The teachings of a Pitt psychiatrist live on in the Twerski Fellows Program

Abraham Twerski opened the doors to the Gateway Rehabilitation Center in Beaver County in 1972, early in his decadeslong career in addiction treatment. Now, University of Pittsburgh students are learning about his teachings to raise awareness of mental wellness.

Twenty-five Pitt undergraduate, graduate and professional students participated in the first semester of the Twerski Fellows Program, which consisted of four interactive workshops led by mental health professionals. Twerski, whose teachings find similarities between the laws of Torah and the 12-step program, received psychiatric training from Pitt and later became an associate professor of psychiatry.

Chabad House on Campus at Pitt sponsored the program as part of its ongoing effort to draw attention to mental health among Greek life students and encourage them to positively influence their peers. The program is also sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh and the Abraham J. Twerski Learning Center.

Pitt students can receive Outside the Classroom Curriculum credit for participating in the Twerski Fellows Program. Contact Sara Weinstein, co-director of Chabad House on Campus, for more information at sara [at] chabadpgh.org.