Beit T’Shuvah is a residential addiction treatment center that saves lives through a comprehensive program of Jewish spirituality, psychotherapy, and the 12-Steps in a caring, community setting.

About the speakers:

Rabbi Mark Borovitz

Founding Rabbi, Author and Addiction & Criminal Rehabilitation Expert Spiritual leader, author, ex-con, recovering alcoholic and overall anomaly, are all attributes that describe Rabbi Mark Borovitz. As the Founding Rabbi of Beit T’Shuvah, a nonprofit, non-
sectarian, Jewish addiction treatment center and synagogue community in Los Angeles, Rabbi Mark’s leadership is unparalleled applying ancient teachings to contemporary life. With his combined knowledge of the streets and the Torah, Rabbi Mark discovered his true calling – helping recovering addicts find their way in the world. With first-hand experience in his own redemption, he is able to reach both the addict and the congregant to de-stigmatize this life threatening disease.

After being released from prison in 1988 he began his work at Beit T’Shuvah. Over the past 30 years, he has helped co-create one of the most exceptional approaches to addiction treatment, criminal rehabilitation and reintegration in the world. Borovitz was officially ordained in 2000 at the University of Judaism with a Master’s in Rabbinic Literature. In early 2004, Rabbi Mark was invited to a round table discussion with President George W. Bush about faith and recovery.

The Rabbi is a highly sought-after feature speaker at many seminars all across the nation discussing spirituality and recovery, including CASA at Columbia University and Spirituality Day at Northwestern University. Rabbi Mark has been featured in top tier media articles like the Los Angeles Times, Moment Magazine, The Jewish Journal, The Wall Street Journal and newspapers across the world. He co- authored his biography, The Holy Thief: A Conman’s Journey from Darkness to Light for which the rights were recently optioned, as well as his other books, Finding Recovery and Yourself in Torah: A Daily Spiritual Path to Wholeness (Jewish Lights Publishing) and You Matter.

The discovery of Rabbi Mark’s life’s passion have fueled his tireless efforts for saving lives, and has been the driving force behind Beit T’Shuvah and its robust and growing movement.

Harriet Rossetto

Founder and Clinical Director of Beit T’Shuvah

Addiction is a malady of the soul requiring spiritual healing – this is Harriet Rossetto’s philosophy and purpose for creating Los Angeles’ renowned non-profit treatment and recovery center, Beit T’Shuvah.  

A self-professed rebel spirit and misfit, Harriet has always felt she was operating her life on the fringe, it is there that she found her fierce calling – to help broken souls and changing a flawed system. The thriving community that is Beit T’Shuvah has supported addicts of all kinds in the process of recovery. For Harriet, the greatest reward is witnessing and participating in the miracle of transformation. 

Rossetto received her Masters of Social Work degree from the University of Minnesota. Today, Harriet is a sought-after speaker in synagogues and community groups, as well as a trainer for the National Association of Social Workers where she teaches classes about the treatment and philosophy of the “dis-ease” of addiction. Harriet’s latest noteworthy project is her book Sacred Housekeeping, a spiritual memoir. In 1991, Harriet received the Alan Kassin Award for professional achievement from the Jewish Communal Professionals. That same year, Harriet also received the Vision in Philanthropy Award. She has been recognized by the Bush administration for her work with recovering Jewish addicts as an example of why the government should support faith-based efforts. The Obama administration selected her as an Advocate for Action, a national role model for her unique approach to addiction prevention and called on her to advise on national drug control policy.

Harriet continues to break barriers in the addiction and recovery fields, and in turn the community recognizes and praises Harriet for her perseverance, commitment and originality in sustaining this unique program.