I Accidentally Became Rosh Yeshiva after Fighting My Addictions

Shmuel Luger started drinking at nine and things only got worse from there. He felt totally disconnected from Judaism, spiraling through heavy addictions, anxiety, and a deep sense of emptiness. Then a trip to Israel and one honest conversation flipped his world upside down. He didn’t just get sober, he built a yeshiva for guys who don’t fit the system, who are floating and forgotten. Today he has a beautiful family, he's a Rosh Yeshiva and is working on groundbreaking curriculums. His Yeshiva: https://veshachanti.com/ ✬ SPONSORS OF THE EPISODE ✬ ► Ohr Naava: Save a Young Woman. Save a World. For just $1 a day, you can help Ohr Naava provide schooling, support and chizuk to thousands of Jewish women and girls annually. Yaakov Langer here, please help...it's literally a $1 a day → https://bit.ly/3GofiN2 ► BitBean: Smart Custom Software Really great way to take your business to the next level. Contact Bitbean today for a FREE CONSULTATION Reach Out Here → https://bitbean.link/MeEBlY ► PZ DEALS: Never Pay Full Price Again An epic app that tracks deals for you. Download here → https://app.pz.deals/install/iftn ► Wheels To Lease: Trust Me Get Your Car With Them For over 35 years, Wheels To Lease has offered stress-free car buying with upfront pricing, no hidden fees, and door-to-door delivery. Call today! → CALL/TEXT: 718-871-8715 → EMAIL: inspire@wheelstolease.com → WEB: https://bit.ly/41lnzYU → WHATSAPP: https://wa.link/0w46ce ► Feldheim: The Top Books of The Month Use code INSPIRE for 10% any of these books on Feldheim.com → Common Ground In a time when Israel needs unity more than ever, Common Ground by Rabbi Arieh Friedner is a powerful guide to deepening connection with Hashem and each other, hailed as a “beacon of light” by Rav Yitzchak Breitowitz. GET HERE: https://bit.ly/4jBdkY6 → Let Me Join Your Nation Experience the timeless story of Ruth like never before in this Shavuos-ready edition from the classic Let My Nation series, featuring Rabbi Deutsch’s masterful storytelling and a full Hebrew-English Megillas Ruth. GET HERE: https://bit.ly/4jBTnAu → The Story of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai Discover the inspiring story of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, who found refuge in a cave and lit up the world with the Zohar, in this beautifully illustrated book for all ages (Kids LOVE this). GET HERE: https://bit.ly/3ER10Ea Join the Lchaim Book Club → https://bit.ly/3YsHoMp Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 02:08 Rabbi Luger’s Childhood 03:30 Starting to Drink at a Young Age 05:30 Getting Kicked Out of School 06:50 Going to Israel 08:48 When Things Started to Fall Apart 14:34 Drinking Becoming a Huge Part of His Life 15:52 Going Completely Off the Derech 20:24 Starting the Recovery Process 24:50 Going Back to the Party Life 26:02 A Dollar a Day with Ohr Naava 27:14 WheelsToLease 28:03 BitBean 28:57 Losing His Mother 32:40 Deciding Not to Go To LA 34:36 Going Back to Israel 38:26 Choosing the Simple Life and Making Aliyah 39:33 Getting Married 44:02 How Rabbi Luger Started His Yeshiva 47:03 PZ Deals 47:45 Adir Press and Feldheim Books 49:35 Giving His Younger Self Advice 54:02 What Values Really Make You Happy? 1:02:38 Living Life With Addiction 1:10:28 The Amazing Work His School is Doing 1:22:31 Holding a Person to the Standards of Their Dreams 1:30:24 Where to Reach Out to Rabbi Luger 1:32:07 Outro ✬ IN MEMORY OF ✬ This episode is in memory of: • Shimon Dovid ben Yaakov Shloima • Miriam Sarah bas Yaakov Moshe ✬ Donate and Inspire Millions (Tax-Deductible) ✬ Your generous donation enables us at Living Lchaim to share uplifting messages globally, enrich lives, and foster positive change worldwide! Thank you! https://www.LivingLchaim.com/donate Our free call-in-to-listen feature is here: • USA: (605) 477-2100 • UK: 0333-366-0154 • ISRAEL: 079-579-5088 Have a specific question? email us hi@livinglchaim.comWhatsApp us feedback and get first access to episodes: 914-222-5513 Lchaim! #jewishpodcast #israel #rabbi #alcoholaddiction #drugaddiction #anxiety #anxietyrelief #orthodoxy