by Lorraine Blatt, Librarian
This month’s book reviews feature addiction in the midst of the Jewish Community.
“Twelve Jewish Steps to Recovery” by Rabbi Kerry Olitzky & Stuart Copans, MD. A Personal Gide to Turning from Alcoholism and other Addictions – Drugs, Food, Gambling, Sex
“Renewed Each Day” by Rabbi Kerry Olitzky and Aaron Z. Daily Twelve Step Recovery Meditations Based on the Bible, Vol. 1 Genesis & Exodus
“There is a pervasive myth that Jews do not engage in addictive behavior. Unfortunately, the Jewish community does experience alcoholism, drug abuse and addiction. No one is immune, from the least Jewishly involved to the most religious among us. The myth that Jews are somehow protected from addiction only reinforces shame and isolation and can inhibit Jews from seeking the help they need.” This quote comes from Jewish Child and Family Services, www.jcfs.org There are a number of websites that speak to addiction among Jews.
Addiction is a disease that knows no cultural, religious or socioeconomic boundaries, and this fact needs to be recognized so everyone who needs help can get it. When the stigma and shame are removed from the disease of addiction, we can finally work toward defeating it. For many years Jews have held the belief that addiction is not “a Jewish thing.” The reality is that there are Jewish addicts, many more than we want to believe. Anyone is capable of becoming addicted to alcohol, prescription pills or illegal drugs, gambling, food, sex, or other things. And addiction impacts whole family and community groups as well as the addicted individual.
Behaviors that control you can become addictions. It is imperative to be truthful with yourself to break or recover from an addiction. You must be able to identify what you are doing and have come to the place in your life where you desire to change. That is often a difficult decision to make without support and help.
The Twelve Step Program was originally conceived to combat alcoholism. It was/is generally conducted in churches and is associated with Christian thought. In the early 1990s, some rabbis, a psychiatrist, and a psychologist brought the concept of addiction among the Jewish population to the forefront. Working with others they realized that the concept of the Twelve Steps is applicable to anyone no matter what their background or religion. Twelve Step programs work. It is a “one step, one day at a time” idea that allows one to learn new ways of coping. Twelve Step programs are not just for addicts; they are also available to the others in the addict’s life. Wherever you find a addict you will also find those who “enable,” and those who are “hurt” living in the sphere of the addict.
The Twelve Step Program is easily meshed into a Jewish way of coping. Here are the steps:
1 Admitting we were powerless over our addiction, accepting that our life has become unmanageable.
2 Coming to the belief that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
3 Making a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understand Him.
4 Make a searching and fearless inventory of ourselves
5 Admit to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
6 Be entirely ready to have God remove all defects of character.
7 Humbly ask God to remove our shortcomings.
8 Make a list of all persons we have harmed and become willing to make amends to them all.
9 Make direct amends to such people wherever possible – except when to do so would injure them or others.
10Continue to take personal inventory, and when we are wrong promptly admit it.
11Seek through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, as we understand God, praying only for knowledge of God’s will for us and the power to carry that out.
12Have a spiritual awakening as a result of these steps.
The two books listed above have been donated to Sha’are Shalom. These books show how to use Torah and Jewish meditation to go through the Twelve Steps to conquer addiction. Since addiction can happen to anyone, these books can become a starting place for recovery. They are also very helpful to anyone wanting self-help strategies. The 12 Step concept can work for anyone, addict or not.
If you wish to borrow any books from the library please sign up on the 3×5 card tablet on the table in the library. Be sure to leave your name and phone number. Please return book(s) to the library after 4 weeks or contact me at 242lorraine@gmail.com or at 772-359-7370 if you wish to keep a book longer.