'Recovery Rabbi' Pinson Among Community Hero Nominees

Yisrael Pinson, an influential West Bloomfield rabbi, is among nine Michigan nominees in the third annual Jewish Community Heroes program sponsored by the Jewish Federations of North America. Public voting online through Nov. 10 will select 20 semi-finalists. 

• Background: Yisrael Pinson was instrumental in creating the Jewish Recovery Community of Metro Detroit, a support group for recovering alcoholics, addicts and their families. As director of in West Bloomfield from 2002-11, the web-savvy rabbi earned a global following through Facebook and Twitter (@RecoveryRabbi). Last June, Pinson became development and strategic planning adviser to . It serves special needs children and their families, and is an umbrella organization that includes Friendship House. Pinson applies his Internet acumen and social media experience in the new job.
• Achievements: Rabbi Pinson blends Torah teachings with the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. His lectures, blog posts and online articles trained other rabbis to create support groups serving thousands of Jewish recovering addicts worldwide. He created a Jewish Recovery International network and website (jewishrecovery.org), which he's staying involved with. "Once we’re attached to this mission, this mission becomes part of who we are," he said.
• Nominator says: "I met Yisrael a few months after I decided to stay clean from drugs and alcohol. I grew up in an Orthodox household but I was not observant at all. He welcomed me with open arms, and never said a word to me, either on my observance of Judaism, nor on my lack of adherence to a spiritual program of recovery, the 12 steps of AA. Slowly I got involved with the Jewish recovery community, and my life changed forever," said the nominator, who asked to remain anonymous.

• 'Hero' awards: Online ballots, which can be cast daily, will narrow the publicly nominated field from 137 volunteer nominees and 98 professionals (including Rabbi Pinson) to 10 top vote-getters in each category. Judges then select five Jewish Community Heroes who'll receive grants to support their cause.
  
  The intent is "to celebrate the individuals who dedicate their lives to helping others," as stated by the group representing the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit and 156 counterparts nationwide and in Canada. Nominees are described as showing "exceptional qualities and commitment in line with the mission of the Jewish Federations of North America, strengthening the Jewish community and the ideals of tikkun olam." (That phrase, pronounced tee-KOON oh-LUYHM, means "world repair" or "world restoration" and refers to contributions benefitting others.)

State nominees also include of West Bloomfield, Micah Fialka-Feldman of Huntington Woods, Joshua Levinson of Royal Oak and Janet Berman of Farmington Hills.

To vote through midnight Nov. 10, visit this page. Votes can be cast daily. Email address and Zip code are requested.