August 14 2020 l 24 Av 5780
CONGREGATION BEIT T'SHUVAH WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
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JOIN US WEEKLY FOR SHABBAT SERVICES-VIRTUALLY!
FRIDAY NIGHT- 6:30PM
SATURDAY MORNING- 10:30AM
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*NEW ZOOM PROTOCOLS: Effective July 24th, all zoom community programming for Beit T'Shuvah will have the waiting room function enabled, as well as other new security measures to ensure the safety of our community. If you need assistance with getting on to our virtual programming, please contact Max Hahn. To view all of our upcoming virtual events, please click here.
*Please make sure your full name is associated with your zoom account to ensure entry into virtual programming*
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Dear Congregants,
Many of you know that when I was doing graduate work at The University of Michigan I also worked for the Athletic Department. So, earlier this week, when I heard that the Big Ten decided to not play football this season, I was thoroughly disappointed. Since the late 70’s, U of M football has occupied much of my Saturday afternoons and now, there will be none for the present.
The good news is that Beit T’Shuvah still continues on with Friday evening and Saturday morning services full of song, prayer, learning, and community. So, instead of crying over what you will be missing, let’s be grateful for what we still have….especially for Beit T’Shuvah. See you on Shabbat!!
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Micha'el
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THIS WEEK'S TORAH PORTION
By: Rabbi Joseph Shamash
What are the blessings and what are the curses that we encounter on a daily basis? When do we choose blessings over curses? And when do we choose the opposite?
As a kid, I remember running from my father’s blessings. Every week during Shabbat services, he would usher me under his talit and hold me tight while the kohanim in the front of the congregation would recite the priestly blessing. I dreaded it. For so long I tried to run from him, and I would get so annoyed when he successfully corralled me every week.
As I grew older, my perspective shifted. I think back to those moments in my father’s arms as one of the most loving and impactful experiences of my life, and I’m so grateful that he didn’t let me say no. Unfortunately, insight and gratitude came years after my attempts at dashing away had elicited the time-honored paternal blessing: “May you have a son just like you!” (Okay, maybe that one was more of a curse.) Now that I’m a father, all I want to do is to welcome my son under the talit and embrace him. And in true parental prophecy, my son runs.
In this week’s parashah, Re’eh, Moses warns the second generation of Israelites leaving Egypt - who will eventually conquer and dwell in the Promised Land - about the potential for blessings and curses on any given day...click here to read more.
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Marc B. for 2 years of sobriety.
Ian B. for 3 years of sobriety.
Nicole H. for 3 years of sobriety.
Zach L. in absentia for 3 years of sobriety.
Zach K. for 7 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.
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Zach L, Congratulations and happy birthday! You have come so far this past three years, I know your mom would be very proud of you. We all are! Love, Dad & the Family
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If you would like to sponsor shabbat at
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Check out the BTS Thrift Store’s new ecommerce website. Shop, donate and share with your friends.
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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.
Julie & Brad Shames in memory of Arnold Familian
Beverly & Herbert Sturman in memory of Arnold Familian
Ann & Arthur Mazirow in memory of Arnold Familian
Nikki & Ivan Axelrod in memory of Doris Siegel
Jeff Lerman in memory of Ellen Moss
Susan Epstein in memory of Herman Scharf
Iris & Edward Segel in memory of Sam Spitz
Lonnie & Howard Klein in memory of Sam Spitz
Susan & Leonard Packel in memory of Sam Spitz
Merill & Sheldon Jay Shoemaker in memory of Sam Spitz
Herb Engelsberg in memory of Sam Spitz
Judith Rubin in memory of Sam Spitz
Ellen Driks in memory of Sam Spitz
Ethel Hofman in memory of Sam Spitz
Marilyn Roseman in memory of Sam Spitz
Marilyn Willner in memory of Sam Spitz
Reeva Mandelbaum & Stuart Cohen in memory of Sean Robert Tait
Ellen Wolf in memory of Sean Robert Tait
Sylvia Weiss in memory of Sean Robert Tait
Julie & Bradley Shames in memory of Stanley Eisenberg
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
Max Hahn
By Jesse Solomon
Behind the boards, below the cameras, and in recovery sits Max Hahn, the Sound Manager of Beit T'Shuvah’s Music Department. Without him, cantors would have to scream, rabbis would pray in silence, and Laura’s keyboard would be nothing more than black and white buttons. Along with running the technical side of services, Max manages the Beit T’Shuvah Studio. With years of audio engineering under his belt, he is the perfect man for the job.
Like many of us, Max’s road to recovery was paved with troubles. Despite a normal upbringing in a nice family of Los Angeles Jews, once he left home for college he began a steep mental decline. His drinking got worse until he found himself in New York City, working as the assistant for a DJ. This was the alcoholic rise that was building him up for a fall into rock bottom.
After going into a deep psychosis, having a few run-ins with the law, and working his way in and out of psych wards, Max found himself at the end of his rope. Everything held dear was fading into oblivion. His family had distanced themselves from him, his future had dimmed, and his greatest passion, music, seemed like nothing more than a blasé maladroitness. The colorful life he was promised had quickly desaturated into a grey nightmare...click here to continue reading.
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Join us this year for livestreamed, interactive services you won't forget. Leave behind your old notions of High Holidays as mandatory and monotonous. At Congregation Beit T’Shuvah, the number one concern is uplifting your soul (even from your couch).
Tickets for High Holiday services are included in membership dues. If you would like to simply purchase tickets for this year’s virtual service, tickets are a suggested donation of $36 per person, per service.
Click here to renew your membership and/or purchase tickets.
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Adult Ed: Building a Spiritual Program |
Join Rabbis Miriam Green Potok and Matt Shapiro for an interactive exploration of how to create, build, and sustain a program of spiritual connection in preparation for the High Holiday season. We’re going to need all the tools we can find as we head into this next year - join us in exploring the resources of our tradition as we do this work together in rich, meaningful, and deep ways!
6 Tuesdays, 8/4-9/8, 7:30pm
Please e-mail Jillian Coventry for zoom link - it will not be posted! *to ensure access to virtual programming, please make sure your full name is associated with your zoom account.
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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 now order the Baked T'Shuvah challah you know and love!
Pick up at BTS. Must prepay.
Available flavors: Plain, Chocolate Chip, Salted Caramel or Raisin. Contact Amy Abrams to place your order - 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.
If you missed celebrating your birthday this year and would still like to take a cake via Zoom, contact Jillian.
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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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Beit T’Shuvah and the Elaine Breslow Institute invite you participate in this spiritual challenge!
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Thursdays. 9-9:30am PT/12-12:30pm ET.
A powerful kaddish experience led by the Lab/Shul community. They have invited our Beit T’Shuvah community to join them.
https://labshul.org/event/virtual-mourners-kaddish-call/2019-08-29/
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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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