Is it possible to make a compelling film about a rabbi? The answer is a definite yes — if you have a rabbi with the star power and story of Rabbi Marvin Hier. “The Hollywood Rabbi,” a new documentary about Hier, is proof.
Hier, 86, the founder of the Simon Wiesenthal Center (SWC), is arguably one of the most well-connected rabbis in the world. His reach spans Hollywood and global politics: he has met with eight presidents, three popes and four kings, and he is also a two-time Oscar winner — for “Genocide” (1981) and “The Long Way Home” (1997). Not bad material for a Hollywood film.
Shortly after he announced that he would be stepping down as CEO and president of the Simon Wiesenthal Center on Jan. 1, 2023, becoming its Dean Emeritus, producer Brad Krevoy approached director Jon Kean with the idea of making a film about the legendary rabbi. Kean, who has known Hier since 1995, replied that he would meet with him and “see if there’s a story there.”
Sure enough, there was enough material for a series, not just a documentary. Kean saw in Hier a layered story that went beyond public achievement, shaped as much by personality as by legacy. “He’s still so charming, unique and entertaining,” Kean said. “But he’s also older now and more reflective about his life, as opposed to the hard-charging figure I once met. I felt there was a really nice story there — one that could make people feel optimistic, hopeful, and see there is a nice path forward for all of us.”
And so, on Sept. 11, 2023, filming began. Kean admitted he was somewhat hesitant about the date — and sure enough, less than a month later, the Oct. 7 attacks occurred, dramatically shifting the direction of the story.
Kean ultimately included a powerful meeting arranged by Hier between survivors of the attack and Arnold Schwarzenegger in his office. One of the survivors, 14-year-old Ella Shani, told him how her father was murdered and her cousin Amit was kidnapped and taken to Gaza.
At a time when many celebrities chose to distance themselves from Israel, it was moving to see such visible support from an A-list movie star. “You can see how Arnold and the rabbi have a genuine affection for one another,” Kean recalled. “Arnold really loves this guy, and the rabbi loves Arnold.”
The actor and former Republican governor of California has been a close friend of Hier’s for many years. When Hier set out to build the Museum of Tolerance, he called Schwarzenegger and invited him to the site. Schwarzenegger, in turn, introduced him to potential donors and contributed generously himself.
The museum opened in 1993 at a cost of $50 million.
Many of the celebrities who have supported Hier’s efforts over the years say it is nearly impossible to say no to him. In “The Hollywood Rabbi,” producer and former chairman of Walt Disney Studios Jeffrey Katzenberg says there is no such thing as “no” for Rabbi Hier. “And ‘yes’ is never good enough.” While one actor adds, “If you say, ‘No, I can’t do it right now,’ he says, ‘Fine, I understand — you’ll have a limp in the morning.’”
When Schwarzenegger donated $100,000, Hier replied: “Thanks, and I’ll be back.”
There is no shortage of well-known figures who participated in the documentary. These include former President Bill Clinton, Governor Gavin Newsom, Israeli President Isaac Herzog, Netflix co-chief executive Ted Sarandos and others.
Kean recalled how excited Hier was about the filming. “He used to call me all the time: ‘Jon, how are you doing? What’s going on with this? What’s going on with that?’ He was so flattered that somebody wanted to tell his story. For all his accomplishments, he’s a very modest man, and it’s all about the mission, not about himself.”
“The Hollywood Rabbi” tells the story of Hier, who was born in New York to immigrant parents from Poland, and came to Los Angeles following a visit to Holocaust sites in Europe in 1977. It traces how he met Holocaust survivor and Nazi hunter Simon Wiesenthal and asked for permission to establish a center in his name in Los Angeles.
There is no shortage of rabbis in Los Angeles seeking donations for one cause or another. Raising funds is never easy — especially not on the scale required to build an institution as large as the one Hier envisioned. But he proved remarkably effective, largely due to his ability to build relationships and connect with people across different worlds.
Hier is, at heart, a storyteller. He recalled how it all began with a phone call from Frank Sinatra. “I heard you want to start the Simon Wiesenthal Center. He is a great guy, I want to help,” the singer said.
Hier drove to Sinatra’s home in Palm Springs, and it didn’t take long for Sinatra to pick up the phone and call real estate developer Don Soffer in Miami, telling him: “I’m going to send you my rabbi, we want a significant donation.”
“Sinatra wanted to help and immediately everyone else followed,” Hier recalled. “If it’s good for Sinatra, it’s good for us.”
In 1977, the Center was established on Pico Boulevard. Since then, many prominent figures have visited, and Hier himself became one of the most well-known rabbis in the world.
One surprising relationship he developed was in the Arab world, with Emirati businessman Mohamed Ali Alabbar, who built the Burj Khalifa and the Dubai Mall and was even invited to the wedding of Hier’s granddaughter in Jerusalem.
In fact, Rabbi Hier was among the first American Jewish leaders to establish relationships in the United Arab Emirates, even before official normalization between the UAE and Israel. King Hussein of Jordan also visited the Museum of Tolerance in the years surrounding the early stages of peace talks between Israel and Jordan.
When I asked Kean what Rabbi Hier’s secret is, he pointed to something simpler than power or influence. “He really cares about teaching the world, teaching tolerance, bringing people together,” Kean said. “He doesn’t get frustrated or disappointed. You can have people disagree with him, or say negative things about him, and he doesn’t hold a grudge. He just keeps going. You can’t frustrate him. He’s very simple in his mission, and that’s all he cares about.”
Kean said that what ultimately sets Hier apart is the rare combination of focus and sincerity in his work. “I think that’s when people respond. There are very few people who are so genuinely focused and sincere in what they do, and the rabbi is one of them,” he said.
The broader lesson of Hier’s story, Kean believes, goes beyond institutional success or celebrity encounters. It is rooted in a simple idea about connection and shared responsibility. “There are a lot of lessons in there,” he said. “One of the things Hier is saying is that we’re all Americans — we have to talk to one another. Whether you’re on one side or the other. I mean, how much more universal can we get right now?”
The World premiere of “The Hollywood Rabbi” will take place on Tuesday, May 12 at 7 p.m. at the Saban Theater. The festival will run between May 12-19 at Laemmle Theaters. For Tickets & info, please visit: LAJFilmFest.org.
