1. Angelina Jolie’s Reaction to Carrying a “Jewish Cancer Gene”

Angelina Jolie announced last week that she underwent a preemptive double mastectomy to reduce her risk of breast cancer. The A-list actress has a family history of cancer and tested positive for genetic flaws in the BRCA1 gene, which indicates an elevated risk for breast and ovarian cancer. The BRCA1 mutation, especially common in Jewish women, puts Jolie at an 87 percent risk of breast cancer and a 50 percent risk of ovarian cancer.

“I have always told [my children] not to worry, but the truth is I carry a ‘faulty’ gene, BRCA1, which sharply increases my risk of developing breast cancer and ovarian cancer,” the actress, 37, wrote in last Tuesday’s New York Times.

2. Barbara Walters Announces Retirement

After more than five decades, Barbara Walters is hanging up her microphone. The veteran ABC News anchor, who is 83, announced last week she will retire from TV journalism next summer.

“Let me just say I have been on television continuously for over 50 years,” said the Jewish journalist while filming an episode of The View on ABC. “But in the summer of 2014, I plan to retire from appearing on television at all.”

“I do not want to appear on another program or climb another mountain,” Walters told ABC News. “I want instead to sit on a sunny field and admire the very gifted women — and OK, some men too — who will be taking my place.”

3. Aly Raisman Dances Her Way Into the Finals on DWTS

Aly Raisman, the gold medal-winning gymnast on the U.S. Women’s Gymnastics Team at the 2012 Summer Olympics, is now going for gold as a contestant on Dancing With the Stars! The 18-year-old Jewish gymnast heads into the show’s finals this week as one of the top contenders!

Raisman secured her spot in this week’s finale by scoring a perfect score at the end of last week’s episode – as did NFL player Jacoby Jones who tied Raisman for first place.

Raisman will compete against Jones, country singer Kellie Pickler, and Disney star Zendaya in an epic dance-off during the Dancing With the Stars finale which airs tonight on ABC!