Leah Shoshanah

Sacred Music Artist * Cantorial Soloist

Shalom! Welcome to my website.

I’m a Chicago-based musician. I write folk songs and lead group singing and prayer from a place of heart and honesty. My music explores the stories we all share—our longing for connection, the people who shape us, and the work of building a more just world. By bringing original songs together with Jewish liturgy adapted for today, I help bridge the separateness between us, creating spaces where we can build community and find connection through song.

Songs of Heart and Humanity

Songs of Spirit and Liturgy

A live recording of my original melody for Mi Chamocha. This is how I reimagined a prayer of liberation as a contemporary folk hymn. This recording features my dad, David Cowen, on Cello.

Concerts and Residencies

Performing original folk music and leading song circles for diverse communities. I offer focused single engagements and immersive weekend residencies that bridge contemporary folk with soulful Jewish leadership.

"At times sad, at times joyful... always right to the heart. An evening that will resonate for a long time." - Annie, Tikkun V’Or

Offerings

Jewish Music & Ritual

Providing soulful cantorial leadership for services, weddings, and life-cycle events. I bridge the beauty of traditional melodies with creative, modern interpretations of liturgy—always rooted in a heartfelt connection to spirit.

"An incredibly spiritual presence and a consummate professional... a gift to every community." — R’ Shoshanah Kaminsky

Mentorship & Education

Offering B’nai Mitzvah preparation and private guitar, voice and songwriting instruction. I help students of all ages build their skills and find a meaningful, personal connection to music, tradition and their own creative voice.

"A masterful teacher and facilitator... I loved it." — Caryn Chaden

"Leah Shoshanah brought exactly what our community needed during a challenging time. As tensions ran high, her work as a bridge-builder and healer through music was a gift. She had us dancing, crying, laughing—really experiencing the full spectrum of our humanity."

— Michael Margolin, Spiritual Leader and Rabbinic Student at Congregation Tikkun V'Or (Ithaca, NY)

"She strikes this rare mix of knowing the traditional songs and blessings so well, at the same time as bringing her own deep and meaningful originality to bear."

— Maya Schenwar, Editor of Truth Out Magazine

Let’s Connect

Whether you’re imagining a weekend residency, planning a meaningful ritual, or just looking for a new way to bring people together—I’d love to hear your story. Reach out and let's see what we can create.

  • Michael Margolin, Congregation Tikkun V'Or (Ithaca, NY)

    Leah Shoshanah brought exactly what our community needed during a challenging time. As tensions ran high in our congregation around differing perspectives on Israel and Palestine, her work as a bridge-builder and healer through music was precisely what could serve us.

  • Rabbi Shoshana Kaminsky, Temple Beth-El, South Bend, IN

    “We had the extraordinary joy and privilege of welcoming Leah Shoshanah as our cantorial soloist over the High Holy Days this year. She was both an incredibly spiritual presence and a consummate professional… We were particularly touched by her own compositions, which clearly came directly from her heart. A number of my members described being moved to tears multiple times during the ten days. She is a gift to every community that is fortunate enough to have the opportunity to host her.”

  • Caryn Chaden, Spirit Jam Participant

    Leah is a masterful teacher and facilitator. For the Spirit Jam, she brought together a great group of people and guided us through two hours of activity: teachings to focus our breathing and games to encourage us to use our voices in different ways – all in preparation for the spirit jam itself, where we improvised sound and rhythm for an extended time. I loved it.

  • Maya Schenwar, former client

    Anyone who is looking for a cantorial soloist should jump at the chance to work with Leah Shoshanah. She strikes this rare mix of knowing the traditional songs and blessings so well, at the same time as bringing her own deep and meaningful originality to bear.

  • Bryson Burnside, frequent concert attendee

    “Throughout my years as a fan, I have witnessed Leah’s music transform the human soul and bring people together in community, where all may be themselves without judgment. Leah’s music deeply encourages transformation through direct action, helping others discover the power that has always been within themselves to bring real, positive change to the human experience.

  • Erich DeHaven

    Leah has the gift of songwriting that is compelling and new, yet rooted in, motivated by, an earlier time, when the now nostalgic genre of the folk ballad Americana was in its innocence.

  • Annie, Congregation Tikkun V’Or, Ithaca NY

    “Leah Shoshanah brought such depth, passion, compassion, humor, and a wonderful spirit of generosity to her incredible musical performance. With her beautiful voice and creative songwriting, she gave us two hours of uplifting music. At times sad, at times joyful, at times humorous, always right to the heart. And she really tuned into our beautiful community and how we work hard to include everyone. It was an evening that will resonate for me for a long time.”