Thanks for your question, though I really wonder what prompted it. Anyone even passingly familiar with Jewish ritual life would be aware that wine plays a regular role in it. We usher Shabbos in and out with kiddush and havdalah respectively, each recited over a cup of wine; we drink four cups of wine at the Passover seder; sheva brachos are recited over wine at a wedding and for a week after. While wine has a certain sacramental value, its use is not a religious imperative and there are valid reasons that some people choose alternatives (such as grape juice). Awareness of addictions in the Jewish community is becoming increasingly prevalent, and yet, a gap exists in the literature regarding addictions in this community. Knowledge about the prevalence of addictions within Jewish communities is limited; some believe that Jews cannot be affected by addictions.

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A survey was administered to adults receiving services through Jewish Child and Family Service, Winnipeg location. A package was mailed to randomly selected individuals, where they were asked to fill out the questionnaire and mail it back to the Jewish Child and Family Service office. Participants were contacted two weeks after packages had been sent in order to inform them that they have been randomly selected to participate in the study and to provide an opportunity to ask questions and express concerns. For New York City bartender Paula Lukas, Tel Aviv distillery M & H is a go-to for a variety of spirits, specifically its Levantine Gin and Classic single malt whisky. “They use botanicals from a local market in Tel Aviv for their gin—it’s got a terrific mix of citrus and spice,” she says. “The Classic is aged in ex-bourbon and STR red wine casks, [so] it’s got a bit of spice and smoke, but not overly so.” Ethan Kahn, another New York City drinks expert, tends to go for a bit more old-school product.

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Ishwar inspires those with noble elevated thoughts towards progress and propels down those who decide to think lowly. Lowly acts performed even in dreams cause decline. In some Christian denominations, the practitioners take a sip of alcoholic wine in the sacrament that does not rise the blood alcohol content, but non-alcoholic red wine is more common. Become a Superfan by following us on your favorite social channels and like, comment, share our content to help Jew in the City reach more people. Why Israelis have just one seder, how Gibraltar does haroset and other curiosities of this 8-day holiday.

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There is no sin in the eating of meat, nor in wine, nor in sexual intercourse, Such is the natural way of living beings; but abstention is conducive to great rewards. A person who steals gold, or drinks liquor, or goes to bed with his teacher’s wife, or kills a brāhmin—these four are lost. Also lost is the fifth—one who keeps company with such people. Rabbi Jack Abramowitz, Jew in the City’s Educational Correspondent, is the editor of OU Torah (/torah) . He is the author of six books including The Taryag Companion and The God Book. For more Q&A, follow his new video series, Ask Rabbi Jack, on YouTube.

Are Jews Less Likely To Be Alcoholics?

1. Participants were randomly selected from every service area at Jewish Child and Family Service.
2. Zeira to drink too much until he got sick and almost died… The words “brought him back to life” in both the Bible and the Talmud can simply mean healing.
3. Still, wine is a crucial part of Jewish religious observance.
4. To address this gap, a pilot study was conducted to gather preliminary evidence relating to addictions and substance use in the Jewish community.

In addition to holy days, each Sabbath brings three Orthodox rituals involving wine. Excess is avoided because “drinking thus occurs in the presence of the most powerful sanctions in Orthodox Jewish life.” If so, does drunkenness increase among Jews as they leave the Orthodox faith? Snyder’s statistics indicate that there is a slight trend in this direction, particularly when Jews are exposed to strong Gentile influence. In Christianity, attitudes towards alcohol have shifted over time, with some denominations advocating for moderation while others promote abstinence. The use of sacramental wine in religious rites, such as the Eucharist, underscores its symbolic significance within Christian theology.

Whiskey, bourbon, beer and more are all forbidden on the holiday. The Forward has removed its paywall, making all our content free for the first time in our history. Become a member and support independent Jewish journalism.

The costs of alcoholism, measured by the personal and social wreckage it leaves in its wake, require that we confront this disease openly and directly, doing whatever we can as a community for those who come to us in their struggle for recovery. Today, scientific evidence concerning the dangers of smoking is accepted worldwide, and there is no longer any reasonable doubt that tobacco causes disease and death. Reflecting this change, rabbinic opinion now condemns smoking as a threat to human life and health. As Judaism forbids us to endanger our lives needlessly and to treat our bodies with reckless disrespect, so it forbids us to smoke. Those who smoke are under a strict moral obligation to do all in their power to stop smoking. It is wrong as well to encourage smokers in their habit by buying tobacco for them or by offering them a light.

Due to the moral and social precepts of their religion, several religious groups place a strong emphasis in control, which results in lower rates of alcohol consumption among its followers. In contrast, risk factors may support or tolerate excessive alcohol consumption within some religious communities. In this chapter, it is apparent that the wine Noah drank had an intoxicating effect on him since he became drunk. The interaction of these stories in the Bible continues to be a source of controversy and discussion over the nature and significance of alcoholic beverages in biblical theology and history.

JACS groups are located throughout Canada, the United States, Australia, Brazil, and Israel [7] and are indicative of the existence of addictions in Jewish communities internationally. In Smriti texts which are considered less authoritative than Sruti, the verses contradict each other and encourage the use of alcohol but remind of abstention https://rehabliving.net/ being better. In Hindu texts, particularly the Dharma Shastras, the consumption of alcohol is addressed with varying levels of restriction based on caste. The Manu Smriti, a key text outlining the norms and codes of conduct for various social classes, prescribes different regulations for alcohol consumption among castes.

Throughout history, alcohol has held significant roles in religious observances, from the use of sacramental wine in Christian sacraments to the offering and moderate drinking of omiki (sacramental sake) in Shinto purification rituals. Approximately 11% of the Canadian population struggles with substance use [1]. The prevalence of alcohol and substance use in the Jewish community remains uncertain, possibly due to the existence of some denial of addictive behaviours in this community [2].

Sake is often consumed as part of Shinto purification rituals.[79] Sakes served to kami (gods) as offerings prior to drinking are called Omiki (お神酒).[80] People drink Omiki with gods to communicate with them and to solicit rich harvests the following year. The wretched Brahmana who from this day, unable to resist the temptation, will drink wine shall https://rehabliving.net/influence-of-genetic-background-in-alcohol/ be regarded as having lost his virtue, shall be reckoned to have committed the sin of slaying a Brahmana, shall be hated both in this and the other worlds. I set this limit to the conduct and dignity of Brahmanas everywhere. Let the honest, let Brahmanas, let those with regard for their superiors, let the gods, let the three worlds, listen!.

After he’s had a few, he feels as if he’s strong like a lion. When he’s gone too far, he becomes like a pig, wallowing in his own filth. He thinks he’s smart, witty and clever, when in reality he is a buffoon, being laughed at by others for his idiocy. He remarks that while many Jewish traditions involve alcohol, we condemn actual drunkenness. Even though Jews are less likely to be alcoholics — or perhaps because of that — Jews with alcohol problems are more likely to feel ostracized.

Rigorous double-blind controlled testing reports that one loses the ability to count up gematria significantly quicker than one passes out in a drunken stupor. Nevertheless, if Maimonides, who was, after all, a doctor, says that one hasn’t fulfilled one’s obligation until one is out cold on the floor, then maybe that should be the standard. Of course, from a public health perspective, going to sleep is preferable to picking up a sword (or car keys).

Perhaps the double-sided nature of wine is nowhere more explicit than in a rabbinic midrash which states that the Tree of Knowledge — the forbidden tree that Adam and Eve sampled, resulting in their expulsion from Eden — was in fact a grape vine. (Sanhedrin 70a) This alluring fruit opens new doors and new paths to awareness — but it is also deadly dangerous. At the same time, Judaism recognizes critical dangers of over-consumption.

Participants were randomly selected from every service area at Jewish Child and Family Service. Service areas included newcomer settlement services, mental health, child welfare, adoption, and counselling. Except for counselling clients, all other JCFS clients must be Jewish to receive services from JCFS. In Sefer Shmuel, Eli HaKohen is sitting at the entrance to the Ohel Moed.