Manicure event benefits Jewish breast cancer fund

For the first time, Manicure for a Cure took its cosmetics and made its way to University of Maryland in a fight against breast cancer. On Thursday Oct. 30, girls packed Stamp Student Union to receive manicures by Essie Cosmetic artists. The popularity of the event was so great that 150 of the 180 manicure slots were filled before Thursday, said Naomi Kohl, campus Torah educator for Hillel.

"The money we raise will go toward helping young Jewish women with breast cancer cope with life and help them address every day challenges they are facing," said Lauren Berger, junior hearing and speech major, who helped the Hillel team run the event.

Hillel donated the revenue generated by each manicure to Sharsheret, a national non-profit organization created to help Jewish women in their battles against breast cancer.

"I personally have a connection to Sharsheret as they are a Jewish organization that I have personally seen help many women," Kohl said.

Sharsheret is also the national philanthropy of sorority Alpha Epsilon Phi, who co-hosted the event with Hillel. Other co-sponsors included JSAC and Tzedek, who helped Hillel staff and the girls of AEPhi with advertising via Facebook, handing out flyers and word of mouth.

Maryland was inspired to host Manicure for a Cure this year by the other JLIC affiliated universities that hosted the event in the past, Berger said.

Kohl's position at Hillel works with the Jewish Initiative on Campus through the Orthodox Union. JLIC places rabbis and educators in 15 campuses throughout the country, establishing Maryland Hillel's relationship with other campuses that contain JLIC educators.

"I went and it was amazing. The staff was really nice and it looked like there was a big turn out," said Jess Moore, senior psychology major, after receiving her manicure.

Manicure for a Cure was hosted as part of a weeklong fight for women's issues hosted by Hillel and AEPhi, among other organizations. The week was called "Women's Week" and was held in order to fight various women's concerns, like breast cancer.