God of Our Understanding: Jewish Spirituality and Recovery from Addiction

by Rabbi Shais Taub

$17.95

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Author: Rabbi Shais Taub

Publisher: KTAV Publishing House

Paperback:
ISBN 10: 1602801533
ISBN 13: 978-1602801530

God of Our Understanding is a frank and penetrating look at the underlying spiritual dynamics of addiction and its treatment through Twelve-Step programs. Rabbi Shais Taub, a world renown expert in Jewish mysticism as well as a mentor to many thousands of addicts, draws from his unique background to thoroughly address many of the concerns raised by Jewish addicts in recovery while also using Jewish knowledge to enrich the understanding of the spiritual principles of recovery for addicts of all faiths.

From Publishers Weekly

Twelve-step recovery is not just for goys. Taub, a rabbi in the Chabad-Lubavitch movement and cofounder of a Jewish recovery community in Milwaukee, brings a lens of Jewish spirituality to the 12 steps and finds them not only kosher but also helpful in deepening Jewish spiritual life. Citing Carl Jung, he first analyzes addiction as a spiritual problem of longing for God but substituting alcohol (spirits) for spiritual relationship. From there he goes on to trace and emphasize the God consciousness that the 12 steps advocate, and he then offers a careful theological analysis that finds much consistency between recovery and Jewish teachings about God, prayer, forgiveness, and relationships. The œGod of our understanding that recovery talks about is also the œGod of our fathers, he argues. A glossary of rabbinic sources buttresses his own gloss on the 12 steps. This is a thoughtful counter to one criticism occasionally heard—that the 12 steps are implicitly Christian—and a singular and valuable resource for those in need. (Feb.)
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Review

Addiction and Spirituality are frequently used terms. Unfortunately, their real meaning is often misunderstood, resulting in much confusion and resistance to recovery.

In G-d of Our Understanding: Jewish Spirituality & Recovery from Addiction, Rabbi Taub has masterfully elucidated these concepts. This is book which should be read by all clergy, therapists, people in recovery -- people who should be in recovery -- and their family members. --Rabbi Abraham J. Twerski, M.D., Founder, Medical Director Emeritus, Gateway Rehabilitation Center

Every now and again I run across a book that just grabs me. Rabbi Taub has written such a book. His understanding of the disease of addiction is refreshing. Instead of focusing on the pathology that causes addiction, he understands our problem from a unique perspective -- that addiction happens because of what is right about us.

It is obvious that this book is written by a man who has integrated his understanding of spirituality into his personal experience with recovery. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to deepen their understanding of the interface between spirituality, addiction and recovery. --Dr. Allen Berger, Ph.D., author of 12 Stupid Things that Mess Up Recovery and 12 Smart Things to Do When the Booze and Drugs are Gone

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God of Our Understanding: Jewish Spirituality and Recovery from Addiction