Persons exhibiting mutations in two tumor suppressor genes, BRCA1 and BRCA2, 
have a greatly increased risk of developing breast and/or ovarian cancer. The 
incidence of BRCA gene mutation is very high in Ashkenazi Jewish women of 
European descent, and many issues can arise, particularly for observant Orthodox 
women, because of their genetic status. Their obligations under the Jewish code 
of ethics, referred to as Jewish law, with respect to the acceptability of 
various risk-reducing strategies, may be poorly understood. In this article the 
moral direction that Jewish law gives to women regarding testing, 
confidentiality, and other issues is explored. The intent is to broaden nurses' 
knowledge of how a particular religious tradition could impact on decision 
making around genetics testing, with the aim of enhancing their understanding of 
culturally sensitive ethical care.