A Lifeline of Hope

Images of a jittery addict loading up a crack pipe or an alcoholic coaxing the final precious drops from a bottle of vodka may not normally be associated with Jews. But in South Palm Beach County, Rabbi Meir Kessler sees many Jews engaged in daily hand-to-hand combat with the forces that destroy lives and shatter families.

Despite his lack of formal training in the addiction field, Kessler is committed to making the addict's fight a little easier through the Jewish Recovery Center (JRC) he launched two years ago. Operating under the umbrella of the Chabad of Boca Raton, the JRC operates a women's halfway house for up to six residents who are out of rehab and transitioning back into society. Kessler plans to establish a men's halfway house in the next few months and also rent a storefront in Boca Raton to serve as the JRC headquarters, which now operates out of the Chabad.

"I think sometimes the Jewish kids feel isolated and alienated from the Jewish community," Kessler says, explaining why such addicts would feel more at ease around fellow Jews. "Another problem is that most of the recovery meetings are held in churches. That's uncomfortable for some people."

Three years ago, Kessler, 30, moved from Crown Heights, N.Y., to the Delray Beach- Boca Raton area to open a new Chabad House. But when he began coming in contact with many Jewish addicts and alcoholics, Kessler recognized the need for an alternative program. He started opening his home last year to a handful of addicts for Friday night Shabbat dinners. Now the weekly crowd averages around 30, including a core of "regulars." The meal is served with grape juice only and d'var Torahs that relate to recovery are common. The guests range in age from 18 to 65. Some have been clean for several weeks; others have years of sobriety.

"Listen, corned beef and brisket is a draw for these kids," says Kessler, a big, friendly man who is married with two children. "But it really is a beautiful Friday night experience."

Kessler is excited about the prospects for JRC headquarters. Recovering addicts will be able to drink coffee and socialize, conduct recovery meetings, access Jewish reading materials and utilize the planned on-site synagogue. Kessler said there may even be a "recovery minyan."

"I can't say that people don't relapse," says Kessler, who also serves as a chaplain for the Renaissance Institution of Palm Beach, a chemical dependency treatment provider. "Addiction is powerful. You'll give up your own kid; you'll do the craziest things. But there's no question that the camaraderie and fellowship that's created adds another layer of support for Jewish recovering addicts.

Yaakov Meislin agrees. Formerly a non-religious Jew who never once celebrated Shabbat and often smoked cigarettes outside of synagogue on the High Holidays, Meislin, 20, says the JRC's Shabbat dinners sparked a dramatic turnaround in his life. He now considers himself a Lubavitcher and is pursuing a rabbinical degree at a yeshiva in Israel.

"For a long time I tried to deny being Jewish at all," says Meislin, who once dealt drugs and smoked marijuana regularly but has now been clean for 18 months. "I would have laughed in your face if you told me two years ago that I would have a beard and not touch women."

Meislin's transformation actually began at a non-Jewish recovery meeting when a woman's recounting of the binding of Isaac story made him cry. Meislin called his father in New York and asked him to send down a chumash and siddur. He then heard about Kessler's outreach and hasn't looked back.

"The idea of the Friday night dinners is to give people some Yiddishkeit," Meislin says. "It's a totally different ballgame than going to a regular meeting on Friday night. No one has to become religious. Hopefully we inspire others to understand Hashem."

Still, Kessler readily admits he doesn't have a background in addiction and recovery counseling and is "learning on the run." He's confident, however, that through his contacts he can help individuals and families in crisis.

"What if parents are just living their lives and their son gets caught with a bag of cocaine?" Kessler says. "Who do they turn to? So they would call me. When a person is in the throes of addiction, that's exactly when he needs a rabbi. I can throw him a lifeline and say, 'Here, come in and get some help.'"

For more information call (561) 450-5503 or e-mail chabadflorida@gmail.com.

- Rick Adelman