Eli Goldberg LCSW CASAC CSAT-C

For the story behind the Yabloner Rebbe and his autobiographical masters thesis Paradise Cove, please see ParadiseCoveBook.com

The Rebbe’s concern for his fellow, and his pain at their perceived abandonment by God, bleeds through every word.
Here are some of my favorite quotes from Paradise Cove: (last updated 5.24.26)

I wish I had God’s telephone number – so I could ask Him why He confuses such nice people like Selma, and so many others at Paradise Cove. What’s the purpose of it? What does he gain? ~ p. 48

But anger is only one of the deadly sins in religion – not in psychology. Right? So I let myself be angry. ~ p. 50

I thought of the Aztecs, who sacrificed human hearts to their gods. Of course, we’re not barbarians. The god of our society devours only the brain – but leaves the heart intact. ~ p. 59

What was on my mind during the night as I lay awake? Naturally I was thinking about the people at Paradise Cove. I’m sure any good Christian would have done the same. ~ p. 65

Many people like me. But what do I do to deserve it? It must be the constant silent message I always project: “You’re just as good as I am.” That must be it. (Oh God, let them never find out anything else about me!) ~ p. 67

Then again, I don’t know everything. I’m an agnostic – I admit to knowing nothing.  ~ p. 68

For weeks now, I’ve been sending Molly mental messages, and I was sure she’d respond eventually. I was sure that eventually she would read “I love you and want you to be happy. How can I help?”  ~ p. 69

Some people say that the mentally ill should be cured and sent back into the community. But as it says in Lamentations 1:20: “Abroad the sword believes, at home it is as death.” So, I ask – what good is the community?  ~ p. 71

I believe in miracles because I believe in medicine.  ~ p. 78

Some residents sit all day, every day – drained of energy, drained of any lust for life. Some stare at the television. They’re not really watching the programs – they’re watching time slip by. Time has no use for them, and they have no use for it.  ~ p. 91

Sitting there with those well-meaning women, I had a moment of clarity. I realized the fundamental difference between them and me. They are project-oriented. I don’t give a darn about projects. I just want to help a person – an individual – whenever I can. That’s all… So yes – they’re good people. They just don’t see the individual. They only see the project.  ~ p. 106

A politician and a psychologist must always remember names.  ~ p. 109

In my opinion, she’s cured – and I told her so. True, she was hospitalized, but that was nine years ago. I emphasized how important it is to forget she was ever ill. Nothing good can come of remembering the past.  ~ p. 129

Every person is an individual and should be treated as one. There is no such thing as “group love.” True, there is group therapy, but that’s an entirely different subject.  ~ p. 132

I was born a volunteer.  ~ p. 132