Person of the Week: Rabbi Ilan Glazer

STICK WITH THE WINNERS! –

Dec. 24, 2024 – Rabbi Ilan Glazer is dedicated to helping others embrace recovery, heal the grief they carry, and find music, blessings, and spiritual growth even in the difficulties of life. Ilan is the founder of Our Jewish Recovery, author of And God Created Recovery, Rabbi of Adat Chaim, and educator and prayer leader in Baltimore and beyond. A composer, storyteller, and percussionist, Gam Ki Elech: Turning Our Sorrows Into Song, his first album of original music launched in January. Ilan lives in Baltimore with his wife Sherri, their son Rami, and two furballs not yet active in yowlers anonymous…

Q. If you are in recovery, what was your drug(s) of choice and when is your sobriety date?

A. December 19, 2014 – 10 years today! Food, love, pornography, skin-picking, hair-pulling, gaming, procrastination, shame, anxiety, overwhelm, codependency, and probably a few other things I have yet to discover.

Q. What do you like most about 12-step meetings?

A. I love the opportunity to be inspired by the journey of recovery. Every time I attend a meeting, I hear gems of wisdom that help me continue my own recovery journey. When I’m in meetings and other recovery settings, I know I’m not alone, and I know that I am home.

Q. Do you think addiction is an illness, disease, a choice, or a wicked twist of fate?

A. I think addiction is mostly about how we respond to pain and suffering. No one chooses to be an addict. In my case, what started as healthy coping mechanisms during a dysfunctional childhood turned into addictions. Addiction is an illness, and one worthy of good medical care, compassion, and healing for all who are impacted by it.