How The Opioid Epidemic Affects The Jewish Community

Contrary to the beliefs of some, the Jewish community is not immune to or excluded from the United States overdose crisis, which has claimed over 100,000 American lives annually in recent years.

Millions of Americans in the U.S. live with opioid use disorder — including many Jewish Americans.

However, Jewish leaders in advocacy spaces say that stigma and a lack of awareness are exacerbating the problem — and can make it difficult for Jews with addiction to seek help.

What Is The Scope Of Opioid Addiction In Jewish Communities?

Official sources that track opioid addiction rates, such as the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, do not track religion.

Zvi Gluck, CEO of Amudim, a New York-based social services nonprofit, told The Times of Israel that they have had over 2,100 opioid use disorder cases since 2014.

A study in Canada found that a significant portion of the Jewish community knows someone affected by addiction, and over 23 percent of their Jewish respondents reported a family history of addiction.

Commonly Abused Opioids

Opioids are a class of central nervous system (CNS) depressants that are commonly used to treat moderate to severe pain following a major medical procedure, surgery, or accident.

Common opioids of misuse include:

• morphine
• heroin (an illicit opioid)
• fentanyl
• oxycodone (OxyContin, Percocet)
• hydrocodone (Vicodin)
• hydromorphone (Dilaudid)
• tramadol (Ultram)

Opioid Use Disorder And Addiction Within Jewish Communities

Addiction and recovery advocates say there are several factors that have prevented Jewish communities from understanding the full scope of opioid use disorder among Jews.

Values Of Orthodox Judaism

Some Orthodox-raised advocates within the recovery community say that addiction is one of the most controversial issues within the Orthodox Jewish and Hasidic worlds.

Yet, there are aspects of growing up within an Orthodox Jewish community that can contribute to the development of addiction.

These include:

• pressure to remain silent about issues such as addiction
• feeling out of place among non-Orthodox Jews (e.g in your standard public high school)
• questioning your religious beliefs during adolescence or young adulthood
• a focus on virtuous behavior
• myths surrounding addiction in the Jewish community

Addiction Stigma

Stigma surrounding drug addiction can both promote and perpetuate silence, according to Jewish advocates who are working to combat stigma in the Jewish community.

Pressure to remain silent, or deny that you have a problem, can worsen a person’s substance use behaviors — and can prevent a person from asking for or seeking help.

Alcohol As A Gateway

Alcohol’s prominent role in Jewish celebrations — bar mitzvahs, Purim parties, kiddush clubs — combined with limited adult supervision, creates early exposure that can serve as a gateway to harder substances.

Addiction specialists working in the Orthodox community have noted that opioid misuse rarely begins without prior experimentation with alcohol or marijuana.

Prescription Opioid Normalization

A widespread cultural ambivalence around prescription medications has contributed to the problem. Many people in the community justify opioid use because “my doctor gave it to me,” and a significant number become dependent before realizing the risk.

This pathway from legitimate prescription to dependence to illicit opioids mirrors the national pattern that drove the broader epidemic.

What Are The Dangers Of Opioid Use Disorder?

Barriers to seeking help for opioid use disorder in the Jewish community can increase the risk of associated consequences, including opioid overdose.

Opioid Overdose Risk

While overdose deaths declined significantly in 2024 — the largest single-year drop on record — fentanyl remains the leading driver of overdose fatalities, and contamination of the illicit drug supply remains widespread.

Opioid overdose can be deadly. And because fentanyl is so powerful and is often cut into other illicit drugs, it can be lethal even in small amounts.

Risk Of Health Problems And Disease

Opioid use disorder is also a risk factor for other health problems, including bloodborne disease (from injecting opioids), mental health problems, dependence, and withdrawal.

Learn more about the long-term effects of opioid use disorder and addiction.

Quality Of Life Issues

Addiction isn’t just a physical health problem. It can affect your actions, your emotions, and how you interact with people in your daily life, including family and friends.

Opioid use disorder can strain your most treasured relationships; it can make it harder to hold a job, attend school, and derive happiness from activities you typically enjoy.

Combating Addiction Within The Jewish Community

Many Jewish organizations and treatment programs in the U.S. have made it their mission to combat opioid addiction by increasing awareness of the problem and working to end stigma.

For example, Amudim, a community services organization in New York, and Operation Survival, a drug and alcohol prevention program based in Brooklyn.

What Addiction Treatment Programs Are Available For Jewish Communities?

The United States is home to a variety of Jewish drug and alcohol rehab centers, including substance use disorder rehab centers that incorporate Jewish religious traditions, Hebrew prayer, and Torah study into the recovery process.

Faith-based rehab programs will typically offer standard substance abuse services, like detoxification and support groups, in addition to faith-based treatments.

Jewish recovery programs are structured to incorporate all aspects of a person’s physical, mental, and spiritual needs into the profound teachings of the Torah.

Jewish rehab programs may offer:

• Hebrew-based counseling
• daily prayers
• 12-step program services
• spiritual meditation
• worship services
• Jewish family therapy

Find A Jewish Treatment Center For Opioid Addiction Today

If you’re looking for a Jewish alcohol and drug rehab center for yourself or a loved one with addiction to heroin, painkillers, or other opioid use — don’t wait to seek help.

Call our helpline today to find a Jewish rehab program for substance use disorder near you.

Written by the Addiction Resource Editorial Staff