South Floridians have opportunities to exercise, get educated and wear pink for a good cause during breast cancer awareness days taking place at local Jewish community centers this month.
Sharsheret, a national not-for-profit organization supporting young Jewish women and their families facing breast cancer, is partnering with JCCs throughout South Florida to present these breast cancer awareness days, known as Pink Days. These events include exercises, discussions and information on local resources. Participants are encouraged to wear pink in support of breast cancer awareness to these events.
“Since Sharsheret’s founding in 2001, we have been proud to partner with JCCs, synagogues, Jewish Family Services and other agencies to raise awareness about breast cancer in the Jewish community,” said Briana Schwarz, Sharsheret’s Florida Regional director. “Through local events, participants are educated and empowered to take action, share information and resources, and support others.”
The David Posnack JCC, 5850 South Pine Island Road in Davie, will host an “Around the World in Pink” fitness event on Oct. 20 at 8:30 a.m. with partial proceeds benefiting Sharsheret. The event includes a series of five different group exercises that participants will rotate through for 25 minutes at a time and then switch to another group exercise. The exercise will go on simultaneously in five different rooms.
Ysaac Kaplan, event coordinator, noted that there’s a “nice, good feeling” at this annual event at the Posnack JCC.
“A lot of the people who come share stories, as some of our members are actually survivors that take the class and support the program,” he noted.
The event costs $20 per person and includes one raffle ticket with every entry fee. Additional raffle tickets may be purchased for $10. Call 954-434-0499, ext. 100 for more information or to register.
The Adolph & Rose Levis JCC, 9801 Donna Klein Blvd. in Boca Raton, will host its annual Pink Day on Oct. 25. Members and guests are invited to wear pink to show support of breast cancer awareness; learn “What’s Jewish About Breast Cancer” in a lecture at 2:30 p.m. in the Group Exercise studio located in the Sports & Wellness Center; pick up giveaways and informational materials in the Levis JCC’s Sports & Wellness Center, its Zale Early Childhood Learning Center and its Sandler Center; and work out in the Fitness Center for one of the group exercise classes.
The Michael-Ann Russell JCC, 18900 NE 25th Ave. in North Miami Beach, hosts its annual Pink Day on Oct. 27 starting at 8:30 a.m. with a ride-for-the-cure spin class for everyone.
“Every year, the spin class is a catharsis for many women who have had cancer or have had family members that have had it and every year the class has a specific message,” said Dany Weil, the MAR-JCC’s health and wellness director. “There are different types of music for the different types of moments and experiences that a person has.”
Weil said the spin class is also very “emotional” for him as well as he has battled a malignant melanoma in his neck and a bladder cancer so the ride is, personally for him, one that he has spent crying and remembering his bouts with cancer.
“It’s kind of a catharsis for me as well,” Weil said.
This event will also include presentations by Sharsheret and the University of Miami Health System’s Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, which is sponsoring it and also providing information throughout the day. Contact Weil at DanyW@marjcc.org or 305-932-4200 ext. 136 for more information on the Pink Day and a breast cancer lecture that the JCC is presenting on Oct. 23 at 8 p.m.
Visit sharsheret.org for information on Pink Days taking place in other JCCs in South Florida.