Reaching Out
Local rabbis learn how to identify addicts among their congregants and offer help.
SHELLI LIEBMAN DORFMAN
Staff'Writer
R
abbi E.B. "Bunny" -Freedman's proposal that clergy be the next
group educated on issues of substance abuse was widely
applauded Feb. 25 at a conference aptly titled, "Is There an
Addict in Your Shul?"
Proof of interest was seen in the turnout of nearly 50 clergy members of
various streams of Judaism.
Co-sponsored by Rabbi Freedman's Jewish Hospice and Chaplaincy
Network of Jewish Family Service and the Michigan Board of Rabbis,
the program was highlighted by a talk from psychiatrist, Rabbi
Abraham Twerski.
The conference's goal?
"We wanted every rabbi in the community to be addiction- and recov-
ery-literate enough so that they can give good advice and most important-
ly — as Rabbi Twerski pointed out — not to give bad advice," said Rabbi
Levi Shemtov, executive director of the West Bloomfield-based Friendship
Circle. The group's counseling division sponsored Rabbi Twerski's multi-
event. visit to Detroit, which included the clergy program at the Jewish
Community Center in West Bloomfield.
"This is not just a program to get the rabbis to raise their consciousness
a little bit about alcohol and dependency and recovery," said Rabbi
Freedman, whose agency provides continuing education in chaplaincy
and pastoral care for local rabbinate. "We want the rabbis to be motivated
to put some real effort and energy into studying about it and developing
some kind of training program."
The group attending Rabbi Abraham Twerskis talk included, from right, Rabbi Yisrael Pinson
of the Friendship Circle, Rabbi Avie Shapiro ofJewish Home and Aging Services and Rabbi
Michael Cohen of Keter Torah Synagogue, all in West Bloomfield and Rabbi Daniel Nevins of
Adat Shalom Synagogue in Farmington Hills.
Help And More Help
Watching Out
Rabbi Dannel Schwartz of Temple Shir Shalom is one the few
Rabbi Twerski cautioned the group about issues as simple as
local clergy who is already actively involved in working with con-
watching out for youngsters overdoing the wine at Shabbat
gregants with addiction issues.
kiddush — and as unexpected as stifling a referral to send an
"I counsel, defer and refer — and counsel again and again," he
addicted youth to Israel as a cure.
said. "That is why I want the training too. Just like the study of
"In Israel, there is an epidemic of drug use among adoles-
Judaism — the more you know, the more you don't know."
cents," he said. It has crept into the seminaries and yeshivot."
Echoing Rabbi Twerski's observation that rabbinical school did
Friendship Circle Counseling Division director, Rabbi
not train him to deal with addictive personalities, Rabbi Schwartz
Yisrael Pinson spoke. _Jewish Family Services' representa-
said, "Just like everybody else, we are either conned by them, we are
tive gave presentations on their addiction recovery pro-
turned off or we just write them off."
gram and JACS (Jewish Alcoholic, Chemically
He said with addictions — including alcoholism, drug, sex and
Dependent Persons and Significant Others) and recover-
gambling — having reached epidemic proportions, "sometimes rab-
ing addicts shared personal stories.
bis, priests, ministers, don't see it because the addicted refuse to
Rabbi Twerski reminded that "addiction cuts across all
come to them, and the families are embarrassed," he said. "But more
denominations," mentioning men in shtreimels (black,
often they know that the clergy 'just don't get it."'
fur-trimmed hats worn by Orthodox men) who are
Rabbi Twerski stressed to the group that becoming knowledge-
Rabbi Abraham Twerski
addicted to cocaine and a New York-based sex addicts'
'able about addiction needs to be coupled with the rabbi's accept-
meeting that is followed by the evening prayer service.
ance that his congregants may have addictions.
And being universal and all-inclusive is the point of the program. The
He said rabbis who use the bimah to offer to counsel or refer congregants are
clergy meeting was set up to be the first of an ongoing educational curricu-
usually surprised when approached by their members.
lum. "We are doing things in a very ecumenical way, focusing — not on
But this is often the way to identify those in trouble.
denominations — but on how the rabbis can be there for people who need
"The rabbi isn't like a doctor who has to wait for people to come to them," Rabbi
help," Rabbi Freedman said.
Twerski said. "They can make a pastoral call and say, 'I'm a little concerned."'
"And who better to tell our secrets to than our rabbis who serve as gate-
Rabbi Schwartz said, "Since every 12-step program is faith-based, the under-
keepers," Rabbi Schwartz said. "We can be the first step in saving a congre-
standing and trained rabbi can be a powerful weapon in the war against this
gant's life." LI
terrible scourge. Add to that the wisdom of 4,000 years of Jewish teachings and
it could be a potent mix."
For more on Rabbi Twerski's recent visit to Detroit, see "Keeping Kids Drug-
Rabbi Twerski emphasized the importance of also making the synagogue itself
Free" in the JN Spirituality section, page 51.
accessible. 'AA [Alcoholics Anonymous] meetings are mostly in churches because
we haven't opened the shuls to them," he said.
3/19
2004
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