Substance addiction is a topic seldom mentioned or even admitted within the Body of Messiah. Yet it exists, and the numbers are surprising. Until recent times, little has been openly discussed about this affliction. There’s a universal stigma affiliated with such a verboten subject; so what kind of coping mechanisms and resources are available to Messianic believers?

Daniel Yitzchak will never forget the courage it took to make this admission. "I began drinking when I was 15, because I wanted to fit in with my friends,” he acknowledges. But his alcoholism became out of control after he returned to Ohio from military service. "I had served in Vietnam, and had watched my friends die. Making the transition from constant danger to normal life was completely overwhelming. Beer became my escape. It helped put things in the back of my mind, so I didn’t have to think."

During a crowded Rosh Hashanah service at his parents' Conservative synagogue,Howard Silverman leaned toward his Orthodox-raised mother and whispered, "You know, Mom, a Christian is someone who believes Jesus is the Messiah, and a Jewish person can believe this, too." Since the presiding rabbi had mentioned Christians in his message, it seemed a good time for the 19-year-old to share this news. It was 1976. Older and wiser now, Messianic Rabbi Silverman does not recommend anyone follow his example.