July 30 2021 l 21 Av 5781
CONGREGATION BEIT T'SHUVAH WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR CORNER
Dear Community,

It has been a few weeks since I have last written to you, and we have now settled into our new operating structure with our diverse clergy leading services and overseeing congregational life. As we move through this fiscal year, I plan to provide updates through this Executive Director Corner on life at Beit T’Shuvah.

I am excited to share with you that on Friday, August 20th, Rabbi Mark Borovitz, our Founding Rabbi and former CEO, will officiate his final Shabbat service at Beit T’Shuvah. This is a “Sayonatra” Shabbat as the theme for the evening will be Frank Sinatra music and an opportunity to honor Rabbi Mark and his indelible contributions to Beit T’Shuvah. The service will be held in person, but due to COVID restrictions, attendance is strictly limited and by invitation only.

The service will be available to the community at large, virtually, through the following livestream link (not Zoom): https://youtu.be/YEQT182a44w. We will continue to publicize this link leading up to the service.
 
We are continuing to monitor COVID cases and public health guidelines closely in anticipation of eventually returning our entire community to our Sanctuary and will be sure to update everyone as we move forward. For now, I wish for you and your families continued safety and good health.

Shabbat Shalom,

Sergio Rizzo-Fontanesi, PhD
Executive Director
THIS WEEK'S TORAH PORTION
By: Rabbi Miriam Green Potok

“Gratitude lasts about 72 hours.”
-Harriet Rossetto

This week’s Torah portion, Eikev, gives us an instruction to express gratitude at mealtimes. Many of us are familiar with the concept of pausing for a moment before eating to express gratitude for our food: for the people that prepared it, for the land that produced it, and for G-d who provides it all. Yet the instruction in this week’s Torah portion reads: “When you have eaten your fill, give thanks to the LORD your G-d” (Deuteronomy 8:10). The Torah isn’t telling us to pause for gratitude before eating - the Torah instructs us to pause for gratitude after eating. Why after, and not before?

I explored this question with Beit T’Shuvah residents this week during Torah Study. As always, many of the participants offered unique insights and perspectives that I had never heard of before, and could never have thought of on my own. One resident shared that this concept, to express gratitude after eating, reminded him of a teaching from Harriet: “Gratitude lasts about 72 hours.” When residents first move in to the house, they connect to gratitude about all aspects of their experience. A warm bed. Three meals a day, warm and nourishing. A treatment team...click here to continue reading.
SOBER BIRTHDAYS
Ben G. for one year of sobriety.
Paul V. for one year of sobriety.
Judy C. 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.
SHABBAT SPONSORS

If you would like to sponsor shabbat at
Beit T'Shuvah, click here.
BTS THRIFT STORE CORNER
Our Thrift Store’s last day open to the public (at its current location) is TODAY, Friday, July 30th. The Store will be open tomorrow, Saturday July 31st, from 11:00am to 4:30pm to community members. There is a fantastic 75% off sale with many beautiful items still at the store! Be sure to head to the store today or tomorrow before we move to our new location (details will be announced soon).

Thrift Store Location: 10409 Washington Blvd, Culver City, CA 90232

Shop, donate and share with your friends.
*Shipping available upon request* 
TRIBUTE DONATIONS
Tribute donations are a wonderful way of marking life cycle events for your loved ones and friends and supporting Beit T'Shuvah. 

The Beit T'Shuvah Board of Directors and the entire BTS community in honor of Lynn and Les Bider's new grandchild. Much love and congratulations on the birth of your grandchild. We are so very happy for you and your family.

Mariela and Leonard Bauer in honor of Leonard's 80th birthday
Ronnie Stabler in honor of Lynn and Les Bider's new grandchild
Donni & Bruce Roth in honor of the music department
Rabbi Miriam Green Potok & Akiva Potok in honor of Mordecai Moadeb, Dan Ardell, Miriam Yfrah, and the BTS Thrift Store
Andrea Sossin-Bergman & Paul Bergman in memory of Bernie Bergman
Linda Behar in memory of Ida Berres
Susan & Neal Epstein in memory of Herman Scharf
Jana Albright in memory of Stephen Albright
Marlene Koven 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. 
THIS WEEK'S SPOTLIGHT
Written by: Randall S.
Photo by: Jesús R. 

At the height of his addiction, Angel recalls, “smoking weed, doing coke, dropping ecstasy, and tripping on ‘shrooms, acid and ketamine. I was stocking the shelves at night at Ralph’s and slinging ‘8 balls’ [of cocaine] at the clubs on the weekend.”
 
The product of teenage parents with gang affiliations, Angel’s early life was surprisingly stable and full of love. “My mom was an addict and disappeared from my life when I was very little. But my dad stepped up and traded the gang life for G-d and provided a stable home life for me,” Angel says. But that stability was short-lived. At age 16 he was busted for weed and kicked out of school—a pattern that would repeat a few times during his high school years. “I was a good athlete in high school. I played a lot of sports but my best one was wrestling. So every time I got in trouble...click here to continue reading.
BEIT T'SHUVAH GOES VIRTUAL
To stay up to date on all virtual programming and for more information go to www.beittshuvah.org/bts-events/virtual 
Alumni Picnic
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.
Selichot
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.

For more information, contact Rabbi Kerry.
Amazon Smile
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.
Friday Night Services
Friday night services held via zoom at 6:30pm PT.

For Zoom link and more info, please click here.
BTS Sisterhood T-Shirts
Beit T’Shuvah Sisterhood T-shirts $30.

Multiple Colors Available!

Contact Dana Gache:
Phone: 3103516408
Alumni Process Group
Alumni Process group for residents who have left BTS during the pandemic.

Wednesdays at 12pm.

*please note there is a NEW zoom link*
For Zoom link and more info, click here.
Pandemic Parenting
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.

For Zoom link and more info, please click here.
Saturday Morning Services
Saturday morning Prayer and Meditation at 10:15 am PT.

For Zoom link and more info, please click here.
Spiritual Class
Come learn with our dynamic clergy team on Saturday mornings at 9:30am PT.

For Zoom link and more info, please click here.
Sober Birthdays
We are still celebrating birthdays each week on our Shabbat Zoom.

To sign up to take a cake, please contact Jillian.
Life In Uncertain Times
Life in Uncertain Times: Coping Strategies Before, During, and After Corona. With Rabbi Joseph. Mondays from 12-1pm PT/3-4pm ET.

For Zoom link and more info, please click here.
CoVital
Wednesdays at 9am PT. Join the Facebook group:

To Life
BTS community AA meeting: Thursdays at 7pm.

For Zoom link and more info, please click here.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
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.

To make a monetary donation please call 310-204-5200 or visit our website