November 12, 2021 l 8 Kislev 5782
CONGREGATION BEIT T'SHUVAH WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR UPDATE
Dear Community,

As I wrote in a community-wide email earlier this week, it has been a season of change for Beit T’Shuvah. As we emerge from COVID virtually unscathed, we are looking towards reopening our community safely. We are well on our way, with volunteers coming onsite to provide various services, including our new puppy program launched by our dear friends, Barbara Tell and Pat Gage. Earlier this week, I also announced that our founders, Harriet Rossetto and Rabbi Mark Borovitz, have officially retired as employees of Beit T’Shuvah and are now serving as volunteers.
 
Today, I am thrilled to announce another important change. Over the last few months, I have worked closely with many on a leadership plan for the Congregation. Effective this week, Rabbi Joseph Shamash has been appointed as Beit T’Shuvah’s Community Rabbi on an interim basis until mid-2023. Chaplain Adam Siegel will continue to oversee spiritual care for the recovery program, and Rabbi Kerry Chaplin and Rabbi Miriam Green Potok will remain an active part of Congregation Beit T’Shuvah.
 
Rabbi Joseph is a graduate of the American Jewish University and was ordained in 2019. Prior to being hired as a Spiritual Counselor, he was a rabbinic intern at Beit T’Shuvah from 2017 to 2018. Since last year, he has skillfully led The Elaine Breslow Institute, Beit T’Shuvah’s educational and training division, which he will continue to oversee in his current position. We are honored that Rabbi Joseph has agreed to take on this interim position and excited for the opportunities ahead.
 
Shabbat Shalom,
 
Sergio Rizzo-Fontanesi, PhD
Executive Director
THIS WEEK'S TORAH PORTION
By: Rabbi Joseph Shamash

When we think of dreamers in the Torah, we may naturally come to think of Joseph and his many dreams -- the dreams of an arrogant teenager that set him apart from and above his brothers, which got him into trouble, and also the dreams of the Pharaoh that Joseph was able to decipher and save Egypt from an awful famine. But before Joseph was able to have his own experience as a dreamer, the Torah this week shares his father’s pivotal, life-changing moment that alters his understanding of God and his role in our Torah’s narrative.   

If you recall, Jacob is on the run. He had recently stolen his older brother Esau’s birthright and blessing from his father. And since Esau has vowed to kill him, Jacob flees to his uncle Laban’s house in Haran.   

Along the way, he lays his head to rest on some stones and has the following dream:

...a stairway was set on the ground and its top reached to the sky, and angels of God were going up and down on it. And the Lord was standing beside him and He said, “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac: the ground on which you are lying I will assign to you and to your offspring. Your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All the families of the earth shall bless themselves by you and your descendants....click here to continue reading.
SOBER BIRTHDAYS
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
We are excited to announce we have secured a new, fabulous location for our BTS Thrift Store. We are renovating the new space located at Pico & La Cienega. We will be sure to keep our community informed as we move forward with this new site and the grand opening!

Donation pick-ups are currently available on a limited basis. For more information, please contact our BTS Thrift Donation Line at 310-204-4669.

In the meantime, please support our BTS Thrift Store by shopping on our website (click here).
Shop, donate and share with your friends.
*Shipping available upon request* 
BAKED T'SHUVAH
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 ONLY at BTS Fridays after 11AM. Must prepay. Order online here.
 
Available flavors: Plain, Chocolate Chip, Salted Caramel or Raisin.
Orders need to be placed by Wednesday!
TRIBUTE DONATIONS
Tribute donations are a wonderful way of marking life cycle events for your loved ones and friends and supporting Beit T'Shuvah. 

Deedy Oberman & Mickey Meyers, in honor of Annette and Leonard Shapiro 
Linda & Mark Wolfson, in honor of Bruce Konheim's. 
Toni Schulman, in honor of Don Passman 
Cookie Miller, in honor of Harriet Rosseto and Rabbi Mark Borovitz 
Jessica & David Gorelick, in honor of Jonathan
Rabbi Samuel Kaye, in honor of Rav, Joseph Shamash.
Pamela Rosenberg, in memory of Jerry-Sands-Saklad 
Sally Levine, in memory of David Weinberger 
Lori Miller, in memory of Jerry Sands-Saklad 
Ellen Eberhart, in memory of Jerry Sands-Saklad 
Freddie, Jennifer (and Dax) and Rebecca Goldberg, in memory of Jerry Sands-Saklad
Deborah Mayer, in memory of Lyle Robinson 
Benita & Bertrand Ginsberg, in memory of Marvin Smalley 
Melvin Rosenthal, in memory of Marvin Smalley 
Mariela & Leonard Bauer, in memory of Mary Bauer
Jann and Gary Jones, in memory of Maude Womack 
Robyn Rosenberg, in memory of Michael Siegel 
Annette & Leonard Shapiro, in memory of Ronnie Stabler 
Rosalie Kornblau, in memory of Ronnie Stabler 
Lynda & Alan Maybruck, in memory of Tony Macchiarulo. 

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.

“Music was, and always has been, a huge part of my life. It was my coping mechanism for dealing with all the trauma in my life,” Cody C. shares sitting in the teen lounge at Beit T’Shuvah on his five-month anniversary of sobriety. But it was a sad and, at times, perilous few verses to get to that momentous crescendo in the “Song of Cody.” Born and raised in Pensacola, FL, Cody was the oldest of four brothers. However, he was the only son shared between his parents, prior to their divorce when Cody was just three years old. Growing up he lived with his mother and half-brother from her relationship following the divorce. However, he also maintained a close connection to his father and his other two half-brothers from his father’s second marriage.

“My mother was a single mom and she ruled the household with an iron fist, especially towards me,” Cody shares. On top of all that pressure, Cody was hiding a secret. Being gay in the Deep South was still a very scary proposition when Cody was growing up. “My mom seemed to be rather progressive when I was growing up but I always worried about how my father would view me being gay,” Cody recalls. To his surprise, however, it turned out to be the opposite. At age fourteen his mother found a note that effectively “outed” him. “She was really, really angry and not supportive at all,” Cody remembers....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 
Hanukkah 2021
 
Join us by Zoom to light Hanukkah candles, sing Hanukkah songs, and (Re)Dedicate yourself to what’s sacred. 
 
To learn more, or to access the link to join, click here.

For questions, please contact Chaya at CSurie@beittshuvah.org
Upcoming Themed Shabbat Services

Our iconic themed Shabbats are not to be missed! They represent what BTS is all about: creativity, spirituality, and transformative!

Our next themed shabbat is Rolling Stones on November 19th at 6:30pm!

The service can be accessed via our usual Shabbat Service link: click here to access.


For questions, please contact Chaya at CSurie@beittshuvah.org
Running4Recovery Marathon Team
We are excited to announce our 2022 Running4Recovery team has started training for the 2022 LA Marathon!

The marathon team is a great way to stay connected to the BTS community while raising money to support the mission of Beit T'Shuvah.

Trainings are held on Sunday mornings throughout the training season. Marathon team training will be held this Sunday, November 13th at 7AM. We will run/walk 3 miles. Meet at the Cannon at Santa Monica Pier, Head north on Ocean Blvd to San Vicente Return.

If you are interested about learning more, or joining our team, please contact Andrea Ocampo at AOcampo@beittshuvah.org
Puppy Program
Get your "tail" over here and join the new BTS Puppy Program. This program is designed to bring joy to residents by playing and interacting with our beloved pets. Just one hour per session guarantees a wagging good time. Please join us Thursdays at 2:30PM.

Don't "paws-" join us. Please let us know if you plan to participate by e-mail:
Barbara Tell: tellfam3@aol.com

We expect that all our new friends will be vaccinated.
Saturday Morning Services

Saturday morning Prayer and Meditation will start at 10:15 am PT.

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

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.
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 Chaya.
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