Abraham J. Twerski
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Rabbi Dr. Abraham J. Twerski (Born October 6, 1930 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin) is an American Hasidic Rabbi, a scion of the Chernobil hasidic dynasty, and a psychiatrist. His professional specialty is in substance abuse, and he founded the Gateway Rehabilitation Center, Pittsburgh. He is a son of the late Grand Rebbe Jacob Israel Twerski (1899-1973) of Hornosteipel of Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Dvorah Leah Twerski (1900-1995).
He was educated in Milwaukee Public Schools, and graduated from North Division High School in 1948. He then enrolled in the Hebrew Theological College of Chicago (now located in Skokie, Illinois) and was ordained a rabbi in 1952, after which he returned to Milwaukee to become the co-spiritual leader of Congregation Beth Jehudah with his father. He married his first wife Golda before settling in Milwaukee. The couple had six children.
During this time he composed a melody for the Hebrew verse Psalms 28:9 "Hoshea es Amecha", which became popular in Jewish circles[citation needed]. Twerski had a major influence on the turn toward orthodoxy of several young men in Milwaukee, including most notably Meir Tzvi (Stanley Martin) Schuster, who later moved to Israel and founded the Heritage House in Jerusalem. (Schuster is known in Israel as "The Rabbi of the Wall" for his efforts to recruit Jewish students at the Western Wall on the Temple Mount.)[citation needed]
In 1953 Twerski enrolled at Milwaukee's Marquette University, and subsequently graduated from its Medical School in 1960, after which he moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
After the death of his wife Golda, he married Gail. The couple resides in Teaneck,New Jersey.
He writes extensively on Judaism and self-help topics, including a book with Snoopy cartoons, drawn by Charles M. Schulz to explain human interaction and behavior. He has written over fifty books.
His brother Aaron Twerski was the Dean at Hofstra University and an attorney representing class action plaintiffs in the automobile industry.
His other brothers are Michel Twerski, the Hornosteipler Rebbe of Milwaukee; the late Shloime Twerski, the previous Hornosteipler Rebbe of Denver; and the late Mordechai Dov Ber Twerski of New York.
Works
- A Practical Guide to Rabbinic Counseling (co-author) (Feldheim Publications)
- A Taste of Nostalgia (Artscroll Mesorah Publications)
- Addictive Thinking and the Addictive Personality (co-author)
- Addictive Thinking: Why Do We Lie to Ourselves? : Why Do Others Believe Us?
- Addictive thinking : understanding self-deception " with forward by John Wallace ISBN 978-1-56838-138-1 Published 1990,1997
- Angels Don't Leave Footprints (Artscroll Mesorah Publications)
- Caution: Kindness Can Be Dangerous to the Alcoholic
- Compulsive Gambling: More Than Dreidle (Mirkov Publications)
- Coping With Stress: The 9/11 Generation
- Dear Rabbi, Dear Doctor (Artscroll Mesorah Publications)
- Dear Rabbi, Dear Doctor 2 (Artscroll Mesorah Publications)
- Dearer Than Life (Artscroll Mesorah Publications)
- Do Unto Others: How Good Deeds Can Change Your Life
- The Enemy Within (Artscroll Mesorah Publications)
- The First Year of Marriage (Artscroll Mesorah Publications)
- Four Chassidic Masters
- From Pulpit to Couch
- Generation to Generation
- Getting Up When Your Down (Artscroll Mesorah Publications)
- Growing Each Day (Artscroll Mesorah Publications)
- Haggadah From Bondage to Freedom (Artscroll Mesorah Publications)
- Happiness and the Human Spirit (Jewish Lights Publishing www.jewishlights.com)
- I Am I (Artscroll Mesorah Publications)
- I'd Like to Call for Help, but I Don't Know the Number: The Search for Spirituality in Everyday Life
- I Didn't Ask to Be in This Family: Sibling Relationships and How They Shape Adult Behavior and Dependencies
- It happens to doctors, too
- It's Not As Tough As You Think (Artscroll Mesorah Publications)
- It's Not As Tough At Home As You Think (Artscroll Mesorah Publications)
- Let Us Make Man
- Life's too short!
- Light At the End of the Tunnel (Artscroll Mesorah Publications)
- Lights Along the Way (Mesillas Yesharim) (Artscroll Mesorah Publications)
- Living Each Day (Artscroll Mesorah Publications)
- Living Each Week (Artscroll Mesorah Publications)
- Not Just Stories (Artscroll Mesorah Publications)
- Positive Parenting (Artscroll Mesorah Publications)
- Rebbes and Chassidim: What They Said - What They Meant (Artscroll Mesorah Publications)
- Seek Sobriety, Find Serenity
- Self-Discovery in Recovery
- Self Improvement I'm Jewish (Artscroll Mesorah Publications)
- The Shabbos Companion(The Shaar Press / Artscroll Mesorah Publications)
- The Shame Borne in Silence
- Simchah - It's Not Just Happiness
- Smiling Each Day (Artscroll Mesorah Publications)
- The Spiritual Self: Reflections on Recovery and God
- Substance-Abusing High Achievers: Addiction as an Equal Opportunity Destroyer
- Successful Relationships at Home, at Work and with Friends (Artscroll Mesorah Publications)
- Ten Steps To Being Your Best (The Shaar Press / Artscroll Mesorah Publications)
- That's Not a Fault...It's a Character Trait
- The Thin You Within You Winning the Weight Game with Self-Esteen ISBN 0-312-20033-1
- Twerski on Chumash (Artscroll Mesorah Publications)
- Twerski on Prayer (Artscroll Mesorah Publications)
- Twerski On Spirituality (Artscroll Mesorah Publications)
- Visions of the Fathers (on Pirkei Avos) (Artscroll Mesorah Publications)
- Waking Up Just in Time
- When Do the Good Things Start?
- Who Says You're Neurotic: How to Avoid Mistaken Psychiatric Diagnoses When the Problem May Be a Physical Condition
- Wisdom Each Day (Artscroll Mesorah Publications)
- The Zeide Reb Motele (Artscroll Mesorah Publications)
External links
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