David Rosenberg wants to know why the community is only whispering about one of the most prevalent diseases of the 21st century.

As development co-ordinator and fundraiser for JACS (Jewish Addiction Community Services), Rosenberg says that addiction affects 30 per cent of the population. “That means if 10 people go to a wedding and try alcohol, statistics say that three won’t stop drinking.

“[Addiction] doesn’t discriminate against Jews. It is independent of upbringing. Unlike cancer or heart disease, though, no one is screaming about it. People are in denial about addictions, including the addicts themselves. It’s a tricky disease. Addicts need to learn that they are not responsible for having the disease, but they are responsible for arresting it.”

A recovering crack cocaine addict who “owes his life to JACS,” Rosenberg said that especially in an economic downturn, “people are afraid of life, and what do they do if they’re in pain? They get an anesthetic.”

Since last year, JACS has seen a 150 per cent increase in clients, he said, “and our donations are down. It is a real challenge.”

In addition to being an information resource on the effects that addictions have on family life, JACS has a drop-in lounge, teen programs – including a Sunday group for young men –  a women’s group, a concerned parents’ group, and a group for those who wish to explore the Alcoholics Anonymous 12-steps in a framework of traditional Jewish spiritual concepts.

JACS’ 12-step groups for addicts include Cocaine Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous and Gamblers Anonymous, and it offers a weekly Families Anonymous group and a recovery service on Shabbat that combines 12-steps and Judaism.

Rosenberg said that he gave up his anonymity to get people through the door. “I was fortunate enough to be given a second chance, and I’m here because so many other people are suffering. It is a tough sell, though because the community is in denial.”

Speaking from personal experience, he said addicts have an inability to face life on their own terms. “If they don’t like what is happening, they try to manipulate life.”

When he came out of rehab, he said, he knew he needed a program to teach him to survive. “At first, I attended self-help groups in church basements, but they just weren’t for me,” he said.

“Finally, about two years ago, I ran into someone who told me to try JACS. I walked in and I was immediately comfortable. The door is open to all denominations, but it uses Jewish traditions. I started identifying with other Jews in recovery. Having a Jewish place to recover is such a gift.”

He began volunteering at JACS, he said, and “I was here all the time. If this place wasn’t here, I’m not sure I would have made it. People look out for me.”

He began recommending JACS, he said, “and eventually I was asked if I could help raise some money, so I started telling my story. It is a small price to pay to live a good life.”

Now, he said, “I watch miracles every day. People are getting their lives back. We all recover together because we see our own disease in someone else. It becomes a fellowship.”

The best thing of all, he said, is the discovery that “our feelings do not have to be numbed. The 12-step approach teaches us acceptance, and helps us produce good feelings and a good self-esteem.

“I can never forget, though, that I have an illness. The minute I stop doing my work, I will go back to my old behaviour.”

If he sits down with a person who has relapsed, he said, “I know that 100 per cent of the time, he was not following the program. It is work, but it is good work. You have to take one day at a time.”

For more information, call JACS at 416-410-5227 or visit jacstoronto.org.