Nearly 100 young adults flocked to the Berkshire Mountains recently to enjoy The Living Room’s semi-annual retreat, a restorative and inspiring weekend that left participants feeling energized and renewed.
The Living Room, the young adult division of Our Place NY, is a 12-Step recovery style clubhouse for Jewish young adults, ages 18 through 30, which offers support groups and 12-step meetings under the supervision of licensed therapists. Giving participants the vital support that is crucial to maintain their sobriety, The Living Room assists members in reconnecting with family, culture, and community as well as focusing on creating stable relationships and employment opportunities as part of the recovery process. While not a treatment program or an independent 12-step program or fellowship, The Living Room serves to strengthen and support the therapeutic and spiritual growth of Jewish young people in recovery.
The retreat, which took place at the Isabella Freedman Retreat Center in Falls Village, Connecticut, ran from Friday afternoon through Sunday evening and featured a blend of workshops, groups, and guided meditations, as well as recreational activities, all set against the backdrop of a meaningful Shabbos in the mountains.
”There were informative, inspirational groups and meditations,” said Menachem Poznanski, director of The Living Room. “There was much healing; it was such a positive experience. Our members were up until all hours of the night, connecting and working on themselves and expanding their spiritual recovery.”
The retreat featured a full roster of mental health professionals and addiction specialists who ran various programs throughout the weekend, running from early in the morning until well after midnight. The beauty of Shabbos was an integral part of the weekend, beginning with a rousing Carlebach style Friday night davening. “The ruach was incredible,” reported Poznanski. “Our Friday night Oneg Shabbos, which included stories and niggunim, lasted until 3 a.m..”
One of the highlights of the weekend was a Motza’ei Shabbos improvisational talent and comedy show, which included full audience participation. “It was a lot of fun, featuring a group of young people who are all sober. The Living Room members are living proof that an addict or alcoholic can live a happy, joyous, meaningful and sober Jewish life,” said Poznanski, adding that the retreat was also a celebration of 200 years of combined sobriety for all celebrants in attendance.
Among the volunteers who organize The Living Room’s semi-annual retreats are a group of four members who are elected to the job because they have demonstrated their commitment to their recovery. Poznanski also expressed his gratitude to the professional clinical staff that facilitated the workshops and mediations: Mrs. Gittel Kagan-Follman, Mr. Yudy Wiener, and Mr. Roy Tellis of the Safe Foundation and to Miram Bracha Handelsman and Yosef Nissanian of The Living Room.
”It is absolutely remarkable what Menachem has created,” observed Rabbi Aryeh Young, executive director of Our Place NY. “The Living Room is a uniquely safe and trusting environment, where young adults in our community can find a sub-community of like-minded individuals from similar cultural backgrounds, actively searching the road to a clean and sober life. Our Place is truly fortunate to have Menachem leading its young adult division.”
The inspiring weekend culminated with a Sunday morning hike for the men with Shachris atop a snow covered mountain, followed by an amazing spiritual meeting with the whole group back at the retreat center.
The retreat concluded with an exciting ski trip to nearby Mohawk Mountain.
“Everyone had an incredible time and agreed that in ten years this was the best retreat TLR has ever had,” reported Poznanski.
If you or a young person in your life has attended a treatment program for substance abuse and wants to build a healthy sober life or is struggling with addiction and wants to get sober through a 12-step program, call us at 917-596-0784.
Founded in 1998, Our Place NY is a registered non-profit organization dedicated to facilitating transformative personal growth in at-risk Jewish teens and young adults, currently struggling with substance abuse, severe crisis, and other unhealthy life circumstances. Our Place runs a wide array of services including teen drop-in centers, 12-step support groups, mentoring programs, a 24-hour crisis hotline, extensive drug rehabilitation and therapy placement networks, an “alternative” high school, as well as, vocational and educational placement services. Our Place creates a non-judgmental and stable environment that provides the basic needs of survival that a healthy family would typically provide, including basic physiological necessities, physical safety, and an unconditional demonstration of love and belonging. Through this far-reaching and “Whole Life Therapy” approach, Our Place provides troubled youth with a second chance; an opportunity to serve as a source of everlasting pride to their family, community and Jewish heritage.
