Wreaking havoc on lives, tearing families apart, and destroying dreams, the disease of addiction is a relentless foe. “For years the Jewish community was reluctant to admit that addiction even existed among us,” Rabbi Meir Kessler, director of the Jewish Recovery Center and chaplain of the Caron Renaissance Center, told the 5TJT. “Being ‘shiker’ [intoxicated] was not considered a Jewish addiction; rather, it was attributed to other ethnic groups. The painful truth, however, is that Jews are just as susceptible to addiction as anyone else. We are living in a society of entitlement, of ‘kiddush clubs’—with easy access to alcohol and other sources of addiction. Acknowledging the problem is the first step in finding a solution. My biggest professional challenge involves dealing with parents who are in denial, refusing to admit that their children have an addiction. Addiction is a disease; it’s crucial for parents to acknowledge it and to seek professional help immediately.”
The Jewish Recovery Center is a place where addicts who are fighting the same battle can count on emotional support and find a common bond in their recovery, and benefit from spiritual fellowship and camaraderie. It is a key resource for Jewish addicts in recovery, their families, and the recovering Jewish community in Palm Beach. Located in “the Mecca for recovery in the United States,” the Jewish Recovery Center has close working relationships with leading programs and addiction experts, providing a vital link for those seeking treatment in South Florida. They offer referrals, screenings, and emergency placement, as well as aftercare management, including sober houses for those completing inpatient treatment.
In addition to serving as director of the Jewish Recovery Center, Rabbi Meir Kessler also serves as spiritual advisor to top treatment providers, gaining ready access to executives and clinical staff for all issues concerning the Jewish addict, from rapid intervention to discharge planning and aftercare management. The Jewish Recovery Center is committed to ensuring that all Jews who need recovery are afforded the opportunity and resources, and they also guide family members on their parallel journey.
For highly motivated Jewish addicts, after completing inpatient treatment with at least 90 days of continuous sobriety, Jewish Recovery Center’s recovery houses are the ideal destination. With separate houses for women and men, these sober homes provide the necessary support for individuals who are transitioning back into society. To help ensure sustained sobriety, the recommended time of stay is six months.
Unique to Florida, halfway houses offer an additional level of supervision at the fragile and sensitive phase of reentry. The Jewish Recovery Center sober homes provide recovering men and women an opportunity for a seamless transition from patient treatment back to life in the real world in a safe, nurturing Jewish environment. On-call supervision is 24 hours, with random drug screening. Residents are encouraged to attend morning meditation, group education, and 12-step meetings.
Jewish Recovery Center offers case management services such as job counseling, referrals to outside professionals as needed, and access to a library of 12-step materials and Jewish texts on culture and spirituality.
It’s a place to call home, located in a safe, residential neighborhood within comfortable walking distance of stores and shuls where residents can attend regularly scheduled services. Jewish Recovery Center’s houses are conducive to keeping kosher and observing Shabbos, which many patients do for the first time in their lives. For others, who have lost interest as a result of their addictions, it’s a place to rediscover and reconnect with Yiddishkeit.
Over the years, past residents have evolved into a parallel community to Chabad of Boca Raton. Their community provides an additional sense of security and healing infused by the warmth of Torah and belonging. There they raise their families, creating an inspirational network of hope and support.
“From Strength to Strength,” the Jewish Recovery Center’s First Annual Retreat and Shabbaton, will take place from Friday, February 24 through Sunday, February 26 at the Boca Raton Renaissance Hotel. Experience the fusion of Jewish values, heritage, and culture within the 12 steps of recovery. This retreat is a unique opportunity to network with Jews successful in their recovery and the community of professionals, rabbis, and therapists who guide them. Featured speakers are Rabbis Y.Y. Jacobson and Dr. Abraham J. Twerski.
If you or a loved one is suffering from an addiction, please call the Jewish Recovery Center at 561-450-5503 immediately. They will treat your call with the utmost confidentiality and guide you to the best professional course of treatment for the addiction. Please do not hesitate; your call can save a precious life.