March 19 2021 l 6 Nisan 5781
CONGREGATION BEIT T'SHUVAH WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
Dear Congregants,

The 1st of Nisan, the first month of the Hebrew calendar, has come. It is also called chodesh ha’Aviv which means the “month of Spring”. Actually, chodesh means “moon” so the new moon which just happened was the Spring new moon. In the Torah we read: “This month [the month of Nisan] shall be for you the first of the months” (Exodus 12:2).
 
Even more, this coming Saturday is the Spring Solstice. For our Persian brothers and sisters (and my wife!), Saturday at 2:37:28 am here in Los Angeles will be Norooz, the Persian New Year. 
 
All of this means that Passover (Pesach), chag haMatzot, is just around the corner! Actually, Passover begins Saturday evening, March 27th. At Beit T’Shuvah, we will be gathering together on ZOOM for our BTS First Night Virtual Seder at 7:00 PM.
 
The time for preparation is here. For Jews, this cleaning is not really “Spring cleaning” because our goal is to search for chametz, that is, we clean our house of all the products and their remaining (and often hidden!) crumbs of foods that contain leaven. Many Jews even sell their chametz in order to rid themselves of it completely for the entire 8 nights and days of Passover.
 
At Beit T’Shuvah, we also want to rid ourselves of our “inner chametz”. Just like leaven “puffs up” food, so does our ego “puff itself up.” We want to search our inner self for our arrogance and our inflated sense of self and clean it out so that we may only remain with humble, simple, “spiritual matzah” inside.
 
To help you with this inner cleaning, our digital Passover Haggadah has a Teshuvah sheet included in it to help you prepare yourself spiritually for Passover. So, I invite you to click here, register for our Passover events, and download your Haggadah early for you and your family in order to prepare both your outside and your inside as you get ready for Passover.
 
Be certain that Beit T’Shuvah is preparing an exciting Virtual Passover for you this year!
 
The Music and Film Departments have joined together to create three events so that we can celebrate one of Beit T’Shuvah’s most looked-forward-to holidays.

Event #1 —       A First Night Virtual Seder
                          featuring Residents and the BTS Music Department
                          Saturday, March 27th on ZOOM
                          7:00 - 8:30 PM
 
Event #2 —       A Second Night Concert: 
                          Stories & Songs of Liberation
                          featuring former BTS Residents and the BTS Music Department
                          Sunday, March 28th on YouTube
                          7:00 - 8:00 PM
 
Event #3 —       An Eighth Night Gathering
                          Transform Yourself, Transform the World:
                          a Teaching and Havdalah
                          Saturday, April 3rd on ZOOM
                          7:00 - 7:30 PM
 
All of the links and virtual information can be found at:
 
 
Invite your friends. Prepare early. Register now.  Support Beit T’Shuvah!
 
This is z’man cheruteinu. This is the time of our freedom. It is the time we, at Beit T’Shuvah, remember our liberation and freedom from the slavery of addiction. So, let’s celebrate together!

Shabbat Shalom and an early Chag Same'ach,
Rabbi Micha'el Akiba
THIS WEEK'S TORAH PORTION
By: Rabbi Kerry Chaplin

Do you hear that? It’s a whisper, or a chorus, or sometimes thunder that you can feel even if you can’t hear. You are called. It’s the intercom from the program facilitator office when you know you’ve messed up: “Attention residents: Kerry C, please come to the PF office. Kerry C, please come to the PF office.” It’s Ryan answering the phone at the front desk when you need someone to talk to: “Beit T’Shuvah. This is Ryan speaking. How can I help you?” And he really meant it: how can I help you?

The call to recovery comes in so many ways - quietly, loudly, publically, privately. It’s persistent and powerful. It comes in pleas from family and friends, interventions, deaths of friends, even from judges and DAs. But we don’t always hear it. And if we hear it, we don’t always act on it. We may tell ourselves “what I do doesn’t hurt anyone,” or “this is just who I am,” or “they don’t really care about it.” And all of these stories about who and what we are plug our ears and bind our hands so that we will not hear...click here to read more.
SHABBAT THIS WEEK
SOBER BIRTHDAYS
Cole R. for one year of sobriety.
Sam W. for 3 years of sobriety.
Carrie N. for 25 years of sobriety.
We are still celebrating birthdays each week on Zoom!
To sign up to take a Sober Birthday cake at Beit T'Shuvah, click here.
SHABBAT SPONSORS
I’m in gratitude to BTS and everybody who helped make my one year sober possible. I’m glad to have my family back! And I’m grateful for this community! Cole, Lori, Josh and Harvey 
If you would like to sponsor shabbat at
Beit T'Shuvah, click here.
BTS THRIFT STORE CORNER
Shop, donate and share with your friends.
*Shipping is available upon request*
 
TRIBUTE DONATIONS
Tribute donations are a wonderful way of marking life cycle events for your loved ones and friends and supporting Beit T'Shuvah. 

Rae Grad & Manuel Schiffres in honor of Lois & Michael Fingerhut and Antonia Lofaso
Judy & Barry Lewis in memory of our son, Bart Michael Lewis
Dana & Paul Dorsey in memory on Danielle Dorsey
Linda & Steve Brown in memory of Bobbie Goldman
Esther Rogers & Robert DeBare in memory of Bunne Labinson
Annette & Leonard Shapiro in memory of Roberta Goldman
Dena & Allen Baum in memory of Melissa Barash
Catherine &Gary Krellenstein in memory of Melissa Gallagher
Max Sittenfield in memory of Sam Spitz
Linda Davis in memory of Ryan Kopald
Jeffrey Nadrich in memory of Ryan Kopald
Beth Mandell-Lerner in memory of Thomas J. Baxter

If you are interested in sending a beautiful tribute, please contact Development . You can also send a tribute online by Clicking Here. Beit T'Shuvah will promptly send a card to the family or friend you are recognizing. 
BEIT T'SHUVAH GOES VIRTUAL
To stay up to date on all virtual programming and for more information go to www.beittshuvah.org/bts-events/virtual 
Passover 2021
Join us this year at our three very special events and celebrate with us virtually. This is a year you won't want to miss as we share personal stories of redemption and great music from the BTS Music Department!

Saturday March 27th at 7:00pm
Sunday March 28th at 7:00pm
Saturday April 3rd at 7:00pm

To RSVP and for more info, please click here.
Spring Adult Education
Our Spring Adult Education series begins Tuesday April 6th at 7pm with Rabbi Micha'el teaching THIS IS OUR SHABBAT: Learning Jewish Liturgy.

For Zoom link and more info, please click here.
Connections: Lost & Found
Please join us on May 13th and 14th for Connections: Lost and Found- an interactive conference hosted by the Elaine Breslow Institute at Beit T’Shuvah featuring key note sessions from Johann Hari, Harriet Rossetto, Dr. Timothy Fong, and more. Through Johann Hari’s two New York Times best-selling books and his viral Ted Talk, has taught the world that “the opposite of addiction is not sobriety, the opposite of addiction is connection.” We need connection. All of us.  

As we aim to shift from role-based connections to soul-based connections, we are thrilled to host this event and explore the healing power of connection and the integration of science and the spirit. To register or for more information, please click here.
Slingshot Ten to Watch: EBI
We are pleased to announce that our Elaine Breslow Institute has been recognized by The Slingshot Fund as one of the Ten To Watch for changemaking organizations in the Jewish community! Slingshot mobilizes young Jewish philanthropists as funders and active change agents, who, with their partners, shape the Jewish community to be vibrant and continuously evolving. Our partnership and recognition by Slingshot will place our work in front of an enthusiastic audience of young Jewish leaders, and we are delighted and thrilled at this opportunity to accelerate and extend our message.
Amazon Smile
Beit T’Shuvah has raised nearly 3,000 through the Amazon Smile program to help save the lives of those suffering from addiction. Be a part of the movement and choose Beit T’Shuvah as your set featured charity on Amazon Smile by clicking the link below for all of your amazon purchases! Click here to shop through amazon smile.
Friday Night Services
Friday night services held via zoom at 6:30pm PT.

For Zoom link and more info, please click here.
BTS Sisterhood T-Shirts
Beit T’Shuvah Sisterhood T-shirts $30.

Multiple Colors Available!

Contact Dana Gache:
Phone: 3103516408
Beit T’Shuvah Custom Masks
Stay safe while supporting Beit T’Shuvah with masks custom made by Creative Matters. Perfect gifts for alumni, staff, residents, people in recovery or community members!

$10 per mask

Designs:
One Day At A Time
In This Together

Click HERE to order!
Alumni Process Group
Alumni Process group for residents who have left BTS during the pandemic.

Wednesdays at 12pm.


For Zoom link and more info, click here.
Pandemic Parenting
Whether your loved one is still in treatment or they have already moved on to the next chapter of their journey, we would like to provide a platform in which families get to talk about their shared experiences and wisdom.

This group is for families of our current and former residents.

For Zoom link and more info, please click here.
Saturday Morning Services
Saturday morning Prayer and Meditation at 10:30am PT.

For Zoom link and more info, please click here.
Spiritual Class
Come learn on Saturday mornings at 9:30am PT with Rabbi Micha'el Akiba.

For Zoom link and more info, please click here.
CHALLAH IS BACK!
Baked T'Shuvah's founder Jackie Elkins is licensed by the state and you can order the Baked T'Shuvah challah you know and love!
 
Pick up at BTS. Must prepay. Order online here.
 
Available flavors: Plain, Chocolate Chip, Salted Caramel or Raisin. Orders need to be placed no later than Wednesday!
Sober Birthdays
We are still celebrating birthdays each week on our Shabbat Zoom.

To sign up to take a cake, please contact Jillian.
CoVital
Tuesday through Saturday at 9am PT. Join the Facebook group:

Life In Uncertain Times
Life in Uncertain Times: Coping Strategies Before, During, and After Corona. With Rabbi Joseph. Mondays from 12-1pm PT/3-4pm ET.

For Zoom link and more info, please click here.
To Life
BTS community AA meeting: Thursdays at 7pm.

For Zoom link and more info, please click here.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Past newsletters are now available online. Please click here to view.

For anyone that shops at Ralphs, please consider registering your phone with their community care program and select Beit T'Shuvah as your charity. 

For anyone that purchases items on Amazon, all you have to do is go to Amazon Smile and choose Beit T'Shuvah as your charity and a percentage of each purchase will be given back to us.

Direct line to make monetary donations is 310-280-3699 or visit our website