Our

Unique Sound

At Beit T’Shuvah, passion is a vital part of recovery—helping residents express themselves, strengthen their identities, and develop the relationship skills needed to be part of something greater than themselves. The Sondra and Marvin Smalley and Family Music in Recovery Program has been thriving since 2004. More than 30% of our residents have participated through groups, the studio, and individual lessons—and the entire community is touched by the songs and sounds shared by the band at Friday and Saturday Shabbat services. For some, it’s a chance to rediscover a lost passion; for others, it’s their very first experience making music. Many describe it as nothing short of a spiritual awakening.

Every day, residents can be found sharing songs recorded in the professional studio, practicing for their next voice or instrument lesson, or selecting the next guest for their podcast. Music is woven into daily life, offering endless opportunities for creativity, growth, and connection.

The program is led by a dedicated team: Cantorial Soloist Nathan Roth, a classically trained operatic singer, directs the band and department while offering vocal lessons; Choir Director Laura Bagish conducts the choir, plays piano, teaches piano lessons, and leads the songwriting group; and Studio Engineer Max Hahn brings years of studio and production expertise to help residents turn the songs in their heads into finished creations. Together, they ensure that music remains a powerful force of healing, inspiration, and community at Beit T’Shuvah.

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Band

The Beit T’Shuvah band is made up of residents, staff and alumni. They play at Shabbat services, rehearse throughout the week and collaborate on relevant song choices for the weekly Torah portion. The connection that music creates between the band members and the congregants is palpable in our beautiful sanctuary.

A choir dressed in white robes sings joyfully with raised arms during a High Holidays service at Beit T’Shuvah, as seen on a sign in the background. The group is led by a conductor, highlighting the vibrant Music Program.
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Choir

Residents, alumni and community members find their voice while being a part of something greater than themselves. The Choir performs at Shabbat services, High Holidays, fundraisers, private concerts and often collaborates with other temples. Anyone can join and no one is turned away.

To join, please contact Laura Bagish at 310.204.5200, or email lbagish@beittshuvah.org.

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Studio

Beit T’Shuvah proudly has a fully-functional on-site recording studio, equipped with multiple DAWs, state-of-the-art audio interfaces, top-of-the-line microphones and pre-amps, and all sorts of readily available analog and digital musical instruments.  Through our internship program, the studio is also run by trained audio engineers.  Residents can utilize this studio and record songs of their own creation, often born out of the songwriting group.

A person sings and plays guitar in a recording studio, standing at a microphone as part of a Music Program. Another person, seen from behind, sits at a sound mixing board, watching through the studio glass.
A man with a shaved head, wearing glasses and a white t-shirt, plays an acoustic guitar and sings into a microphone as part of a music program. The black and white image captures his passion for performance.
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Events

Music at Beit T’Shuvah brings the community together year-round through themed Shabbat services led by our band and choir, resident Talent Shows that highlight hidden and rediscovered gifts, and, of course, the live music woven into every Jewish holiday celebration. In 2019, spearheaded by the late great Glenn Goss, Beit T’Shuvah held it’s first 2019 Rock for Life charity concert—bringing outside musicians into our sanctuary. The spirit of music as a force for healing, generosity, and connection is an enduring reminder that at Beit T’Shuvah, music not only supports recovery, it inspires celebration.

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Podcasts

Along with producing albums worth of resident-written music, our studio is home to multiple podcasts! These resident, staff, and alumni hosted shows highlight the amazing sober community surrounding Beit T’Shuvah. With our advanced recording equipment and specialized team, all the hosts ever need to think about is speaking their truth into the mic.

A recording studio in black and white showcases a microphone, pop filter, and lyrics on a tablet stand—perfect for any music program. The background features a window, soundproof walls, coiled cables, and water bottles on a table.
Two men sit at a sound mixing board in a recording studio. One is adjusting the controls for their music program, while the other watches and smiles. The studio has wood paneling, audio equipment, and coiled cables on the wall.
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Internships

Through Beit T’Shuvah’s work therapy program, we offer internship opportunities to residents. Internship paths include: studio eningeering, live production, musical performance, and tech. Whatever the resident’s desires or internests may be, they are free to exlore them within the program—all while getting hands on job experience that sets them up for success after they gaduate from Beit T’Shuvah.

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Staff

  • Nathan Roth, Cantorial Soloist, Band Leader, & Music Program Director
  • Laura Baggish, Choir Director, Pianist
  • Max Hahn, Studio Engineer
A collage of three people: a smiling man in white religious attire and a kippah, a woman in a white robe holding a book, and a man in a red shirt and cap holding cables, preparing for a Music Program, looking down.

Programs
for Residents:

Our music department offers an array of opportunities for our residents to engage in meaningful music. Some of these include:

Songwriting group which meets weekly to write original music for spiritual and secular songs to be recorded in our music studio, the opportunity to play live at our services and/or events, work therapy opportunities and more!

Lake Street Studios
/BTS Music Publishing:

Lake Street Studios is a state-of-the-art recording studio and social enterprise built and run by addicts in recovery. It is both a training ground and creative outlet for the residents who are interested in learning production or recording their own material.

To learn more go to
https://www.lakestreetstudiola.com/