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Jewish Denial or Jewish Solution

It is often stated that the Jewish community is in denial that there exists a drug problem. I beg to differ on this, the secular treatment centers are flowing with Jewish persons, and it is very well known that Jewish families often pay very well for very expensive treatments also. The denial is rather that we don’t realize that there is a Jewish solution for the addiction problem. The spirituality within the Jewish faith is divine, from G-d Himself, and the Torah is the manual and directions given at Mt. Sinai by the Creator Himself for our healthy living and pleasure. We should recognize that Christian programs flourish everywhere claiming salvation from drugs through their religion. Why don’t we have this fervor and conviction? Perhaps because of the denial through incorrect assumptions about addiction commonly found in society at large. This camp is often secular and claim addiction is mainly a medical condition and that Judaism or religion in general does not provide a defense against this addiction. Nonsense, spirituality is the solution and within genuine Judaism there is the purest spirituality thus a complete defense against addiction. Pious and truly observant Jews never become addicts, and even the recovery literature mentions this as noted in our website. This doesn’t mean someone can’t become physically addicted, but that is not what is meant by the real addict as defined by twelve step programs. Addiction is based on self centeredness and spiritual emptiness, and one who lives Judaism is full and whole. Of course, the twelve steps are practiced by those who are within true Judaism.

Most addiction treatment programs admit the addict needs to find spirituality. Do we need to go to the Buddha, eastern mystical fantasies, or a cult that claims aliens are going to land soon and bring world redemption? We obviously need to go from within our own home and integrate Jewish spirituality in the recovery process. Not only this but as the prophets have stated we must be a light unto the nations and share our rich knowledge base with those seeking from other nations who are sincerely interested in understanding their purpose in this world according to the Torah. We need to be proactive with this solution and teach others; again the denial is among those who don’t feel this.

Addiction is accepted to be a spiritual condition or a malady of the soul. The original members of Alcoholics Anonymous movement were very ardent on the idea that a spiritual awakening as the result of the 12 steps was the only viable solution, professing that the alcoholic was beyond human help. This is also where the real denial lays, the false belief that the alcoholic or addict is only suffering a mere habit, and that mere behavioral methods will save him. This is like putting a band-aid on a cancer. The only treatment is complete personality change, a rebirth of spirit that only can be achieved on a higher spiritual plane. Once this spiritual change is achieved, then the addiction becomes a blessing, and a life of joy, purpose, and the true practice of loving your neighbor as yourself. We need a Jewish treatment center now, and we need to know the solution is within our heritage.

By Rabbi Israel Burns