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

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Here at Smashing The Glass, we’re passionate about genetic carrier screening. If you’ve started thinking about growing your family, it’s something you might have heard of. You may even have considered getting screened yourself. But we’re well aware that the process can seem intimidating, expensive, and scary. It doesn’t have to be any of those things, though! Knowing whether you’re a carrier for any genetic diseases – and what your options are going forward if it turns out you are – is actually really empowering!
 
That’s why I’m so excited to tell you that this Thursday, July 28, at 10:00 am PDT / 1:00 pm EDT / 6:00 pm BST, I’ll be chatting on Instagram @yourjewishlife with Emily Goldberg, a genetic counselor at JScreen, a US-based not-for-profit at-home education and carrier screening program for Jewish genetic diseases.
 
Emily Goldberg, genetic counselor at JScreen
Karen will be speaking with JScreen genetic counselor Emily Goldberg

GET EMPOWERED

Over the past couple of years, we’ve had some informative, empowering conversations with members of the JScreen team about what JScreen does, how genetic carrier screening works, and what all this might mean for you. We wanted to make sure all the newly engaged couples are able to benefit, so we’re bringing Emily in to give us a refresher, plus fill us in on recent updates. 

JScreen‘s mission is to give individuals and families easy access to information convenient home testing 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!).

LEARN ALL ABOUT IT

Emily 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?

GET TESTED

If you decide to go forward with genetic testing through JScreen, you’ll also be eligible for an $50 discount as a Smashing The Glass reader – just use the code “Smashing22”

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

Emily 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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An MLM Label Bride for an American-Israeli Jewish Wedding with Yemenite Traditions at Shalosh, Or Yehuda, Israel

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It’s always a treat when we get to blog the gorgeous Jewish wedding of one of our beloved Brides Club members, and Miriam’s fabulous Israeli-American celebration to groom Idan is no exception.

There’s so much to love about this wedding. Miriam, who’s American Ashkenazi, and Idan, who’s Yemenite Israeli, lead an international, multicultural lifestyle, splitting their time between Virginia and Israel, and their big day followed suit – read on to find out about some of the beautiful Yemenite traditions the couple incorporated into their celebration, and don’t miss the stunning photos by Reouven Ben Chaim.

Miriam and Idan worked with the wonderful Yana from Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor Craspedia Events (who the duo found right here on STG) to plan their wedding, and they loved how she and her team not only helped them enjoy wedding planning minus the stress but also helped them add in all kinds of special details reflecting their lives and love story.

Miriam and Idan also took advantage of a Brides Club discount in ordering a second ketubah with custom text (to complement the traditional one provided by their rabbi) from Smashing The Glass Recommended Vendor ketubah.com. They chose a paper cut design by artist Enya Keshet, and report that they were very impressed with ketubah.com’s speed and responsiveness.

There’s so much more to say about this joyous wedding – we love that Miriam chose to focus on her values of sustainability and ethical labor when making choices like her beautiful dress from Australian brand MLM Label – but we’ll let the bride herself fill you in on the rest…


How we Met

Miriam, the bride: Idan and I met about 7 years ago while both living in Israel, in an amazing coincidence – we met as the spontaneous ‘plus ones’ to our friends’ first date at a bar in Tel Aviv. My friend (also an American, who at that point I had only known for about a week, and is today one of my best friends!) had hit it off with a guy; she asked me to come to their first date to keep an eye out as she was nervous.

The guy (Idan’s best friend) asked Idan to come with him to help translate the date, as he was self-conscious about his English. I stood in the corner and hung out with other friends to keep “an eye out”, while Idan translated the date – until his friend kicked him out :). Idan and I met again the following week at a party, and have been together ever since. And our friends are now happily married with a beautiful baby girl!Continue ReadingContinue Reading

Your Judaica, Your Way: Register for the Judaica of Your Dreams with the Jewish Museum Shop

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In Smashing The Glass’s Brides Club, we’re always fielding questions about where to register for Judaica that suits your style. Your bridal registry is a perfect opportunity to begin your new life together with unique and beautiful Judaica, and while there are so many options out there these days, it’s not always easy picking out pieces that work with your lifestyle and aesthetics – not to mention finding a one-stop shop where you can register for all the Judaica you might need to round out your collection.

Enter the Jewish Museum Shop. Located inside New York City’s Jewish Museum, on the Upper East Side’s Museum Mile, the Jewish Museum Shop specializes in Judaica and gifts that fit all tastes and lifestyles, from traditional, to contemporary; from formal for special occasions to casual and modern – and they offer international shipping, too. They also do gift cards, which are just the thing to give or get as wedding presents!

Their tastefully curated selection makes it a pleasure to pick out the pieces that are right for you – and the Jewish Museum Shop’s universal registry, which can by synced with registries from other retailers through MyRegistry.com, makes the process convenient and seamless. And best of all, every purchase supports the Jewish Museum – total win-win.

Shabbat Shalom

So what kinds of Judaica do Smashing The Glass couples love to register for? With the Jewish Museum Shop, the sky’s the limit, but items to enhance your Shabbat table are a much-loved place to start. Shabbat is a beautiful end to a busy week, and a meaningful way to bring Judaism into your home, and the Jewish Museum Shop has an incredible selection of candlesticks, kiddush cups, and challah plates, knives, and covers.

Gear Up for the Holidays

You can also make sure you’re covered for all of the holidays:

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Top Jewish Wedding Planning Tips

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Jewish wedding Osea Island, Essex, UK_0041
Jasmine & Brett’s wedding featured on Smashing the Glass | Photo by Claudine Hartzel

So you’re planning a Jewish wedding – mazal tov! Wedding planning is exciting, no question, but it can also be seriously overwhelming. There’s so much to learn, so much information to sort through and, in many cases, so many opinions to contend with. 

But having the right tools goes a long way! And that’s why we tapped into our fabulous network of wedding planners to share their top tips for a smooth wedding planning journey. Read on for some essential Jewish wedding wisdom!

Charlotte from La Fete says

Make sure that you are really clear with your parents from the start on their involvement in your big day. Are they expecting certain things – do you have any non-negotiables? The clearer you are earlier on, the easier and smoother the whole process will be. 

Rebecca & Emmanuel, Villa Luisa, Seville, Spain

Rebecca & Emmanuel‘s wedding featured on Smashing The Glass | Photo by Juan Luis Morilla

 Michelle from Elegante by Michelle J says

We are very fortunate that the Jewish marriage ceremony is very poignant and meaningful;  so my advice to all of my couples is to make it especially so,  the highlight of your wedding day. It’s all too easy to get caught up with the dinner florals, the entertainment, the food and of course they are important (and as a wedding planner I also love to get caught up in all of these details). But everyone is gathering together to witness the two of you entering into the commitment of marriage. So this should be considered “the main event”. Everything else that follows is a celebration of the beautiful wedding that your guests have had the privilege of witnessing.

Chloe & Danny‘s wedding featured on Smashing The Glass | Photo by David Bastianoni

Yana Andreev from Craspedia Events says

Create an email account that will be designated for wedding things only. That way you’ll have all the corespondence in one convinient location, you both have access to and it won’t mix with work and personal stuff. 

Jewish wedding Bayaar, Hadera, Israel

Shelly & Harel‘s wedding featured on Smashing The Glass | Photo by Noa Magger

Luba from Primavera Dreams says

My #1 tip for a destination Jewish wedding: Make sure that your planner knows the traditions, understand the particularity of a Jewish wedding and can actively help to source what may be needed (from chuppah and rabbi to challah, to kosher food and wine, etc. if needed). Or it may cost you a lot of money and stress.

Rita-Daniel-Granite-Links-Quincy-MA-USA
Rita & Daniel‘s wedding featured on Smashing the Glass | Photo by Tatiana Blanco Photography 

Dyana from Dyana Dessar says

Do remember why you are getting married, because you love each other!  it is not a military manoeuvre and whilst it is important to have a good timeline don’t sweat the small stuff, stop take a moment and take the day in as it will be over all too soon, and to make sure it all runs smoothly employ a professional wedding planner! 


Jolanda & Jack‘s wedding featured on Smashing the Glass | Photo by The Love Hunters

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The Ultimate Guide to Planning a Destination Wedding in Israel

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Laura and Elad‘s Jewish wedding in Tel Aviv | Photo by Ronen Boidek

Laura and Elad‘s Jewish wedding in Tel Aviv | Photo by Ronen Boidek

Some of my very favorite Smashing The Glass real weddings have taken place in Israel. I always dreamed of getting married there myself, and even though in the end we decided to get married in our hometown so that my husband’s 97-year-old grandmother could be at the center of our celebration, I love living vicariously through all our gorgeous Israel brides.

In addition to being such a meaningful place to hold a Jewish wedding, Israel also happens to be pretty unbeatable when it comes to sunny weather, unbeatable food, great views – from lush green forests to pristine beaches, vast deserts to stunning mountain – and the best parties I’ve ever been to. Just check out our real Israeli weddings section if you need any more proof!

Photo by Valeri Prochin

Photo by Valeri Prochin

The downside? It can be more than a little overwhelming to plan a wedding long distance, in a country whose language you might not even speak, and with somewhat different cultural norms than the US or UK. There’s also some tricky bureaucracy to contend with. But never fear! I sat down with Gev Rotem of Bebke, one of the very best Israeli destination wedding planners around, to demystify the process of planning the Israeli destination wedding of your dreams, one step at a time.

Bebke are known for planning some of the most creative, vibrant Israeli destination weddings around – you can see some we’ve featured on Smashing The Glass here – and there’s no one I trust more than Gev to be on top of all the up-to-the-minute ins and outs of crafting your perfect wedding in Israel from abroad. 

Photo by Moran Mayan

How Do You Find Vendors?

It can be really daunting trying to find vendors overseas, especially when there are language/cultural barriers, although most Israelis do speak good English. When you’re less familiar with the landscape, it can also be trickier to make sure you end up with a trustworthy team you can depend on to bring your wedding dreams to life. 

Recommendations from friends and family can certainly be helpful, but we also have a handy list of Israeli Recommended Vendors, carefully vetted to get you started, and, again, our past Israeli real weddings come with a vendor list at the end of each post, so if you see something you like, you can get in touch.

Even better is working with a trusted planner like Gev, who can not only source fantastic vendors you can trust who’ll be the perfect fit for your version, but will also make sure you get the best rates possible. 

Photo by Jen Sladkov

How About a Venue?

When it comes to nailing down that perfect venue, Gev shared some great insights – including one reason for working with a planner that you may not have considered: “There are lots of great villas and private properties open to hiring themselves out for weddings, but the problem with these tends to be that after a couple of events, their neighbors start complaining and they end up needing to shut down. For this reason, we hold lots of weddings at one-off locations where we can fly under the radar – and we have a team constantly looking for new options.”

Photo by Jen Sladkov

While there are also plenty of gorgeous established venues in Israel, Gev notes that your typical Israeli venue holds an average of 250(!) events per year – which means they tend to offer only set packages geared toward Israelis, leading to cookie-cutter events  which may not be quite in line with what couples from abroad are looking for. These venues often aren’t open to the kinds of bespoke touches those of us coming from the US and UK might want to include to craft a wedding that truly reflects them as a couple. 

Laura and Elad‘s Jewish wedding in Tel Aviv | Photo by Ronen Boidek

What Kinds of Unique Venues Can I Find in Israel?

Gev loves to help connect his couples with unique, only-in-Israel venues like olive and pecan groves, open fields, glamorous villas, old houses in Jaffa or ancient structures in Jerusalem, and locations amidst atmospheric archeological ruins. Israel’s got so many fabulous spots so full of character that are unlike anything you’d find at home, and Gev strongly believes that if you decide to get married there you should take advantage, rather than try to find a venue that imitates a New York club or an English garden.

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