Jewish Addiction Awareness, featuring Marla Kaufman

Having focused on recovery in the previous episode of The Jewish Drinking Show, for those less aware of addiction - with alcohol, for instance - it may be hard to know how to help or otherwise relate to people going through these experiences. To discuss raising awareness about addiction in the Jewish community, episode 103 of The Jewish Drinking Show features Marla Kaufman, the executive director and founder of Jewish Addiction Awareness Network (JAAN).

After her own family’s decade-plus experience of navigating resources to support their son’s journey from addiction to recovery, Marla has dedicated her life’s work to silencing stigma and raising awareness. Since beginning JAAN in 2016, Marla has traveled to Jewish communities across the United States to share innovative programs, proven strategies, and best practices to help communities collaboratively address addiction and related mental health challenges from a Jewish perspective. She provides support to Jewish families in crisis and those desiring to integrate their recovery with their Judaism, and leads Jewish cultural sensitivity trainings for medical and addiction treatment professionals.