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Gift Of Life
Former Detroiter’s bone marrow
helps save life of Israeli woman.
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quality, compassionate care by the most skilled medical team around.
ormer Detroiter Peter Schottenfels visited Israel for the first
time in 2007 on a Birthright trip, never imagining he would
later save the life of an Israeli woman suffering from cancer.
While on Birthright, Schottenfels gave a cheek-swab DNA sam-
ple to the bone marrow registry.
Two years ago, the 30-year-old, who now lives in New York, was
told by the U.S.-based Gift of Life organization that his DNA was
a match for 58-year-old leukemia patient Eti Brazilai from Ramat
Gan, near Tel Aviv.
“When I first heard my bone marrow was a match for a donor, I
was surprised and felt very
fortunate,” Schottenfels
said. “The donation was
very simple. I just sat and
watched a movie. It was
painless, like giving blood.
I would do it again with-
out hesitation.”
Recently, Schottenfels
returned to Israel to meet
Brazilai for the first time.
“When I first signed up
to go on a Birthright trip,
I was looking forward to
an experience that would
connect me with Judaism,
with our heritage — and
to travel to Israel for the
first time,” he said.
The nonprofit
Birthright
sponsors free
Peter Schottenfels and Eti Brazilai
10-day trips for young
Jewish adults who have
not previously visited the
Jewish state, in a bid to
strengthen their connec-
tion with the country.
“I never could have
imagined I’d get to save
a life, and also that my
own life would change so
dramatically,” Schottenfels
said. “The entire experi-
– Peter Schottenfels ence strengthened my
identity as a Jew. I feel
fortunate to have gained a
new family and an unbreakable bond with the people of Israel.”
Schottenfels grew up in Bloomfield Hills; he graduated from
Andover High School and the University of Michigan. His fam-
ily belongs to Temple Kol Ami, where his father is on the board.
Schottenfels currently is press secretary at Airbnb in New York.
Birthright’s collaboration with “Gift of Life” has so far matched
up 180 donors with recipients.
Brazilai said, “My life changed when I was diagnosed with acute
leukemia, and I was reborn one year later when I received my bone
marrow transplant.
“I got a second chance at life and there are not many opportuni-
ties like this during our lifetimes. I am grateful to Peter and the
wonderful people of Gift of Life and Birthright who are doing a
holy job.”
“ I never could have
imagined I’d get to save
a life, and that my own
life would change so
dramatically.
”
*
— Times of Israel
2064350
54 November 24 • 2016