Dan’s Tribe finds those lost to addiction

When you know you have a drink or drug problem, it’s probably difficult to admit it and seek help. To do that is to accept that you have a problem, which nobody wants to do, says Brett Saevitzon, a recovering addict who describes himself as a “grateful alcoholic”.

Because of this, Saevitzon and a group of recovering Jewish addicts have created a space for people in the in-between stages when they recognise they can’t go on like they have been, but don’t know how to move forward.

They call their group Dan’s Tribe because Dan was the last of the 12 tribes of Israel which walked through the desert at the back, picking up the lost and found, the ones considered “excess baggage”, those who had nowhere to go. Saevitzon said that the Lubavitcher Rebbe spoke a lot about Dan’s Tribe being the tribe of outreach, bringing back those who had lost their way, so the name seemed fitting.

When you have 50 guests at your home for yom tov, and the only way you know to get through it is to keep topping up until you can’t stand anymore, you know somewhere that this isn’t okay. You also know you need help when you go out to watch the rugby and drink so much, you don’t know how you got home or when. These are just a few of the scenarios of people who may not know they are alcoholics or drug addicts but know that this behaviour isn’t okay.

Dan’s Tribe offers a “a soft, welcome landing” for anyone seeking comfort and connection. It’s a cushioned refuge from judgement, isolation, and stigma, Saevitzon says.

“We offer a human face of connection and support, from one Jewish addict to another. We understand the denial, shame, anger, and guilt associated with being an addict. We know the disruption and destruction that addiction can cause families. And our community is suffering.”

The mission of Dan’s Tribe is to welcome other Jewish addicts into the fold of recovery, he said.

“We’re not seeking to reinvent the wheel of recovery or take over from professional organisations like AA [Alcoholics Anonymous] or NA [Narcotics Anonymous]. We’re simply the open arms and familiar faces of welcome to encourage and support those who wish to take steps to seek recovery and point them in the right direction,” Saevitzon says.

A 50-year-old with Dan’s Tribe says he got involved “to help people just like me. I knew I had a problem with alcohol 27 years ago. I was 23, but because of fear, embarrassment, and constant denial, I never asked for help. I didn’t know how, and I didn’t know where. Had there been a group of Yids back then to find this vital connection to assist me in getting me out of my denial and to find the help that I so badly needed, it probably would’ve saved me 27 years dragging myself through the lonely pain of addiction.” He asked not to be identified.

“Anonymity is of the highest priority,” says Saevitzon, “We know that shame and guilt causes reluctance to reach out, and we understand better than anyone else the weight that judgement carries. The group is still in its infancy, but has big dreams of growing into becoming the first stand-alone Jewish organisation with the primary focus on combatting addiction in the Jewish community.”

Started last year, Dan’s Tribe is growing naturally, spreading its arms a little wider around more and more of the affluent members of our community in Johannesburg.

“There’s a lot of us suffering. It’s Jews helping Jews, addicts helping addicts, with the single objective of ensuring that no Jewish soul is left behind,” says another anonymous member of Dan’s Tribe.

Based on Jewish principles and guided by the 12-step recovery programme, Dan’s Tribe works with various Jewish organisations to bring collective healing and wisdom.

A 39-year-old mother, recovering alcoholic, and member of Dan’s Tribe says, “Being in recovery isn’t always seen as brave. After all, addiction is shrouded in judgement. But if you think you have a problem, then you probably do, and facing it is one of the bravest first steps you can take.

“We’re not a nanny organisation here to tell people what to do. We’re also not here to demonise alcohol, rather to point out the potential dangers and warning signs,” she says. “You will never be considered an alcoholic at the age of 14, 15, or 16, but alcoholism is a progressive disease, the dangers of which need to be highlighted. Unfortunately, there’s a growing trend of inappropriate and uneducated allowances by parents who normalise, enable, and encourage underage drinking.”

The purpose of Dan’s Tribe is to offer a heimishe environment to help bring people back to Yiddishkeit, to do teshuva, and ultimately to get over their affliction of addiction.

Dan’s Tribe is a celebration of the solution to addiction through Jewish connection, Saevitzon says. All it requires is a call to a member to meet for a coffee or a chat on the phone. It’s also open to anyone who needs to unburden their concerns for a spouse or family member.

Regardless of your social standing, age, gender, or drug of choice, Dan’s Tribe offers a safe space that says to every Jew, “We understand you, we care about you, and we’re here to hold your hand and support you on the road to becoming the best version of yourself. We will love you until you learn to love yourself again,” he says.

• To contact Dan’s Tribe, WhatsApp 076 422 8601.