Addiction In The Yeshivish World | With Eli Katz

Addiction In The Yeshivish World | With Eli Katz

How do people find strength in their journey to sobriety? This conversation between host Sony Perlman and Lakewood-based social worker and addiction specialist Eli Katz gives a raw, funny and very honest look at what recovery can look like inside the yeshivish community. Eli works with individuals and whole families, focusing heavily on aftercare and case management. He backs Sony’s strong view that "aftercare is care," arguing that rehab is just the eye‑opening beginning, not the end.

Eli compares it to the classic Gemara image of the letter hey – once someone "falls out the bottom," they can't just walk back in the same way; they have to build a new path and come back in higher. Judaism and addiction are woven through the whole chat.

They talk about 12-step ideas, spiritual awakening and how Torah can be a full recovery path when followed with "rigorous honesty." At the same time, they openly address religious trauma, resentment towards the community, and what happens when abusers or bad role models wear religious clothing. Eli stresses that people often confuse a "Torah problem" with a "people problem," and that healing means separating the two.

You’ll also hear their frustrations with forced rehab, teen treatment, and the overuse of the word "enabling." Sony pushes the idea that addiction is rooted in deep unworthiness, while Eli pushes families to remember that "he’s just a person suffering" who wants to know if anyone really cares how his "soup tastes." Together they keep circling back to one simple theme: consistent love, robust aftercare, and genuine human connection save lives.

If you're part of a religious community, supporting someone with addiction, or just curious how faith and recovery can fit together without losing your mind, this conversation might get you thinking about what care really means.