A new action thriller set to hit U.S. theaters next month is already generating buzz for its bold premise: a gun-toting rabbi out for revenge against a neo-Nazi gang. "Guns & Moses," directed by Salvador Litvak, is slated for release on July 18.
Its trailer, released a week ago, suggests a film that taps directly into the current political and cultural climate in the U.S., where antisemitism from both the far right and far left has become a growing concern.
'Guns & Moses' trailer
(Video: LB Entertainment)
The film follows Moshe Zaltzman, a Hasidic rabbi in a desert town in the American Southwest, whose Jewish community is devastated by an antisemitic attack. Instead of retreating ino prayer, Zaltzman arms himself and sets off on a personal mission to hunt down the killers, members of a violent far-right group. His motto: “You can only rely on your Father in Heaven—and your Glock.” The rabbi is played by actor Mark Feuerstein.
"Guns & Moses"—its title a deliberate nod to the rock band Guns N’ Roses—has already drawn media attention, partly due to its contemporary relevance. The film's release comes amid a rise in antisemitic violence, including the recent deadly shooting of Israeli-American couple Yaron Lishinsky and Sarah Milgram in Washington, D.C., and attacks on pro-Israel demonstrators in Boulder, Colorado. While the film was written by Litvak and his wife, Nina, before these incidents, it was inspired by a real 2019 attack, when a neo-Nazi gunman opened fire at a Chabad synagogue in Poway, California, killing a 60-year-old woman.
Unlike the real-life case, however, the fictional rabbi in "Guns & Moses" doubts that justice will be served through the legal system. Instead, he takes matters into his own hands in a “neo-Western” style narrative that echoes the tone of "The Hebrew Hammer," a 2003 cult action-comedy.
But Litvak insists his film is not satire. “This movie is more than a story,” he said. “It’s a conversation we need to have. Every moment on set carried the weight of real life. Jews are under attack. When we say ‘never again,’ it means we must rise and defend ourselves.”
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He added: “Thank God we have allies in this fight. As we approach the release date, we’re not just sharing a film—we’re inviting people to join a movement for safety, solidarity and responsibility around firearms.”
While the movie focuses primarily on antisemitism from far-right extremists, some in U.S. media speculate it may also be seen—particularly by pro-Palestinian activists—as a thinly veiled show of support for Israel’s military actions in Gaza following the October 7 Hamas massacre. The involvement of Israeli producer Lee Broda, along with Israeli actors Alona Tal and sisters Mila and Jojo Brener (daughters of actress Shirly Brener), could fuel that perception. One of the film’s lead characters is named Liat Rosner, portrayed by Mercedes Mason.
Even with well-known American actors in the cast—including Dermot Mulroney, Neal McDonough, Jake Busey, and Christopher Lloyd as a Holocaust survivor—critics say the film may not avoid political controversy.