August 6 2021 l 28 Av 5781
CONGREGATION BEIT T'SHUVAH WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
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THIS WEEK'S TORAH PORTION
By: Rabbi Joseph Shamash
“See, I place before you today blessing and curse” (Deuteronomy 11:26).
It’s one of my favorite lines in all of Torah. Then again, I feel like I say that almost every week because there is always a verse that sparks my curiosity and helps me live well.
Blessing and curse. It’s right there, laid out before us. We must choose which path we want to walk down. Choose blessing. So simple right? Great! End of drash.
But Rabbi come on, if it was that obvious, wouldn’t we all choose blessing? I mean, who in their right mind would choose curse, as we seem to do - and time and time again?!
The truth is, we in our addictions aren’t the only ones who choose destruction over and over. Our Torah speaks about the human condition. It helps us uncover and answer the question: What is the human experience our Torah is speaking about?
This week, the 18th century Talmudic master, Rabbi Elijah ben Solomon Zalman - famously known as the Vilna Gaon (his name literally means “the Genius of Vilna”) - sheds even more light on the verse. His commentary is interspersed below illuminating each word of our verse above:
See (Re’eh) - In the singular, so no person will say “Who am I? That I alone will choose a good path, when the majority of the world behaves badly.” Therefore, the verse says: “Re’eh See!” In singular form, see what is before you; do what is yours and don’t supervise...click here to continue reading.
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Monique J. for one year of sobriety.
Matty R. for one year of sobriety.
Vince L. for 2 years of sobriety.
Marc B. for 3 years of sobriety.
Jake D. for 3 years of sobriety, in absentia.
Ian L. for 5 years of sobriety.
Brandon F. for 8 years of sobriety.
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Given with heartfelt gratitude by Rabbi Marc Blumenthal and the Blumenthal Family
By Ian Lobell
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If you would like to sponsor shabbat at
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Our thrift store location on Washington Blvd. is now permanently closed. We will be sure to inform the community once we secure a new location for our thrift store. In the meantime, please support our BTS Thrift Store by shopping on our website (click here).
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Shop, donate and share with your friends.
*Shipping available upon request*
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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.
Jennifer Hechtman Rosen in gratitude for the Gambling Program
In honor of Annette Shapiro to speed up your recovery. Much love, Barbara and Ronnie Kahn
Adriana & Brad Gage in honor of Ben's one year cake
Nancy & David Grant in honor of Carrie Newman and the amazing Alternative Sentencing department.
Sari Polinger in honor of Max Hahn's birthday
Rabbi Miriam G. Potok Rabbi Miriam in honor of Mordecai Moadeb, Dan Ardell, Miriam Yfrah, and the BTS Thrift Store
Rachael Woodward in honor of my late cousin, Shana.
Reeva Mandelbaum & Stuart Cohen in honor of Rabbi Mark Borovitz. We love you Rabbi Mark, and thank you for everything... you are a blessing, the inimitable letter...
Marilyn Ezrin in honor of Radell Simon's 75th birthday
Renee & Jay Cronenwalt in honor of Radell Simon's 75th birthday
Barbara & Neil Solarz in memory of Bunzo Nakagawa
Felice Urban in memory of Miriam Samow
Mindy, Lisa, & Nick Mechanic in memory of Sheila Mechanic
To Trena Greitzer, in memory of your husband Stan. Much love, Barbara and Ronnie Kahn
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
Written by: Randall S.
“I bought a large bottle of wine, drank it down, picked my son up from school, drove home drunk, got into a belligerent confrontation with my husband, and blacked out. I woke up the next day and everyone was gone. My neighbor told me if I didn’t get sober I was going to lose my family,” Hiedi S. recalls, sitting back in her chair. This calamity, one of many she experienced in the throes of her decade-and-a-half of alcoholism, scared Hiedi into sobriety. She became sober on November 25, 1997 and hasn’t had a drink since.
But that’s not Hiedi’s complete story of recovery and redemption. Born into a household with a belligerent and, at times, violent alcoholic father and a chronic overeating mother, little Hiedi experienced a childhood of divorce, domestic violence, an unstable living situation, and sexual molestation at the hands of a family preacher, babysitter, and several others. It all culminated with the tragic death of her father when she was just nine years old. To cope with this traumatic childhood, Hiedi retreated into her imagination. “As early as I can remember, I wanted to be someone else,” says Hiedi.
This desire prompted her to create an alter ego known as Susie. Susie’s life was not like Hiedi’s. Instead, it was an idyllic one replete with perfect and loving parents, a big house, and many friends....click here to continue reading.
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The High Holidays are a time to draw near: to community, to tradition, and to spiritual living. Our services combine prayer, music, and personal stories of hope and redemption. When we gather together this year, virtually, you will be drawn into the sacred bonds that hold this community together.
For more information about registering for this year’s virtual service(s) or becoming a member of Congreagation Beit T’Shuvah, click here.
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Saturday Morning Services |
WE REALLY MEAN IT THIS TIME!
Saturday morning Prayer and Meditation will start at 10:15 am PT.
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Join us for our alumni picnic on Sunday, August 22nd from 10am to 2pm at Veteran's Memorial Park!
4117 Overland Avenue
Culver City, CA
Gratitude meeting led by Harriet Rossetto at 1pm.
Softball game TBD.
if you are interested in making a donation or bringing a dish, please contact Jillian.
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Gather for our first community High Holy Day ritual of the season under the stars on Saturday, August 28 at 8:15 PM. Experience transformation through music, prayer, and self-reflection with the Beit T’Shuvah and IKAR communities. The event will be outside and masked. Vaccination required.
Shalhevet School Rooftop 910 S. Fairfax
Park on side streets. Accessible parking available.
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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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Alumni Process group for residents who have left BTS during the pandemic.
Wednesdays at 12pm.
*please note there is a NEW zoom link*
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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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WE REALLY MEAN IT THIS TIME!
Saturday morning Prayer and Meditation will start at 10:15 am PT.
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Come learn with our dynamic clergy team on Saturday mornings at 9:30am PT.
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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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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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Wednesdays at 9am PT. Join the Facebook group:
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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 shops on Amazon, 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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