February 19 2021 l 7 Adar 5781
CONGREGATION BEIT T'SHUVAH WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
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Dear Congregants,
Our Christian brothers and sisters observed Ash Wednesday this past Wednesday. For Christians, this is the beginning of the 40-day season of penitence in preparation for Good Friday and Easter. As a last “fling” before a time of “giving up”, history gave birth to Mardi Gras. (History also knows that when Christianity moved to Rome, religious leaders incorporated many local pagan traditions into the new faith).
Many people have compared Purim to Mardi Gras. Yes, Purim is the “corner” that we turn in the year that leads us to Passover. However, Purim is not supposed to be a celebration of amusement, debauchery, and raucous irreverent revelry which originated millennia ago in pagan Spring and fertility celebrations as Mardi Gras so often is.
Purim is a day on which we explore the masks that we have worn, continue to wear, and still hide behind. It is also a day when we remind ourselves of the divine vow: haster astir panai, that is, “I [G-d] will certainly hide my Face.” In spite of G-d’s apparent hiddenness, Purim reminds of G-d’s deliverance of the Jewish people in spite of the subversive plotting and the infamous sinat chinam, that is “hatred for no reason” about which we read in the Megillah. Purim is a reminder for us that, even in spite of ourselves and the events happening in human history, G-d will deliver us…once again.
Purim is next week and begins on Thursday evening February 25th.
May this coming Purim 5781 be the year that we admit we are “wearing masks”, own that we are and, in the weeks following that lead up to Passover, that we might actually remove them in order to be truly liberated and free our bondage to our own self’s ego.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Micha'el Akiba
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THIS WEEK'S TORAH PORTION
By: Rabbi Kerry Chaplin
What does a meaningful relationship look like? And how do I get there?
There are so many resistances to meaningful relationships, and many come down to this: if I don’t get too close, you can’t hurt me. Of course, we also know that in recovery, it’s only by letting people in - by connecting meaningfully with a few people - that I can stay in recovery.
In this week’s parashah, after freeing the Israelites from Egypt with signs and wonders, God invites the Israelites into a relationship beyond the “God who took us out from Egypt,” and into greater intimacy:
“Tell the Israelite people to bring Me gifts; you shall accept gifts for Me from every person whose heart so moves them” (Exodus 25:2).
God articulates God’s needs. So many of us struggle to articulate what we need even (and especially) to the people we love. Maybe we don’t know what we need. Or we confuse artificial needs with authentic needs. Or maybe we’re afraid of rejection. Or maybe we just expect people to know...click here to read more.
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Gib H. for 6 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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Congratulations, Gib! You remain a source of inspiration. 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...This auction closes March 1st so make sure you get your bids in before then!
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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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OUR SINCEREST CONDOLENCES |
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To the family and friends of Zachary Wohlman
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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Tribute donations are a wonderful way of marking life cycle events for your loved ones and friends and supporting Beit T'Shuvah.
Louise & Jerry Nussbaum in honor of Kevin and Andi Bergman's birthdays!
Mary & Steven Wildt in honor of our great and special friend, Paul
Larry Schwartz in memory of Arlene Schwartz
Kathy & Marvin Zuckerman in memory of Geoff Tamayo
Roberta Reno in memory of Leonard Nimoy
Diane & Scott Selkowitz in memory of Sam Spitz
Rita Weiner in memory of Zachary Wohlman
Tara Kaiserman in memory of Zachary Wohlman
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
Asher Maslan
By: Jesse Solomon
Many of us have failed upward in life, watched ourselves fumble through situations only to be promoted and praised, but the same cannot be said for Asher Maslan. Asher has excelled at everything he has ever put his mind to, and still fell into the same pit of debilitating alcoholism as all the failures. Asher has succeeded downward.
For most of his life, Asher had everything he ever wanted. This was no gift. He worked and earned these things and he was proud of it. From a very lucrative real estate career to a wife and three kids, Asher had everything that society deems worthy of praise. But something was missing. Asher wasn’t Asher. He was merely a cardboard cutout of the man that he thought people wanted him to be. The real Asher, a scared and lonely child, stood shaking behind his well-crafted facade drowning himself in booze and hoping that no one would ever truly...click here to continue reading.
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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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Please join us on March 2nd at 7pm for the world premiere of Escape Room, a new musical film directed and created by the creator of Freedom Song, Stuart K. Robinson and performed by Beit T’Shuvah alumni.
This film address pressing topics such as loneliness, isolation, addiction, recovery, loss and connection during the pandemic. Escape Room features stories and vignettes by the Beit T’Shuvah community. The film will be followed by a Q&A led by Harriet Rossetto, Stuart K. Robinson and Rabbi Joseph Shamash.
Zoom link to follow.
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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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