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Chicago to Hollywood to Encino: Rabbi Nolan Lebovitz’s Route to VBS

He succeeds longtime Senior Rabbi Ed Feinstein,  who is stepping back, not away. Feinstein, who joined VBS in 1993 and was senior rabbi for 17 years, followed the late legendary Rabbi Harold Schulweis. 
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April 14, 2022
Rabbi Nolan Lebovitz Photo by Ari L. Noonan

Life is about to change for the congregants at Valley Beth Shalom, one of the largest Conservative synagogues in the United States, when the new senior rabbi, Nolan Lebovitz, takes over in July. 

“I bring creativity and innovation,” said Lebovitz, who was formerly rabbi at Adat Shalom on Westwood Boulevard. VBS announced his hiring on April 7.

He succeeds longtime Senior Rabbi Ed Feinstein,  who is stepping back, not away. Feinstein, who joined VBS in 1993 and was senior rabbi for 17 years, followed the late legendary Rabbi Harold Schulweis. 

Lebovitz, who spent his first 10 years working in Hollywood writing and directing suspense and horror films, introduces a distinctly different vibe to the community.  “I value creative sensibility, connection to Jewish identity in music, cooking, dancing, singing, the way we think of services – and definitely technology,” he said.

Zoom, the instant best friend of many throughout the pandemic, was only the beginning.

“Technology will allow Valley Beth Shalom to teach its congregants from the moment they wake up in the morning through the day,” said the 42-year-old Lebovitz. “Until they go to sleep, they will be able to connect to the Torah of Valley Beth Shalom, to the teachers and rabbis here and to the programs. The way we use technology will define how synagogues relate to their congregants in the future.”

 The Chicago native, who moved to Southern California to enroll in USC’s Film School, is planning far beyond the walls of Valley Beth Shalom, its 1,500 member families and Encino. He intends to reach members and non-members, residents across the Valley, and even people outside of California relying on the teachings, messaging and education Valley Beth Shalom, which opened in 1950, offers to enrich their lives.

“We are delighted to welcome Rabbi Lebovitz, his wife Blair, and his children Shelby, Simon and Maddy to this very special community,” said Jeff Goss, president of Valley Beth Shalom. “We are confident that we have found the very best rabbi to lead our shul into the future.”

“I did not expect at that moment that the VBS wheel would turn to me. I am thrilled it did because this is the opportunity of a lifetime.” – Rabbi Lebovitz

Last spring, Rabbi Noah Farkas, Feinstein’s apparent successor, left VBS to become CEO/President of the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles. Moving to the Valley was not on Lebovitz’s mind at the time. “I did not expect at that moment that the VBS wheel would turn to me,” he said. “I am thrilled it did because this is the opportunity of a lifetime.”

Before delving into how and why he decided to close the Hollywood portion of his life journey, Lebovitz provided an instant summary.

“This is all recounted in my first documentary, ‘Roadmap Genesis,’” he said. “By the way, along with my ‘Roadmap Jerusalem,’ both are available on Amazon Prime, YouTube and various platforms.”

A dozen years ago, after Lebovitz had achieved “a certain level of success” writing and directing, a deeply reflective moment unexpectedly occurred. 

A dozen years ago, after Lebovitz had achieved “a certain level of success” writing and directing, a deeply reflective moment unexpectedly occurred. 

“I had gotten married and had my first child, my daughter, who now is about to have her Bat Mitzvah,” he recalled. “I was holding her as an infant when one of the scariest movies, ‘The Ring,’ came on the television. I was holding her ears. Even as a Hollywood writer-director, I didn’t want what I was watching on television to scar the neshama of this angel I was holding in my arms … to scar her in any way.”

This unexpected intrusion into Lebovitz’s comfortable, sailing-along lifestyle caused him to confront himself: “What am I doing with my life if this is what I am doing during the day?”

The rabbi, who grew up in a traditionally observant home, quickly added that he was not disparaging anyone who makes horror films. 

“For me, though, I needed more,” he said. “I am a grandchild of four survivors of the Shoah. One of the great honors of my life was being born into a family where all four of my grandparents survived and prevailed over the Shoah.”

For those who believe everything happens for a reason, the next scene in Lebovitz’s life will resonate. “I don’t think it was an accident that one day I was coming out of a Hollywood meeting at Factor’s Deli,” he said. Standing in a long valet line, Lebovitz surveyed his surroundings. “I ended up walking next door to the Mitzvah Store, which still was on Pico,” he said. “Thank God, Rabbi (Shimon) Kraft was behind the counter that day.”

Lebovitz, a lover of bookstores, was searching for books on philosophy and self-help. Frustrated, he asked Rabbi Kraft, “What should I be reading?”“He looked at me as if I had asked the dumbest question,” recalled Lebovitz. “He said ‘You should be reading the Chumash (Torah).’”

Lebovitz went home and opened the Chumash to the Torah portion of the week, Lech Lecha, about Abraham and Sara’s journey to a place they did not know. 

“This resonated in my kishkes the way it didn’t when I was forced to memorize portions in the second grade,” he said. “Suddenly, as a father, as a husband, as someone on a journey, the story spoke to me. Week after week, I would read the parsha, and then I would come back to Rabbi Kraft and ask what I should read next.”

Kraft recommended Rashi. “I did, even though I didn’t know what Rashi was talking about,” said Lebovitz. Kraft told Lebovitz, “At a point, you need a teacher.”

This led him to the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies at American Jewish University, and then at Adat Shalom. And now, this golden moment: his VBS hiring. 

Lebovitz said, “Both personally and professionally, it feels amazing to have found VBS, my ‘forever’ synagogue community. I am really looking forward to moving to the Valley and joining VBS in July.”

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