you matter: ten spiritual commitments for a richer and more meaningful life
This book can save your life. No one knows more about saving lives than Rabbi Mark Borovitz. For thirty years, Rabbi Mark has rescued hundreds of lives from addiction, alcoholism and criminality. Addiction, he teaches, is a disease of the soul. Recovery is a process of healing the soul. But the soul-wisdom of recovery is not restricted to those addicted to drugs or drink. The soul-wisdom of recovery is for all who are battered by loneliness and meaninglessness, all who are lost in this culture of materialism and superficiality. All who seek depth, authenticity, intimacy and purpose need to hear Rabbi Mark's powerful wisdom – You matter! This book will save your life.
FINDING RECOVERY AND YOURSELF IN TORAH: A daily spiritual path to wholeness (Jewish Lights)
Hundreds of thousands of people will die this year from drug abuse and yet, fewer than one in five people who need treatment will actually receive it. While this epidemic has only recently attracted the attention of the global population with newly published research and widespread news coverage; these problems are actually no different than those faced by our ancestors. The Torah is the first "Big Book" of recovery from addictive thinking and acting.
In this soul-restoring resource, Rabbi Mark Borovitz combines his knowledge of Judaism and his experience as a leader in the field of recovery to help you find in the Five Books of Moses the deeper meaning, wisdom and guidance for living well in the moment.
For each Torah portion, he provides seven days of teachings and reflection questions to help you reconnect with your sacred self, discover solutions to life’s challenges and to help you heal.
This book is for all people; those in recovery from substance and process addictions who yearn for resources that address addiction as a spiritual malady as well as a life-threatening disease and anyone looking for a deeper understanding of themselves and the Hebrew Bible. It is an ideal companion to 12-step programs.
TESTIMONIALS
“A valuable asset to the crucial role of spirituality in recovery.”
“Rabbi Mark’s new book will give you the right questions in order to enhance the way you live. His wisdom is both Spiritual and Street. I’ve worked with him in various ways over the last ten years and he has helped me in ways I never thought possible.”
“Mark Borovitz knows what is to hit rock bottom. More importantly he knows what it takes to climb back up again. Finding Recovery and Yourself in Torah is a climber’s manual for anyone whose lifeline includes the Five Books of Moses. Presenting Torah as a series of probing questions rather than moralistic answers, Rabbi Borovitz helps you find the in–sights you need to live the recovery you want. An important and compelling book”
THE HOLY THIEF: A Con man's journey from darkness to light (harper Collins Publishers)
Mark Borovitz was a mobster, gangster, con man, gambler, thief, and a drunk. He's seen it all. In this inspiring memoir, he takes you on a journey from the streets to discovering his soul in a prison cell.
When Mark was fourteen, his father died and his world came crashing down. He stole, gambled, and drank, beginning a twenty-year life of crime, all the while trying to be the good son, the good brother, the good boy, but his life only spun more out of control until the mob put a hit out on him.
After his release from prison, the drinking and thieving continued until, at the edge of oblivion, he experienced a moment of true divine intervention, a startling revelation that saved his life.
Mark Borovitz proved that you can change your life -- profoundly. He is now the rabbi at Beit T'Shuvah in Los Angeles, the House of Return, a rehabilitation facility for addicts of all kinds.
The Holy Thief is the remarkable memoir of an amazing man. It is a true-life gangster story, a passionate love story, and a case of study in redemption. Regardless of your faith, you will find his story tragic, funny, uplifting, and inspirational.
TESTIMONIALS
“Heart-wrenching but hilarious, raw but refreshing, this everyman tale reminds us that even nice Jewish boys can go bad, but they can also be redeemed.”
“Spine-tingling spiritual awakening.”
“A unique blend of soulful insight mixed with a does of street-smart profanity... Borovitz reveals what he calls the ‘sins’ of his past with the fast-paced punch of a crime novel.”