Every day, people are touched by the life-changing work of Retorno. If you have feedback or testimonials of your experience at Retorno, please email retorno at retorno@retorno.org and we will post to this page.

I wanted to share with others the gratitude I have for the Reterno family and Rabbi Eitan for helping me enter into the recovery program.

I am from Los Angeles, California and got sent with my brother to Israel when I was 15 years old. One of the main reasons was that my father caught me and my brother smoking pot out in the back of his medical clinic one day. My parents were so desperate for us to get help that when the idea of Israel came up they felt it was the right thing to do. I was so angry and resentful at them for them sending me away.

The years ahead were filled with sadness, depression, loneliness, anger, and hopelessness. I would fly back home to visit my family once a year and every time after being back in L.A. I would find myself at a friend’s house getting high and isolating myself from my family and the rest of the world. A few years later I ended up in a 30 day detox program to come down off of ecstasy and other drugs in my system at the time.

My parents were once again hopeless. As soon as the 30 days were up my father took me directly to the airport with a chaperone to fly straight back to Israel. I was so upset, not Israel again, it was like jail, where everyone dumps me. That’s how it felt at the time. I was put in a kibbutz up north and then placed in a rehab a week later. Shortly after being in this new rehab they called me into the office and said I need to pack my bags and go because nobody was paying for me to be there. My brother came to get me and said he found another place for me to go that’s more religious oriented.

I came into Retorno when there was just a few guys and one other girl there, approximately 12 yrs ago. They took me in and didn’t ask who would pay and when, but instead were genuinely concerned for my well being. I started going to group sessions and listened to others share about their feeling and things they did. When I heard other people share I related to what they said and didn’t feel so alone anymore. The groups were guided by clean and sober guys that had worked the 12 step program and turned their lives around. I started to feel better and see life more clearly. I made friendships that I still have today.  I finally felt connected to people and apart of the solution that retorno was giving.

Currently I live in Los angeles with my husband and am still clean and connected to the 12 step program. Hashem was with me then through the difficult times and through the good times. It just took some willingness and great people like the ones at Retorno and the men and women in the fellowship of the 12 step program to guide me through the dark times. I’m so happy that Retorno has grown into what it is today and able to help so many more people.

Sincerely, Hilary R

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