NEW YORK — As the Jewish community prepares for the festival of Chanukah, a season synonymous with light and resilience, a poignant milestone is being marked in the world of public health and communal support. December 2025 marks the tenth anniversary of the passing of Rochelle Shoretz, the visionary founder of Sharsheret, a national non-profit organization that has revolutionized how the Jewish community addresses breast and ovarian cancer.
What began in 2001 as a small gathering of five women around a dining room table in northern New Jersey has evolved into an international movement. Today, Sharsheret—the Hebrew word for "chain"—supports more than 275,000 individuals annually, providing a lifeline for those navigating the complex intersection of hereditary cancer, Jewish identity, and modern medicine.
Main Facts: A Chain of Support in a Time of Taboo
The core mission of Sharsheret is rooted in the belief that no woman should face a cancer diagnosis alone, particularly within a community where the disease was once whispered about rather than discussed openly. When Rochelle Shoretz was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 28, she discovered a profound void in the support systems available to young Jewish women. While general support groups existed, they often failed to address the specific nuances of Jewish life: concerns about fertility and family planning, the religious implications of genetic testing, the logistics of observing Shabbat while undergoing chemotherapy, and the unique anxiety of being a young mother in a tight-knit community.
Shoretz’s sons, Shlomo and Dovid Mirsky, who were only three and five years old at the time of their mother’s diagnosis, have emerged as the torchbearers of this legacy. In a recent year-end appeal, they reflected on the transformative power of the organization their mother built.
"Back then, in 2001, cancer was a taboo subject," the Mirsky brothers noted. "Initially, Mom struggled to find someone in a similar situation who could relate to her concerns about parenting, career, religion, and just Jewish life with cancer."
The turning point came when Shoretz met Lauryn Weiser, another young Jewish mother who was slightly further along in her treatment journey. This peer-to-peer connection became the blueprint for Sharsheret’s Peer Support Network, which today matches thousands of women with "link" partners who share similar diagnoses, ages, and religious backgrounds.
Chronology: From a Dining Room Table to a National Powerhouse
The trajectory of Sharsheret is a testament to the urgent need for culturally competent healthcare navigation.
2001: The Diagnosis and the Vision
Rochelle Shoretz, an accomplished lawyer who had previously served as a law clerk for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, was diagnosed with breast cancer. Recognizing that her professional success and community standing did not shield her from the isolation of the disease, she founded Sharsheret to bridge the gap between medical treatment and emotional/communal support.
2001–2010: Breaking the Silence
In its first decade, Sharsheret focused on de-stigmatizing cancer within the Jewish community. The organization introduced the "Busy Box," a program specifically designed for mothers undergoing treatment. As Shlomo and Dovid Mirsky recalled, "Receiving Sharsheret’s Busy Box helped distract us from the difficult realities of Mom’s cancer treatments." The box contained age-appropriate toys and resources to help children understand their mother’s illness without fear.
2015: A Profound Loss and a Continued Mission
In May 2015, Rochelle Shoretz passed away at the age of 42. Her death sent shockwaves through the advocacy world, but the infrastructure she built ensured that the "chain" would not break. At the time of her passing, Sharsheret was already a national organization with a robust presence in hospitals and synagogues across the United States.
2015–2025: Exponential Growth
In the decade following Shoretz’s death, Sharsheret expanded its reach significantly. The organization moved beyond breast cancer to include ovarian cancer and increased its focus on the BRCA genetic mutations that disproportionately affect the Ashkenazi Jewish population. By 2025, the organization has reached the milestone of assisting over a quarter-million people each year, offering everything from financial subsidies for non-medical expenses (the Best Face Forward program) to specialized support for those living with metastatic disease.
Supporting Data: The Biological and Communal Necessity
The need for an organization like Sharsheret is underscored by stark biological data. Genetic research has long established that individuals of Ashkenazi Jewish descent have a significantly higher risk of carrying mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes.
- Genetic Prevalence: While the general population has a 1 in 400 chance of carrying a BRCA mutation, the risk for those of Ashkenazi descent is 1 in 40. These mutations dramatically increase the lifetime risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer.
- Early Onset: Jewish women are often diagnosed at younger ages, during their peak child-rearing and career-building years, necessitating the specific types of support Sharsheret provides.
- The Reach of Support: In 2024 alone, Sharsheret reported that its social workers and genetic counselors provided over 15,000 hours of individualized counseling. Their educational webinars and community events reached participants in all 50 states and several countries abroad.
- The "Busy Box" Impact: Since its inception, the Busy Box program has reached over 10,000 families, providing a structured way for parents to maintain a sense of normalcy for their children during the rigors of oncology treatments.
Official Responses: A Call to Action for the Next Generation
The year-end appeal led by Shlomo and Dovid Mirsky serves as both a memorial and a strategic call to action. Their involvement signals a transition in leadership and advocacy, as the children who were once beneficiaries of the organization’s services now lead the charge for its financial sustainability.
"She has missed so many milestones—from graduations to grandchildren to Sharsheret reaching incredible heights," the brothers shared. "Despite Mom’s passing, Sharsheret has continued to grow and develop to help so many people and families who desperately need it."
Organizational leaders emphasize that year-end giving is critical for maintaining the "no-cost" model of Sharsheret’s services. Unlike many advocacy groups that focus primarily on research, Sharsheret’s budget is heavily weighted toward direct service and psychosocial support.
"The generosity of our donors ensures that when a woman calls our helpline at 2:00 AM because she is terrified about her upcoming mastectomy, there is a culturally sensitive professional on the other end of the line," a spokesperson for the organization stated. "We are not just funding medicine; we are funding the human spirit."
Implications: Changing the Landscape of Hereditary Cancer
The legacy of Rochelle Shoretz and the continued work of Sharsheret have broader implications for the future of personalized medicine and community-based healthcare.
1. The Normalization of Genetic Testing
Through its "Have You Shared?" campaign, Sharsheret has played a pivotal role in making genetic testing a standard part of health conversations in the Jewish community. By removing the "taboo" mentioned by the Mirsky brothers, the organization has likely saved thousands of lives through early detection and prophylactic measures.
2. The Model for Culturally Specific Care
Sharsheret’s success has provided a blueprint for other ethnic and religious groups to create their own support networks. The organization’s ability to integrate religious values—such as the importance of bikur cholim (visiting the sick)—with modern oncological best practices is now studied by healthcare administrators as a gold standard for patient-centered care.
3. Impact on the "Next Generation"
As the Mirsky brothers look toward the future, the focus is shifting toward "previvors"—individuals who carry the BRCA mutation but have not yet developed cancer. Sharsheret’s programming now includes significant resources for young adults (men and women alike) to understand their genetic risks and make informed decisions about their futures.
4. The Enduring Power of the "Chain"
The 10-year anniversary of Rochelle Shoretz’s passing serves as a reminder that an individual’s vision can outlive their physical presence. The "chain" she started in her dining room has become a global safety net.
As Shlomo and Dovid Mirsky concluded in their appeal: "We know that thanks to your generosity, Mom is looking down with pride as we build a healthier and brighter future for the next generation."
For many in the community, Sharsheret is more than a charity; it is a living memorial to a woman who refused to let cancer define her or silence her community. As the 2025 year-end giving season reaches its peak, the organization stands as a testament to the idea that while medicine may treat the body, it is the community that heals the soul.
To support the Sharsheret year-end campaign and help carry forward the legacy of Rochelle Shoretz, donations can be made online at link.Sharsheret.org/EOY.
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