Dr. Abraham J. Twerski is the founder and medical director emeritus of Gateway Rehabilitation Center, a not-for-profit drug and alcohol treatment system in western Pennsylvania, cited nationally as one of the 12 best drug and alcohol treatment centers by Forbes magazine and as one of the top 100 rehab centers in the guide to treatment The 100 Best Treatment Centers for Alcoholism and Drug Abuse.

Dr. Twerski, an ordained rabbi, held a pulpit until 1959 when he graduated from Marquette University Medical School and went on to complete his psychiatric residency at the University of Pittsburgh Western Psychiatric Institute. For 20 years, he served as clinical director of the Department of Psychiatry at St. Francis Hospital, Pittsburgh, and was an associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

Dr. Twerski is recognized as an international authority in the chemical dependency field. He began the first Pennsylvania program for nurses with alcohol or drug problems, "Nurses off Chemicals;" served on the Governor's Council on Drug and Alcohol Abuse, and was Chairman of the Pennsylvania Medical Society Committee on the Impaired Physician. He also appears frequently as a radio and television guest speaking to audiences worldwide. Scientific contributions and community efforts have earned him honorary degrees from St. Vincent's College, Duquesne University and Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Twerski has received numerous awards during his career including the Nelson J. Bradley Life Time Achievement Award from the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers (NAATP) and the Pennsylvania Medical Society's greatest honor, the Distinguished Service Award.

In 1995, Dr. Twerski opened a rehabilitation center located in Jerusalem. "Shaar Hatikvah", meaning Gateway to Hope, is a project of the American Jewish community in conjunction with Gateway Rehabilitation Center.

A frequent lecturer on a broad range of topics, including stress, self-esteem, spirituality as well as chemical dependency, Dr. Twerski has also written over 60 books and articles including: Substance Abusing High Achievers; Life's Too Short; I'd Like to Call For Help, But I Don't Know The Number; Do Unto Others; Coping With Stress - The 9/11 Generation; and in a collaborative effort with Peanuts comic strip creator Charles Schulz, When Do The Good Things Start?; Waking Up Just in Time; I Didn't Ask To Be In This Family and That's Not A Fault...It's A Character Trait. Dr. Twerski's most recent groundbreaking book is entitled Happiness And The Human Spirit: The Spirituality of Becoming the Best You Can Be. More than a handbook for living a happier life.

Rabbi Twerski has also published numerous books on Torah and spirituality including commentary on the Chumash, Prayer, the Pesach Haggadah and Pirkei Avot, as well as profiles of Chassidic Masters including his own grandfather.