“Jews don’t use” is often quoted as an example of misconceptions and denial about addiction in the Jewish community. Why is there such a deafening silence on the subject, especially in light of the current opioid crisis and the overdose epidemic? As a rabbi who worked with recovering addicts, I know we need to review…
A congregant, let’s call him Joe, walks into a rabbi’s office and bravely discloses that he is addicted to illicit opioids. After a lengthy discussion the rabbi sends Joe away with a twofold prescription: 1. Start attending 12 Step meetings; 2. Start attending regular worship and study sessions at the synagogue. The rabbi seems to…
In January of this year, Ramah in the Rockies is opening BaMidbar Wilderness Therapy, the nation’s first Jewish wilderness therapy program, serving young adults struggling with trauma, mental health issues, substance abuse, and those struggling on their journey from adolence to independent adulthood. The Jewish tradition provides such powerful guidance, support, and strength. And it…
As a part of our Rabbi Roundtable series, we brought together leading rabbis from all corners of the Jewish world to offer their thoughts on the big questions. This week, we asked our rabbis, “What can the Jewish community do to fight the opioid epidemic?” Here are their responses: Benjamin Sendrow, Conservative, Congregation Shaarey Tefilla:…
The opioid epidemic is hitting the tight-knit community of Bukharian Jews in Queens, DNAInfo reported. This year the Bukharians have seen nine overdoses reported — over twice what the community suffered last year, according to a rabbi within the community. Most of the 60,000 Bukharian Jews that live in Queens came from the former Soviet…
If you’ve ever been to a famous art museum or glanced around a prestigious university, you’ve probably seen a wing or building named after a member of the Sackler family. But many may not know that the family’s fortune comes from selling pharmaceuticals—most notably OxyContin, the addictive painkiller at the center of America’s opioid epidemic….
Deaths from opioid overdoses in the United States have nearly doubled over the past seven years, a ground-breaking study by researchers in Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) in Israel, Harvard Medical School and University of Chicago found. And the health care system won’t be able to handle the rise in cases for much longer….
I have just read Bethany Mandel’s two most recent Opinion pieces in the Forward, and she deserves unending gratitude for blowing the whistle on Jewish denial of addiction in our midst. The first piece, “It’s Time To Admit That The Opioid Crisis Is Also A Jewish One,” charts recent news coverage of opioid and heroin…
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