When sisters Adeena Sussman and Sharon Wieder faced the death of their mom from ovarian cancer, they wanted to develop a charitable memorial that expressed who she was in life. Since she had been a great cook and baker, and because Thanksgiving was one of her favorite holidays, Pies for Prevention was born.
Eight years ago, Sussman and Wieder began baking Thanksgiving pies, which they sold to friends and community residents. The pie sale proceeds went to the Stephanie Sussman and Ann Nadrich Memorial Fund at Sharsheret, in memory of their mother and grandmother. With the proceeds, Sharsheret, which provides a lifeline of education and support for young Jewish women with breast cancer, was able to develop educational materials and programming for Jewish women facing ovarian cancer and their families.
Each year, the Pies for Prevention program has spread to new communities, from its beginning in Teaneck, to “franchises” in West Orange; Manhattan; Atlanta, GA; Palo Alto, CA; Sharon, MA; and the Five Towns. This is the fourth year that Great Neck will participate in Pies for Prevention, with cosponsorship from Great Neck Synagogue, where the program is being cochaired by Marla Lemonik and Nechama Liss-Levinson.
Liss-Levinson’s mother, Gertude Yagoda Liss, died 30 years ago of ovarian cancer. The Pies for Prevention in Great Neck is to honor her memory and the memory of many other women we all loved who faced ovarian or breast cancer.
The pies are homemade with kosher ingredients, though not under rabbinic supervision, and are pareve. All pies cost $36 and must be ordered by Nov. 17. Purchase them online at www.sharsheret.org/pies-for-prevention/greatneck.
