Rabbi Dr. Abraham J. Twerski zt”l

It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the passing of Rabbi Dr. Abraham J. Twerski z”l.

Rabbi Twerski was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and enrolled in the Hebrew Theological College of Chicago (now located in Skokie, Illinois) and received semicha in 1951. In 1953 he enrolled at Milwaukee’s Marquette University, and subsequently graduated from its medical school in 1960, after which he moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Rabbi Twerski’s medical career included Gateway Rehabilitation Center, Pittsburgh, which he founded and serves as medical director emeritus, clinical director of the Department of Psychiatry at St. Francis Hospital in Pittsburgh, associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Medicine, and founder of the Shaar Hatikvah rehabilitation center for prisoners in Israel

Rabbi Twerski is a prolific writer of Jewish books and delivered thousands of shiurim

He was co-rov of Congregation Beth Jehudah with his father until 1959. During this time, he composed the famous tune for “Hoshea es Amecha,” which became popular across the world.

Rabbi Twerski’s clinical career specialized in addiction and much of his popular writing concerned self-improvement and ethical behavior. He merged mussar and haskafah in his Twelve-Step Program with ideas from clinical psychology.

His brothers are Reb Aaron Twerski, the Irwin and Jill Cohen Professor of Law at Brooklyn Law School, as well as a former Dean and professor of tort law at Hofstra University Law School; Rav Michel Twerski, the Hornosteipler Rebbe of Milwaukee; the late Rav Shloime Twerski, the previous Hornosteipler Rebbe of Denver; and the late Rav Mordechai Dov Ber Twerski of New York.

Rabbi Twerski wrote over 60 books on Judaism and self-help topics, including several books with Charles M. Schulz’s Peanuts comic strips used to illustrate human interaction and behavior. His books include:

Addictive Thinking and the Addictive Personality: two books in one, with Craig Nakken (M.J.F., 1999)
Addictive Thinking: Why Do We Lie to Ourselves? : Why Do Others Believe Us? (Hazelden Foundation, 1990)
Addictive Thinking: Understanding Self-deception, with foreword by John Wallace (Harper & Row, 1990; 2nd Ed. Hazelden Foundation, 1997)
Alive! : A 10-step Guide to a Vibrant life, with Mordechai Weinberger (Shaar Press, 2015)
Angels Don’t Leave Footprints: Discovering What’s Right With Yourself (Artscroll Mesorah Publications, 2001)
Caution: “Kindness” Can Be Dangerous to the Alcoholic (Prentice-Hall, 1981, 1987)
The Clergy and Chemical Dependency (Edgehill, 1990)
Compulsive Gambling: More Than Dreidel (Mirkov Publications, 2006)
Coping With Stress: The 9/11 Generation (Gateway Rehabilitation Center, 2002, 35 pp.)
Dear Rabbi, Dear Doctor: The Renowned Rabbi-Psychiatrist Gives Straight Answers to Tough Questions (Shaar Press / Artscroll Mesorah Publications, 2005)
Dear Rabbi, Dear Doctor Volume 2: The Renowned Rabbi-Psychiatrist Gives Straight Answers to Tough Questions (Shaar Press / Artscroll Mesorah Publications, 2007)
Dearer Than Life: Making Your Life More Meaningful (Artscroll Mesorah Publications, 1997)
Do Unto Others: How Good Deeds Can Change Your Life (Andrews McMeel, 1997)
Effective Living : An Upbeat and Uplifting Life Can be Yours (Shaar Press / Mesorah Publications, 2014)
The Enemy Within: Confronting your Challenges in the 21st Century (Shaar Press / Artscroll Mesorah Publications, 2001)
The First Year of Marriage: Enhancing the Success of Your Marriage Right from the Start—and Even Before it Begins (Artscroll Mesorah Publications, 2004)
Forgiveness : Don’t Let Resentment Keep You Captive (Shaar Press / Artscroll Mesorah Publications, 2012)
A Formula for Proper Living : Practical Lessons from Life and Torah (Jewish Lights Publishing, 2009)
Four Chassidic Masters: the Heart, the Mind, the Eye, and the Tongue—History, Stories, Teachings (Shaar Press / Artscroll Mesorah Publications, 2008)
From Bondage to Freedom : the Passover Haggadah with a Commentary Illuminating the Liberation of the Spirit, with Hirsh Michel Chinn and Benzion Twerski (Shaar Press / Artscroll Mesorah Publications, 1995, 2001)
From Pulpit to Couch (Mirkov publications, 2005)
Generation to Generation: Personal Recollections of a Chassidic Legacy (Traditional Press, 1986. Excerpted edition pub. by C.I.S., 2003)
Getting Up When You’re Down: A Mature Discussion of an Adult Malady – Depression and Related Conditions (Shaar Press / Artscroll Mesorah Publications, 1997)
Gevurah : My Life, Our World, and the Adventure of Reaching 80, (Shaar Press / Artscroll Mesorah Publications, 2010)
Growing Each Day (Artscroll Mesorah Publications, 2004)
Happiness and the Human Spirit: The Spirituality of Becoming the Best You Can Be (Jewish Lights Publishing, 2007)
Healing from Despair : Choosing Wholeness in a Broken World, with Elie Kaplan Spitz and Erica Shapiro Taylor (Jewish Lights Publishing, 2010)
I Am I: a Jewish Perspective From the Case Files of an Eminent Psychiatrist (Shaar Press / Artscroll Mesorah Publications, 1993)
I’d Like to Call for Help, but I Don’t Know the Number: The Search for Spirituality in Everyday Life (Pharos Books, 1991; Henry Holt, 1996)
I Didn’t Ask to Be in This Family: Sibling Relationships and How They Shape Adult Behavior and Relationships, with Charles M. Schulz (Henry Holt, 1996)
I Didn’t Ask to Be in This Family: Sibling Relationships and How They Shape Adult Relationships (Topper Books, 1992)
In-Laws: It’s All Relative, with Leah Shifrin Averick (The Shaar Press / Artscroll Mesorah Publications, 2009)
I’ve Gotta Get Out of My Way! : Eliminating the Obstacles to Success (Mekor Press / Menucha Publishers, 2017)
It Happens to Doctors, Too (Hazelden Foundation, 1982)
It’s Not As Tough As You Think: How to Smooth Out Life’s Bumps (The Shaar Press / Artscroll Mesorah Publications, 1999)
It’s Not As Tough At Home As You Think: Making Family Life at Home Smoother and Better (The Shaar Press / Artscroll Mesorah Publications, 1999)
Let Us Make Man: Self-esteem Through Jewishness (C.I.S, 1991)
Letters to my Children (Shaar Press / Mesorah Publications, 2015)
Life’s Blessings : The Meaning and Significance of our Berachos (The Shaar Press, 2015)
Life’s Too Short: Pull the Plug on Self-defeating Behavior and Turn On the Power of Self-esteem (St. Martin’s Press, 1995)
Light At the End of the Tunnel: An Inspirational Story Fiction. (Artscroll Mesorah Publications, 2003)
Lights Along the Way: Timeless Lessons for Today from Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto’s Mesillas Yesharim (Artscroll Mesorah Publications, 1995)
Like Yourself: And Others Will, Too (Prentice-Hall, 1978, 1986)
Living Each Day (Artscroll Mesorah Publications, 1988, 5th ed. 2003)
Living Each Week (Artscroll Mesorah Publications, 1992)
Messages From The Mishnah (Shaar Press / Artscroll Mesorah Publications, 2013)
Not Just Stories: The Chassidic Spirit Through Its Classic Stories (Shaar Press / Artscroll Mesorah Publications, 1997)
Overcoming Burnout: Recognizing, Addressing and Preventing Burnout – in Yeshivah, the Workplace, and Beyond, with Alon Gul (Lakewood NJ: Israel Bookshop Publications, 2013)
Positive Parenting: Developing Your Child’s Potential, with Ursula Verena Schwartz (Artscroll Mesorah Publications, 1996)
A Practical Guide to Rabbinic Counseling, with Yisrael N Levitz (Feldheim, 2005; Jewish Lights Publishing, 2012)
Prayerfully Yours: Creating the Bond Between Man and His Maker (Shaar Press / Artscroll Mesorah Publications, 2001)
The Problem Was Me : How to End Negative Self-talk and Take Your Life to a New Level, with Thomas Gagliano (Gentle Path Press, 2011)
The Rabbi & the Nuns : The Inside Story of a Rabbi’s Therapeutic Work With the Sisters of St. Francis, (Mekor Press / Menucha Publishers, 2013)[18]
Rebbes and Chassidim: What They Said – What They Meant (Shaar Press / Artscroll Mesorah Publications, 2000)
Recognizing a Loved One’s Addiction, and Providing Help (Jewish Lights Publishing, 2004)
Seek Sobriety, Find Serenity: Thoughts for Every Day (Pharos Books, 1993; Feldheim Publishers 2014)[19]
Seize the Moments: Captivating Nuggets of Torah Wisdom (Shaar Press / Artscroll Mesorah Publications, 2011)
Self-Discovery in Recovery (Hazelden Foundation, 1984; Harper & Row, 1989)
Self-improvement? I’m Jewish! : Overcoming Self-defeating Behavior (Shaar Press / Artscroll Mesorah Publications, 1995)
The Shabbos Companion: Customs, Prayers, Stories, Zemiros : Shabbos Day (The Shaar Press / Artscroll Mesorah Publications, 2008)
The Shabbos Companion: Customs, Prayers, Stories, Zemiros : Shabbos Eve (The Shaar Press / Artscroll Mesorah Publications, 2007)
The Shame Borne in Silence: Spouse Abuse in the Jewish Community (Mirkov Publications, 1996; 2nd ed. Urim Publications, 2014)
Simchah: It’s Not Just Happiness (Artscroll Mesorah Publications, 2006)
Smiling Each Day (Artscroll Mesorah Publications, 1993, 4th ed. 2003)
The Spiritual Self: Reflections on Recovery and God (Hazelden Foundation, 2000)
Stepping Out of the Abyss : a Jewish Guide to the 12 Steps, Menachem Poznanski, Aryeh Buchsbayew, and Abraham J Twerski (Mosaica Press, 2017)
Substance-Abusing High Achievers: Addiction as an Equal Opportunity Destroyer (J. Aronson, 1998)
Successful Relationships at Home, at Work and with Friends: Bringing Control Issues under Control (Shaar Press / Artscroll Mesorah Publications, 2003)
The Sun will Shine Again : Coping, Persevering, and Winning in Troubled Economic Times (The Shaar Press / Artscroll Mesorah Publications, 2009)
A Taste of Nostalgia : Tales and Recipes to Nourish Body and Soul, with Judi Dick (Shaar Press / Artscroll Mesorah Publications, 2006)
Ten Steps To Being Your Best: a Practical Handbook to Enhance Your Life in Every Way (The Shaar Press / Artscroll Mesorah Publications, 2004)
Teshuvah Through Recovery : Experience the Transformative Power of the Twelve Steps (Mekor Press, 2016)
That’s Not a Fault…It’s a Character Trait (St. Martin’s Press, 1999)
The Thin You Within You: Winning the Weight Game with Self-Esteem (St. Martin’s Press, 1997)
Twerski on Chumash (Shaar Press / Artscroll Mesorah Publications, 2003)
Twerski on Machzor : Rosh Hashanah (Shaar Press / Artscroll Mesorah Publications, 2011)
Twerski on Machzor : Yom Kippur (Shaar Press / Artscroll Mesorah Publications, 2012)
Twerski on Prayer: Creating the Bond Between Man and His Maker, a re-issue of Prayerfully Yours (Shaar Press / Artscroll Mesorah Publications, 2004)
Twerski On Spirituality (Shaar Press / Artscroll Mesorah Publications, 1998)
Visions of the Fathers Pirkei Avos (Artscroll Mesorah Publications, 1999, 2005)
Waking Up Just In Time : A Therapist Shows How to Use The Twelve-Steps Approach to Life’s Ups And Downs, with Charles M. Schulz (Topper Books, 1990; St. Martins Press, 1995)
When Do the Good Things Start?, with Charles M. Schulz (Topper Books, 1988; St. Martins Press, 1995)
Who Says You’re Neurotic: How to Avoid Mistaken Psychiatric Diagnoses When the Problem May Be a Physical Condition (Prentice-Hall, 1984)
Wisdom Each Day (Artscroll Mesorah Publications, 2000)
Without a Job, Who Am I?: Rebuilding Your Self When You’ve Lost Your Job, Home, or Life Savings (Hazelden Foundation, 2009)
The Zeide Reb Motele: The Life of the Tzaddik R’Mordechai Dov of Hornosteipel (Artscroll Mesorah Publications, 2002

Yehi zichro boruch.

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