through JScreen, you’ll also be eligible for an $18 discount as a Smashing The Glass reader – just use the code “JScreenAtHome”

While JScreen only covers testing in the United States, this Facebook Live will include general information about genetic screening that’s relevant to individuals and couples anywhere in the world.

Hillary will be answering all your questions live, so if there’s anything you want to know about Jewish genetic screening in general or JScreen’s offerings in particular, ask away!

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A Jesus Peiro Bride for an Oceanside Destination Jewish Wedding with a Carrot Bouquet at Cochav Ha Yam, Caesarea Israel

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Here at Team STG, we’re no strangers to cool and unusual bridal bouquets. But just when we think we’ve seen it all, something totally new comes along. Like beautiful London-based bride Jenna’s carrot bouquet in today’s gorgeous Jewish wedding. Jenna’s a nutritionist, so it’s only fitting that she’d want to incorporate some fruit and veg into her breathtaking destination wedding to Adrian, a management consultant.

Although Jenna had planned on including some edible florals into her day – the table decorations included lemons and limes – the carrot bouquet started out as a jokey surprise from the bride’s mother, who figured she’d take a few pictures and be done with it. But turns out Jenna loved it so much she opted to carry it down the aisle – and we are so glad she did! You’ve GOT to check it out in Ronen Boidek’s exquisite photos.

And speaking of exquisite – how much do we love Jenna’s Jesus Peiro gown, which she found at beloved Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Morgan Davies Bridal in Farringdon, London. Jenna knew she wanted to wear something ultra-memorable for her big day, and for that you can’t do much better than Jesus Peiro’s statement-making modern styles.

Take it away, Jenna!

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How we Met

Jenna, the bride: We met at university. We ended up living together with a group of our friends and things began to blossom. We were actually friends for about 3 years before that though!

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A Love Letter to Italy: Jewish Wedding Inspo from a Beloved Destination Hit Hard by COVID-19 {with La Fete}

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Italy is one of the most beloved Jewish wedding destinations among #STGbrides and grooms – and there’s no wonder why. Between the landscape, the sunlight, and the food, this is a corner of the world like no other.

Sadly, it’s also one of the areas hit hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout March and April, the world looked on in horror as staggering death rates rocked the northern part of the country, with the pandemic’s epicenter squarely in the northern region of Lombardy.

Our hearts went out to our Italian friends and beloved #STGvendors, and we wished we could do more to support the wonderful Italian wedding community, who have opened their hearts to so many wonderful Smashing The Glass couples over the years.

So when international luxury wedding planner and #STGvendor La Fête let us know they’d about a gorgeous Jewish wedding-themed styled shoot they’d worked on in Tuscany, we couldn’t wait to feature it.Continue ReadingContinue Reading

Real Jewish Brides: Jenna on How We are Customizing our Jewish Wedding

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Jenna will be marrying Mat on 13th June 2021 at The Lodge at Ventana Canyon in Tucson, Arizona. Click here to read all Jenna’s planning posts to date.

THREE FACTS: (1) Jenna + Mat have known each other all their lives – they met when they were both one-year-old at a baby class! (2) Their relationship began at the University of Arizona in March 2012 (3) Mat proposed at Jenna’s parents house in December 2018

Judaism is a huge part of our identity – both for my fiancé, Mat, and for me. We not only grew up at the same synagogue, where we were bar and bat mitzvahed, but also attended Jewish summer camps (and worked as counselors), were members of our Jewish youth group USY, went to the Jewish day school or the synagogue’s Hebrew school, and so much more (I taught b’nai mitzvah class for 5 years!).

Growing up for me, I always remembered going to Shabbat dinner at my Bubbie and Grandpa’s house – I even learned how to bake challah from my Grandpa, who would bake two fresh loaves every other week. We always celebrated all the Jewish holidays as well, with the entire family getting together to eat good food and celebrate. For Mat, going to Hebrew school 3 times a week at the synagogue kept him connected in his daily life to Judaism – it is where he learned about our history, culture, religion, and it taught him the importance of his Jewish identity. 

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An Allison Webb Bride for a 1920s Glam Jewish Wedding at the InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile, Chicago, Illinois, USA

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We could not be more excited to be sharing the gorgeous vintage glam Jewish wedding of Smashing The Glass Brides Club member Jacklyn, a registered nurse, and Jeffrey, who owns a real estate company!

Taking cues from the old-world luxury vibe of their ca. 1929 venue, the InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile, Jacklyn and Jeffrey turned the hotel’s already stunning ballroom into an eclectic fantasyland, full of luxe florals and pampas grass, in a neutral color palette with pops of gold – including an absolutely stunning gold chuppah, which the couple covered with the groom’s grandfather’s tallitot. Don’t miss Erin Hoyt’s moody, classic photos and This Charming Heart’s wonderful trailer.

We also love the creative approach Jacklyn and Jeffrey took to structuring their day: Jacklyn wanted to be sure everyone would see her in her dress for the first time as she walked down the aisle, so to help with the flow of the day the pair opted to have their ketubah signing the night before the wedding. This turned into a very special gathering for an intimate group of 20, including family and friends who’d flown in from Poland and Dubai, beautifully photographed by the bride’s friend, fashion photographer Anna Stokland.

And we’re in love with the couple’s ketubah, a replica of an Italian ketubah dating from 1768 which they purchased from Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Ketubah.com! (PSA to all history lovers: in addition to their fantastic collection of contemporary designs, Ketubah.com also has a wonderful collection of historical designs based on ketubot from all over the world, some dating back to the 1500s.)

There’s so much more we could say about this exquisite wedding, but we’ll leave it to Jacklyn, who looked like an absolute supermodel in Allison Webb, to share the rest…

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How We Met

Jacklyn, the bride: We met through mutual friends. Went on one date and we instantly knew, that night, we were each other’s “one”.Continue ReadingContinue Reading