Guns & Moses: The Jewish Representation We Need (With Star Mark Feuerstein of Royal Pains)

When you think of Jewish actor Mark Feuerstein, you probably picture Dr. Hank Lawson—the charming concierge doctor at the heart of Royal Pains, USA Network’s hit series that ran for eight seasons. Or maybe you remember his scene-stealing turns in The West Wing, Prison Break, or the CBS sitcom 9JKL, which he also co-created and produced.

But in his latest project, Guns and Moses, Feuerstein takes on a role unlike anything audiences have seen from him before: a Chabad rabbi turned reluctant action hero.

Opening in 78 theaters across 27 cities on July 18, 2025, Guns and Moses—written and directed by Sal Litvak—follows Rabbi Mo Zaltzman, a devoted husband, father, and community leader whose quiet life in a high-desert Jewish enclave is shattered when violence threatens his family and congregation. What begins as pastoral calm evolves into a gripping thriller as Rabbi Mo discovers just how far he’s willing to go to protect the people he loves.

Feuerstein remembers his first read of the script vividly. Initially, he didn’t expect much from a low-budget indie film. (All the more impressive with its star-studded cast with costars like Christopher Lloyd). But page after page, he found himself captivated.

“It was an instant connection because it’s about a Jewish community,” he recalls. “But this character of Rabbi Mo… he’s charming and funny, dramatic, and then suddenly he’s an action star. The more I read, the more I realized: this script is great. And I get to be the star of this fabulous story that’s not only good drama—it’s also good for the Jews.”

The acting is also incredible. Feuerstein doesn’t do fake Yiddish-accented, one-dimensional rabbi bits. Like most Chabad rabbis, he speaks American English.

That authenticity was intentional. To prepare, Feuerstein drew inspiration from rabbis throughout his life—mentors from his upbringing in New York City, his current rabbi in Los Angeles, and, for this role specifically, he met with Chabad Rabbi Zushi Rivkin of Pasadena. He also immersed himself in the life and teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, reading Joseph Telushkin’s Rebbe to better understand Chabad philosophy and its legendary leader.

“I found it fascinating—what a great man, what a big heart, what a big mind, and what a brilliant PR agent he was for the Lubavitcher community and Hasidism as a whole,” Feuerstein says.

To fully embody Rabbi Mo’s transformation from spiritual guide to protector, Feuerstein even trained in firearms with Magen Am, a Jewish volunteer security organization in Los Angeles.

Feuerstein says that there was “no acting required, because I am learning in real time how to shoot a gun while my character is learning how to shoot a gun.” But that journey ultimately became about much more than action scenes. “This is not a movie anybody’s ever seen where you’re a gun-toting Hasidic rabbi,” he says. 

The film draws inspiration from real-life heroism. Feuerstein points to Rabbi Mendel Goldstein’s bravery during the 2019 Poway synagogue shooting, when Goldstein confronted a gunman, losing a finger but saving countless lives.

“A shooter came into that synagogue and killed one woman [Lori Gilbert Kaye],” Feuerstein explains. “But before he could kill anybody else, Rabbi Goldstein rushed him. He didn’t take time to think. In the Orthodox community, they’re taught to act, not to wait. And he did.”

Feuerstein’s own Jewish pride runs deep. Early in his career, when an agent suggested changing his last name, he refused—with a Shakespearean flourish.

“I quoted Iago back to him: ‘He who robs me of my good name steals that which not enriches him and makes me poor indeed.’ I am proud of my family, my heritage, my ancestry—all of it.”

That pride extended to seeing his face on billboards across Los Angeles ahead of the film’s release—beard, black hat, long coat, and all.

“He’s a role model,” Feuerstein says. “He’s a great father, a great husband, a man who stands for his community. He will stop at nothing to find the truth.”

At a time when Orthodox Jews are too often caricatured or sidelined in mainstream media—and our recent Norman Lear study on contemporary Jewish representation shows just that—Guns and Moses offers something radically different. The portrayal is a breath of fresh air in a media landscape where Jewish identity is frequently depicted with shame or self-deprecation.

This film reminds us that we can stand tall as proud Jews and be heroes—showing that a Jewish story doesn’t have to center on conflict about being Jewish.

As Feuerstein reflects, “For a young Jewish boy or girl to see a family that’s tough and together and loving and also strong—that’s beautiful.”

Find a theater near you that’s playing Guns and Moses: gunsandmosesmovie.com/tickets

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