April 23 2021 l 11 Iyaar 5781
CONGREGATION BEIT T'SHUVAH WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
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Dear Congregants,
As you read this, we will be returning to Los Angeles. We have been missing all of you, but now we will again also be missing our friends in Konya.
There is a teaching of Jalaluddin Rumi that I’d like to share with you. At the Mevlana Kültür Merkezi (the Mevlana Cultural Center), there is a large, outdoor sculpture written in multiple languages containing one of the sayings that has been attributed to Rumi:
Ya olduğun gibi görün, ya göründüğün gibi ol.
“Either appear as you are or be as you appear.”
This fits well with this week’s Torah portion in which we are challenged to be kadosh, that is, “holy” which really means to be “set apart”, to not be/act like everybody else.
In recovery, we use the language of “being authentic” and “being transparent”. To me, this means “taking off our masks”. When we show are true selves — our best selves — then we are “being holy.” We want to show this self all the time, not being one way here and another way there. At BTS, we call this the “3rd floor self”, that is, I show up one way downstairs and in groups or with my team, but when I’m up on the 3rd floor, I show another version of myself.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Micha'el Akiba
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THIS WEEK'S TORAH PORTION
By: Rabbi Joseph Shamash
It was late at night, the kids were finally asleep, and my wife and I were both exhausted from the days’ work and putting our two wonderful kids to bed. The kitchen countertops were full of dishes piled up from tonight's dinner, along with the remnants from yesterday’s.
Allie has eczema on her hands, so doing the dishes - or bath time, for that matter - will certainly irritate her skin, yet in her infinite kindness, she asked me, “Do you want me to do the dishes tonight? I know you still have work to do.”
I looked at her, glared back at the stack that lingered, and then thought of the work that was still undone. I took a deep breath..click here to read more.
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Erin Mc. for 2 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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If you would like to sponsor shabbat at
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Shop, donate and share with your friends.
*Shipping is available upon request*
*30% 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.
Francine & Jeffrey Light in honor of Marcia Harrow
Sharon Haight in memory of Noah Lahman
Trina McHugh in memory of Noah Lahman
Barbara Stanoff in memory of Ryan Kopald
Marilyn Landau in memory of Sylvia Mackta
Susan Lew in memory of Sylvia Mackta
Nancy Gibson in memory of Sylvia Mackta
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
Brandon K.
By: Nathan R.
On the day that Brandon K., an extended-care resident, checked into Beit T’Shuvah, he sat outside for over two hours, talking to his ex-girlfriend who had dropped him off. He was unsure if this was the right place for him. “I was still fighting those demons,” he remembers.
Brandon was more desperate than he had ever been. From the time he was 16, after his mom left him on his own, he was always able to pull through and survive. “I asked myself, is this something that I can just deal with on my own?” He realized his situation was beyond his capabilities and that he needed to be open-minded and allow others to help him.
Brandon was raised by his great-grandmother, but his mother took him back when he was ten years old and moved him to Kansas. “I was a little bit rebellious because she had taken me from the situation I was already comfortable with.” His mother was a heavy drinker, which discouraged him from drinking himself: “I never did anything at that time, but it was...click here to continue reading.
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The Beit T’Shuvah Magazine is now live! Produced by the brilliant minds at Creative Matters, our first-ever digital magazine features stories on the most important issues of our day, and answers questions like what it’s like to lose $125 million, how it feels to be handed a life sentence, and do you have to believe in God to get sober.
Read the magazine by clicking here and follow Creative Matters on IG @creativematters.agency
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Our Spring Adult Education series continues Tuesday at 7pm with Rabbi Kerry teaching recovering jewish law: for living well.
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Our Annual Circle of Majesty, now in its 14th year, will be held virtually once again and will take place on Thursday, June 3rd at 4pm. This will be a warm, informative, and short get-together to support the men and women of Beit T’Shuvah suffering from the devastating effects of addiction.
For more information or to renew your membership please click here.
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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.
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Jog-a-thon: The Social Distance |
Whether you have been part of our Running 4 Recovery Marathon team in prior years, or have never even thought about running a single mile, now is the perfect time to get started.
Part fundraiser, part community event – one great time!
The Social Distance is Beit T’Shuvah’s approach to ensuring everyone can run/walk as a team while staying safe during the Covid-19 Pandemic and raise money to support Beit T’Shuvah!
There are 3 unique ways to participate this year:
5k, 10k, or Half Marathon.
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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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Friday night services held via zoom at 6:30pm PT.
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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 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
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Alumni Process group for residents who have left BTS during the pandemic.
Wednesdays at 12pm.
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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.
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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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Tuesday 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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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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