August 20 2021 l 12 Elul 5781
CONGREGATION BEIT T'SHUVAH WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
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High Holidays are fast approaching- click here, to register for our virtual services, to become a member of Congregation Beit T'Shuvah, or for more information!
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Friday Night Services: CHANGE FOR THIS WEEK ONLY! |
Friday night services begin at 6:30pm PT.
NEW LINK FOR THIS WEEK ONLY!
Click here to view the service via LiveStream or go to:
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THIS WEEK'S TORAH PORTION
By: Rabbi Joseph Shamash
There is a story in the Talmud about Rav Amram Hasida, aka Rav Amram “The Pious.” He was given the title “The Pious” because he knew what the next right action was and was firm and disciplined in his capacity to choose God’s path.
So Rav Amram was entrusted to watch over the security of women who were taken captive after a military victory.
As it says in our Torah portion, Ki Teitzei:
When you go out to war against your enemies, and the LORD your God delivers them into your power and you take some of them captive, and you see among the captives a beautiful woman and you desire her and would take her to wife, you shall bring her into your house, and she shall trim her hair, pare her nails, and discard her captive’s garb. She shall spend a month’s time in your house lamenting her father and mother; after that you may come to her and possess her, and she shall be your wife. Then, should you no longer want her, you must release her outright. You must not sell her for money: since you had your will of her, you must not enslave her (Deuteronomy 21:10-14).
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Zac J. for 8 years of sobriety.
Nina F. for 13 years of sobriety.
Doug R. for 17 years of sobriety.
Barbara F. for 21 years of sobriety.
Emily M. for 24 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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By Rabbi Laura Owens & Jack Bender in honor of Rabbi Mark Borovitz, for whom there are not enough words of gratitude and praise.
By Barry Rosenthal in honor of Rabbi Mark's last sermon
By Rabbi Paul Steinberg
By Andy Glatt in gratitude to Rabbi Mark
We love you Rabbi Mark, and thank you for everything... you are a blessing, the inimitable letter... Reeva Mandelbaum & Stuart Cohen
Rabbi Mark ~ So sorry to be missing your last Shabbat at BTS. You continue to challenge us, inspire us, make us think, and we are forever grateful for the friendship we have developed over these past years with you and Harriet. BTS will never be the same without your smile, and larger than life presence. We look forward to always dancing thru life with you and Harriet. Forever Grateful. We love you both. David, Deborah, Josh and Gabe Fried
Doug, congratulations on taking a cake. We are sorry to be missing it. We appreciate your support and friendship always. We are blessed to be a part of your life as well as your families lives. Mazel Tov and keep holding on! David, Deborah, Josh and Gabe Fried
By Josh Ferdman in honor of all the help BTS and Rabbi Mark and Harriet have given me over the years!
By Sergio Rizzo-Fontanesi with gratitude for Rabbi Mark and his enduring vision
Rabbi Mark - In gratitude for the 18 years we have had the privilege of knowing you. Thank you for being our Rabbi, our friend and our mentor. We love you, Avia & Doug Rosen
In Honor of Our Teacher Rabbi Mark From Chaplain Adam, Rabbi Joseph, Rabbi Kerry, and Rabbi Miriam:
“What can I then do for You?
If not to wander everywhere and swear,
Instead of believing – to bear witness, to swear!” – Rabbi Heschel
Rabbi Mark, Thank you for helping so many people discover the power of T’Shuvah. It was a privilege working with you in alternative sentencing. All of us, and all of Los Angeles, are blessed to be passed the torch that you and Harriet set aflame as we continue this holy work of saving lives and families. Love, Lynn Shapiro
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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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OUR SINCEREST CONDOLENCES |
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To David Baer and his family on the passing of his father...
and
To Joannie Burstein Besser & Andy Besser and their family on the passing of Joannie’s uncle, Robert Burstein.
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.
Nan & Allan Goodman in honor of Andrea Sossin-Bergman and Paul Bergman's 54th Anniversary
Edna Blumenthal in honor of Rabbi Marc Blumenthal's 3rd Sober Birthday
Toby Marantz & Paul Rothman in honor of Rabbi Mark Borovitz
Michele & Mario Tamayo in loving memory of Geoff Tamayo
Helen & Jerry Sands in memory of Herbert Robbins
Helen & Jerry Sands in memory of Steven Sands
Andrea & Arthur Leonard in memory of Walter Klein
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.
Ryan N.
“I had an unreal Blackjack hand. Everything hit perfectly. In that moment I felt higher than on any drug I’d ever taken,” Ryan N. explains sitting in the BTS Zen Garden. But as with all addiction, the euphoria was fleeting and the crash was catastrophic. But Ryan’s story is not all drinking, shooting up, or seeking that elusive “perfect hand.” Born in San Diego, CA, Ryan experienced a “Jekyll and Hyde” type childhood. So loving and uplifting in so many ways, Ryan recalls, “My mom has been my rock the entire way; always supportive.” Playing clarinet, skateboarding, and learning martial arts also colored his early life. “I was a happy kid and I had a lot of friends,” he states.
That same childhood also included a compulsive gambling father, who emotionally abandoned the family, in favor of his addiction, beginning when Ryan was only 10 years old. That abandonment led to his first addiction–food. Indulged by his mother, Ryan ballooned up to one hundred twenty-five pounds. The anxiety he felt at home only intensified at his family’s Roman Catholic faith: “Every time I went to church I felt incredible anxiety. I just wanted to scream...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.
Yizkor Memorial Service Photo Submission: We invite you to submit a photograph of someone special to you who has passed for Beit T’Shuvah’s Yom Kippur Yizkor Memorial Service. During the service, we’ll include the photograph you share with us as we pray in their memories. You can upload a photograph of someone who died recently, or someone who died long ago by going to https://beittshuvah.org/bts-events/yizkor-photo/
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Elul T'Shuvah Groups for EBI & BTS Community |
We invite you to participate in virtual t’shuvah groups- Beit T’Shuvah’s core spiritual curriculum-every Monday during the month of Elul- Monday, August 16 through Monday, August 31 - Gather with your community to take a personal inventory from the past year and prepare to move into the new year with intention, authenticity and connection. Groups will be offered on Mondays: August 16 (9:00am - 10:30am), August 23 (7:00pm - 8:30pm), and August 30 (9:00am - 10:30am).
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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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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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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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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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