When Sarah Fenner was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2002 she bought a small photo album and transformed it into a "Chemotherapy Siddur (prayer book)."  She filled it with computer printouts of blessings and poems that were meaningful to her and added cards from friends and photos of people and places she loves. Intended as a personal and creative expression, the resulting product was powerfully compelling to the nurses, as well as to fellow patients and the people who accompanied them to treatments.  What started as curiosity about this little book that Sarah held, flipped through, read parts of, and had other people read aloud from was quickly followed by a request, "How can I get one of those?"  
 
In the months and years that followed, Sarah would honor these requests, spending hours cutting, pasting, assembling and mailing them out. As word of the "chemo siddur" began to spread, an article about it appeared in the New York Times as well as the j. (the Jewish newspaper of Northern California). Soon the project began to be overwhelming, and Sarah explored a variety of options for manageable reproduction and distribution. Sarah, who is a strong supporter of Jewish Milestones, asked if this was something we would consider taking on. Honored and excited, we began to explore a wide variety of options for content, format, and distribution, including a mock-up entitled "Hineni-Here I Am: A Companion for Chemotherapy."
 
Sarah's cancer has recently returned.  A new sense of urgency in making the Chemo Siddur a concrete expression of Sarah's multifaceted and profound legacy has been ignited in us. To learn more about the creation of this new ritual object, and to find out how you can contribute to this special project, click here.

 

It has been my pleasure to serve as founding president of Jewish Milestones' board for the past 5 years.  As I conclude my term to focus on my role as CEO and Founder of UpStart Bay Area, it is also my pleasure to announce Jewish Milestones as a winner of the Jewish Choice Awards! The Jewish Choice Awards began this year as a joint initiative of six organizations, including UpStart Bay Area, committed to developing entrepreneurship and innovation in Jewish life.  To learn more about The Jewish Choice Awards, click here.  
 
It's not a surprise to any who knows the work of Jewish Milestones that people touched by the organization would be inspired to act on its behalf. Thanks to Jewish Milestones, my own family was able to grieve for a lost loved one through a shiva minyan, a gathering that honored all who were present, our tradition, and the marvelous man we lost. Our story is a small one in the broad reach of Jewish Milestones' impact.  I have truly been honored and improved both as a person and as a Jew by my association with the work, staff and board of Jewish Milestones.  I am delighted to see their work honored by the Jewish Choice Award, and look forward to many more exciting "milestones" in the years to come. I will always be near.  For the full text of Toby's remarks, click here.

 

Have you given more thought to the questions we raised in our end-of-year donor appeal:

For those of you who have already responded by sending a year-end contribution to Jewish Milestones, we are sincerely grateful for your support (and your official thank you letter is in the mail!).
 
For those of you who haven't yet committed to a gift please consider Jewish Milestones a worthy recipient of your tzedakah dollars.   We hope you will consider making a donation to help us realize a vision we think you share -- making positive, and authentic experiences of Jewish ritual accessible to all those who seek it.
 
Tzedakah is necessary not only for individuals but also for sustaining organizations. If every one of the recipients of this email sends a contribution of $36 or more we will be able to offer our clients services on a sliding scale without sacrificing other programs. We will also be able to show our funders that their investment in Jewish Milestones is being met with an increase in grassroots support for our work.

                                              -the Staff and Board of Jewish Milestones

Jewish Milestones is dedicated to deepening the engagement of Jews with their heritage by supporting active participation in authentically Jewish and personally meaningful rites of passage: typically related to birth, maturation, partnering, and loss.