Rabbis of L.A. | Rabbi Moshe Pinto to Make His Mark at The Mark

On a recent Shabbat, Rabbi Moshe Pinto, the ambitious and visionary young Moroccan, told his multi-cultural congregation: “Hashem wanted this purchase because it was out of our capabilities. We have been looking for a place where we can set our roots. Hashem really gave us the best possible outcome.” Speaking from the pulpit at Beit El, the elegant shul founded by his father 40 years ago, Rabbi Pinto revealed that the shul had acquired The Mark, one of the larger structures in Pico-Robertson.

Speaking from the pulpit at Beit El, the elegant shul founded by his father 40 years ago, Rabbi Pinto revealed that the shul had acquired The Mark, one of the larger structures in Pico-Robertson. 

The single-story building had most recently been operated by Pat’s Restaurant. It is Rabbi Pinto’s intention to multiply the square footage — from the present 18,500 to 80,000 — within a decade. Could be sooner, the rabbi said, “but we want to underpromise and overdeliver.” While he envisions a traffic-heavy five-story structure, the future is now. He plans to introduce Pinto House activities there “soon.”

Current plans call for a school, with a restaurant on the top floor. The rabbi envisions a Torah center, an event hall and, uniquely, a Sephardic-Ashkenazic synagogue.

Rabbi Pinto also has a sharing plan for the wider community. “We want a place where Jewish events – gatherings, dinners, classes, lectures – could be held within our own organization,” he said. “We also want to make it a hub for other communities to join – because at the end of the day, if I am doing the kiruv (outreach), or another rabbi is, we are both successful.”

He has been clear that Beit El (House of God) itself is not going anywhere. As the rabbi has reminded the 300 Jews who regularly fill the shul at the intersection of Pico and Bedford on Shabbat mornings: “We are not a Sephardic, Ashkenazi or Iraqi temple. In the House of God, there are no distinctions, rich poor, frum, not religious.”

Rabbi Pinto notes that the city where he grew up presents powerful temptations for those seeking to stay on a moral path. In Los Angeles, he sees “so much evil that naturally pulls you” toward the world’s material aspects. “Baruch Hashem, we have a lot of good synagogues, good rabbis and organizations,” he said. “But they tend to be in competition with one another. Competition is good, but the real competition is not the other rabbis. A lot of rabbis have this false narrative that we need to compete with one another. Not true. Our competition is the city itself.”

“Baruch Hashem, we have a lot of good synagogues, good rabbis and organizations. But they tend to be in competition with one another. Competition is good, but the real competition is not the other rabbis. Our competition is the city itself.”

Rabbi Pinto’s lifetime goal is “bringing deep wisdom from across all Torah teaching – from the Gemara to the Five Books, to Kabbalah and the most mystical of teachings. If we are able to bring all of this together, making it accessible and giving answers to the questions young people have, we will change the world.”

An important distinction about The Mark property is that it is intended be a communal-event kind of place where, the rabbi said, the young will want to come for learning as well as recreation. “I believe in creating a space where anyone can ask a question, show any interest in wanting to get close to their creator,” he said. “That is what people need.”

In the rabbi’s opinion, having the chutzpah to ask a question is the greatest knowledge. “If you can encourage the people to be curious,” he said “an answer only is as good as the question.  You can have all the knowledge in the world, but if there is no question, it is worth nothing.”

Rabbi Pinto repeatedly underlined that while he envisions The Mark property hosting a variety of events, he intends to share space. “I want to make it a hub for other communities to join,” he said.

While Los Angeles is his home, the rabbi has other bases. His frequent-flyer record is enviable. “We actually have a facility in Montreal as well, a Kollel,” he said. “I travel all of the time. Once a month I go to Montreal. I have 11 learners for a full-fledged Kollel and learning center in Montreal. I go to New York very often. I go to Miami very often. I hope to get to many more cities, many more places.”

A philosophical optimist, he said that Angelenos “live in an incredible community. We need to see it for what it could be, not for the challenges and flaws that it is.”

Noted for his distinctly soft, gentle voice, Rabbi Pinto reached into history to illustrate his point: One person can look at an empty field and say it is empty. Another can look at the same scene and see the potential without limit.

His point: “We live in a city where it is empty. So much work to be done. So much spirituality there to be made. If you are trying to attract people and looking at it like a restaurant where you make good food and people will come, that is not what a synagogue is.”

The rabbi dreams large. “The fact we are able to bring people to synagogue in this city already is a miracle,” he believes. “That is why I am sure there is a lot of work to be done here.” Let there be no doubt about the precise Judaism that Rabbi Pinto teaches: His goal is to bring the depth of Kabbalistic concepts and teachings along with a curtain of the mystical. He estimates his community is 30-to-40% Moroccan, followed by Tunisian, French and Persian.

How did Rabbi Pinto find them? “They found me,” he said. “We are solid here. My board is Ashkenazi, Persian, Israeli, Moroccans. We try to carry the name at the forefront, the House of Hashem. At the core of everything, my No. 1 goal is representing our ancestors properly, keeping their merit and their legacy alive.”

Fast Takes with Rabbi Pinto

Jewish Journal: What is your favorite meal for Shabbat?

Rabbi Pinto: Every Shabbat meal.

J.J.: How has the rise in antisemitism affected your community?

R.P.: We had an incident here. One of our members walked out and was shot and wounded. We all took to heart what is happening around the world. Antisemitism should bring us closer to each other and to Hashem, and more Jewish than before.

J.J.: What is your No. 1 unfulfilled goal?

R.P.: Bringing unity among rabbis and organizations. It’s a shame they don’t work enough together.