February 12 2021 l 30 Sh'vat 5781
CONGREGATION BEIT T'SHUVAH WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
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Dear Congregants,
I thought this was a very “quiet” week, but when I looked back at it, there was so much going on.
We started the week with an amazing (at least, for some) Super Bowl, the Senate and the House were engaged in impeachment proceedings, Los Angeles having to shut done several vaccination sites because of a lack of vaccines, NASCAR returning in Daytona, tax season is “officially” beginning, Mark Cuban and the NBA are bringing the playing of the National Anthem into the conversation again, and a “cat filter fail” goes viral on the internet. Looking ahead, next week Monday, brings about President’s Day, a Federal holiday that we have been observing as such since 1971.
In this week’s Torah portion, Mishpatim, the newly-released Hebrew slaves are given the hope of a new home in which they will live. For me, no matter what is happening during the cycle of the days and the weeks, I know that Shabbat is always on the calendar…and that gives me hope. It is a time to turn off the week and the 24/7 cycle of news and, in good recovery language “to improve our conscious contact with G-d”, and to hear words of Torah that refreshes us and renews our souls.
May we all find renewal, refreshment, and return to who we are meant to be as we join together in prayer, song, and celebration of recovery.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Micha'el Akiba
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THIS WEEK'S TORAH PORTION
By: Rabbi Miriam Green Potok
“And these are the rules that you shall set before them,” this week’s parashah begins. With this introduction, the Torah readies us for a list of instructions communicated to the Jewish people by God through Moses. The Etz Hayim Torah commentary remarks,
With this parashah, the tone of the Torah changes. Up to this point, it has been a narrative, with occasional references to laws; now, the emphasis is reversed. From here on, the Torah will present the rules by which the Israelites are to live, with occasional narrative breaks (p. 456).
In other words, the epic stories of the book of Genesis describing God’s creation of the world and the origins of the Jewish people, and the master narrative of the book of Exodus, God’s freeing the Jewish people from slavery… have now already been read, at least for this year. We transition now to parashah after parashah of lists and instructions. According to some, this is the point in the Torah where things become less… interesting. But this week, as I studied the parashah with Beit T’Shuvah residents, I experienced exactly the opposite! Lists of instructions and rules, intended to guide human behavior and human society towards decency and righteousness, are powerfully compelling when we read them through the lens of our experience moving from active addiction and criminal behavior to a path of t’shuvah - a return to following the rules, a return to living...click here to read more.
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Josh F. for 3 years of sobriety.
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We are still celebrating birthdays each week on Zoom!
To sign up to take a Sober Birthday cake at Beit T'Shuvah, click here.
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Dear Josh, You continue to make us so proud of you! We are in awe of all you are accomplishing! Love, Mom and Dad
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If you would like to sponsor shabbat at
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Don't miss a chance to shop the items we still have available from our amazing 2021 Gala Auction!
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Shop, donate and share with your friends.
*Shipping is available upon request*
*50% off this week with coupon code*
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Tribute donations are a wonderful way of marking life cycle events for your loved ones and friends and supporting Beit T'Shuvah.
Elizabeth Krown Spellman in celebration of the birth of Adira Francesca Spellman
Rolly Elkins in honor of Jackie Elkins
Hope Magana in honor of Lucy Taylor’s one year abstinence from gambling
Marcia & Steven Medof honor of Mr. & Mrs. Jeffrey Levine
Sandy & Robert Lipson in honor of Pat & Sandy Gage
Sandy Gage in honor of Pat Gage
Temple Emanu-El in honor of Rabbi Edward Feinstein
Sharon Redsun in memory of Geoffrey Tamayo
John Samet in memory of Paul Louis Appelbaum
Shelli Kastin & Ken Wilson in memory of Paul Applebaum
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.
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THIS WEEK'S SPOTLIGHT
Riley S.
By: Nathan R.
Riley S, a 28 year old extended-care resident and work therapy intern here at Beit T’Shuvah, woke up last September 7th in a hospital bed in Orange County. Earlier that morning, his mother had found him in bed, overdosed on fentanyl. Lucky for him, she had Narcan on hand and her quick thinking to administer the overdose-reversing medication saved his life.
Riley had just discharged from Beit T’Shuvah four days prior, after completing six months of treatment. He recalls the missed opportunities of that first stay. “I didn’t fully immerse myself into what this program had to offer, especially in regards to spirituality.”
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Purim is coming! Join us on Thursday, February 25th at 7pm (on zoom.) A holiday of hat-shaped cookies, heroes, evildoers, masks, and unmasking, Purim is like a funhouse mirror that distorts reality to show us who we really are - much like 2020. And much like early recovery, you can’t make this ish up.
Join our Beit T'Shuvah community for a mini-schpiel, Purim games, and a mask contest - all via zoom!
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Alumni Process group for residents who have left BTS during the pandemic.
Wednesdays at 12pm.
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Beit T’Shuvah Sisterhood T-shirts $30.
Multiple Colors Available!
Contact Dana Gache:
Phone: 3103516408
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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.
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Beit T’Shuvah Custom Masks are Here! |
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
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BTS Zoom Family Support Group! 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, no need to RSVP, just drop in!
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Friday night services held via zoom at 6:30pm PT.
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Saturday Morning Services |
Saturday morning Prayer and Meditation at 10:30am PT.
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Come learn on Saturday mornings at 9:30am PT with Rabbi Micha'el Akiba.
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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!
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We are still celebrating birthdays each week on our Shabbat Zoom.
To sign up to take a cake, please contact Jillian.
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Monday through Saturday at 9am PT. Join the Facebook group:
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Life in Uncertain Times: Coping Strategies Before, During, and After Corona. With Rabbi Joseph. Mondays from 12-1pm PT/3-4pm ET.
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#NotMyCorona. Recovery-Minded Spiritual Learning with Beit T’Shuvah and the T’Shuvah Center. Wednesdays. 1pm PT/4pm ET.
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BTS community AA meeting: Thursdays at 7pm.
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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.
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