December 4 2020 l 18 Kislev 5781
CONGREGATION BEIT T'SHUVAH WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
Dear Congregants,

If you looked up at the night sky during the first part of the week, you were able to see the brilliant, full moon of Kislev. That means Chanukah is, literally, just around the corner. At the Shuv, the lobby is already filled with the whites and blues of the holiday’s decorations with several chanukiyot posed and ready to be lit.

One of my favorite Chanukah’s was spent in Israel where the holiday was about families and the Light. No presents. No over-the-top shopping. It was about “just being together”. I remember so clearly standing in a hallway at Kibbutz Lavi, looking towards Sfat in the North. The space was filled with families, candles, singing and so much light….no….Light! It was one of the most beautiful and holy moments in my life. My words don’t do justice to what I experienced.

The Midrash asks about Creation: “From what was light created?” The answer is whispered: “G-d cloaked Himself in a cloak of Light and the Splendor of His Glory shone from one end of the world to the other.”

In a culture filled with commercialism and carols, let’s take the time to prepare our homes and our hearts so that we can bring in this Light, a Light that we, as Jews, have been given to hold, to protect, to cherish, and to share.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Micha'el Akiba
THIS WEEK'S TORAH PORTION
By: Rabbi Joseph Shamash

One of my favorite ways to learn Torah is to ask myself, “What if?”
 
Part of the beauty of learning the Torah in its original Hebrew is that the language is open to multiple interpretations. In fact, some translations clean up and wash over some of the inconsistencies in the original text, from which the magic and the rabbit hole of possibilities of Torah study emerge.
 
So here is my “What if?” from this week’s Torah portion, Parashat VaYishlach.
 
Remember that incident a couple weeks ago when Jacob stole his brother’s birthright and blessing and then left home and hit bottom? This week, Jacob reunites with his brother, Esau, after 20 years of estrangement.
 
When Jacob sends forward messengers to Esau, in order to “gain favor in his brother’s eyes,” Jacob’s messengers bring back...click here to read more.
SHABBAT THIS WEEK
SOBER BIRTHDAYS
Phillip A. for one year of sobriety.
Thea G. for one year of sobriety.
Noah R. in absentia for one year of sobriety.
Kaylee B. for 4 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
Noah, we are so proud of you! Love you so much, Mom Dad & Rachel
If you would like to sponsor shabbat at
Beit T'Shuvah, click here.
BTS THRIFT STORE CORNER
Shop, donate and share with your friends.
*Shipping is available upon request*


*50% off this week with coupon code FLASH*
MAZEL TOV...

...to Alex Rosenbaum and Josh Jacobs on their engagement!


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. 
TRIBUTE DONATIONS
Tribute donations are a wonderful way of marking life cycle events for your loved ones and friends and supporting Beit T'Shuvah.

Helen & Jerry Sands in honor of Andi and Paul Bergman
Judith & William Ivory in honor of Barbara Friedman
Helen & Jerry Sands in honor of Carrie Newman
Marjorie Marantz in honor of Jessie Emma Polanco's Bat Mitzvah
Irina & Mark Kashper in honor of Joey Zallen
Alli Jason & Timothy Fives in honor of Joey Zallen
Lucie & David Hinden in honor of Joey Zallen
Leslie & Daniel Cohen in honor of Lauren Horowitz's birthday
Helen & Jerry Sands in honor of Michael Kamenir, keep spreading the word with Freedom Song!
Evelyn Whitehill in honor of Rabbi Kerry and CoVital
Howard Green in honor of Susita Schneider
Marjorie Marantz in memory of David Gondek
Cookie Miller in memory of Gene Osher
Kathy Robbins in memory of Geoffrey Tamayo
Jennifer Hechtman Rosen in memory of Isabella Stier
Irina & Mark Kashper in memory of Sam Zallen


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
Escape Room

When the COVID-19 lockdown began, a call was placed to Michael Kamenir, Director and Original Creator of Beit T’Shuvahs Freedom Song, in hopes that he could create a digital version of the stage play. Michael promptly called his long-time friend and creator of Freedom Song, Stuart K. Robinson. After discussing the possibilities of the play, it dawned on them that they needed to create something new, something that spoke to this difficult time we are all living through. That is how Escape Room was born.

Escape Room is the story of a group of addicts who come together during a pandemic to feel less isolated and alone. Sound familiar? Stuart K. Robinson, the creator of Freedom Song and the writer behind Escape Room, put it best when he said, “Escape Room is a musical drama exploring the challenges of maintaining sobriety amidst a pandemic. Freedom Song was a story of the devastation of addiction while Escape Room is about recovery.”

After learning from the beautiful process of rehearsing and performing...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 
Gala 2021
Please join us on January 31, 2021 at 6:00 pm for our virtual Healing Broken Souls Gala.

We are excited to share with you an amazing evening: a special musical performance, an inspiring video about a woman’s journey to recovery and redemption, a fabulous silent auction, and so much more.

This year we are honored to present Jackie Elkins with our first ever Spirit of Beit T’Shuvah Award. More will be revealed...You don't want to miss it! 

To register and for more info, click here.
Hanukkah
Join us December 10th through 17th at 6pm to light the Hanukkah lights, rededicating ourselves to recovery and community.
*except Friday December 11th


For Zoom link and more info, click here.
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.
Fall Adult Education
Join the BTS clergy Tuesdays at 7pm beginning October 27 as we indulge the senses and the mind.


For Zoom link and more info, 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.
Beit T’Shuvah Custom Masks are Here!
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

Click HERE to order!
Pandemic Parenting
BTS Zoom Family Support Group! 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, no need to RSVP, just drop in!

For Zoom link and more info, please click here.
Friday Night Services
Friday night services held via zoom at 6:30pm PT.

For Zoom link and more info, please click here.
Saturday Morning Services
Saturday morning Prayer and Meditation at 10:30am PT.

For Zoom link and more info, please click here.
Spiritual Class
Come learn on Saturday mornings at 9:30am PT with Rabbi Micha'el Akiba.

For Zoom link and more info, please click here.
CHALLAH IS BACK!
Baked T'Shuvah's founder Jackie Elkins is licensed by the state and you can now order the Baked T'Shuvah challah you know and love!
 
Pick up at BTS. Must prepay.
 
Available flavors: Plain, Chocolate Chip, Salted Caramel or Raisin. Contact Amy Abrams to place your order - orders need to be placed no later than Wednesday! 
Sober Birthdays
We are still celebrating birthdays each week on our Shabbat Zoom.

To sign up to take a cake, please contact Jillian.

If you missed celebrating your birthday this year and would still like to take a cake via Zoom, contact Jillian.
CoVital
Daily at 9am PT. Join the Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/539925563317229
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.
#NotMyCorona
#NotMyCorona. Recovery-Minded Spiritual Learning with Beit T’Shuvah and the T’Shuvah Center. Wednesdays. 1pm PT/4pm ET.

For Zoom link and more info, please click here.
To Life
BTS community AA meeting: Thursdays at 7pm.

For Zoom link and more info, please click here.
100 Blessings
Beit T’Shuvah and the Elaine Breslow Institute invite you participate in this spiritual challenge!

Virtual Kaddish Calls
Thursdays. 9-9:30am PT/12-12:30pm ET.

A powerful kaddish experience led by the Lab/Shul community. They have invited our Beit T’Shuvah community to join them.

https://labshul.org/event/virtual-mourners-kaddish-call/2019-08-29/

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 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.

Direct line to make monetary donations is 310-280-3699 or visit our website