The Blogs: From Vision to Validation: A Rabbi-Filmmaker’s Film Makes Rotten Tomatoes

For many filmmakers, Rotten Tomatoes is more than just a platform. It’s a gateway. An archive of cinema history. A benchmark that says: This film matters.

So when I received the notification that my feature film, The Quest – Get Back Your Ex, was officially accepted and listed on Rotten Tomatoes, I stood still for a moment — humbled, grateful, and deeply aware of what this moment means.

This isn’t just a personal win. It’s a statement. It’s a reminder that faith-based, values-driven storytelling has a place in the canon of global cinema.

As a rabbi, I never saw filmmaking as separate from Torah. In fact, I see it as a direct extension. Every frame is a vessel for message. Every scene can carry sparks of redemption. Every story is an echo of creation itself.

I first turned to film not to entertain, but to teach — to explore the deep questions of love, teshuvah (repentance), identity, and healing. With a background in education, community service, and religious leadership, I saw the screen as a modern pulpit. My goal was never Hollywood. My goal was hearts.

The Quest – Get Back Your Ex emerged from real conversations, real heartbreaks, and the sacred work of rebuilding relationships. It is a cinematic teshuvah. A path of redemption for broken couples, fractured families, and lost souls. In a world where love is too often disposable, the film asks: what if love isn’t gone — it’s just waiting for us to fight for it?

Creating this film was not easy. Independent filmmaking comes with its own Red Sea of obstacles: limited budgets, casting challenges, technical hurdles. But like any sacred endeavor, the difficulty only made the outcome more meaningful. We were blessed with actors who brought truth to the screen, a team who believed in the vision, and audiences who responded with tears, letters, and healing.

That it now sits archived on Rotten Tomatoes — alongside the works of Scorsese, Spielberg, and Kurosawa — is not a badge of ego. It is a badge of responsibility.

My film is now part of global cinematic memory. This honor compels me to continue the mission — to tell the stories that uplift, heal, and inspire. Stories that remind us of who we are, what we carry, and what we’re capable of redeeming.

For Jewish filmmakers, especially those rooted in Torah and tradition, this recognition is more than symbolic. It proves that the world is not only ready — but hungry — for stories of moral struggle, family repair, and spiritual truth. It proves that our voices matter.

To those who supported this journey — thank you. To those struggling with doubt: create anyway. To those who believe that Torah and art cannot dance — I invite you to watch The Quest.

Because when you serve something higher, even your art gets elevated.
And this is just the beginning.

The Quest: Get Back Your Ex | Rotten Tomatoes

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I am now working on new projects that continue this path — integrating spiritual themes with cinematic storytelling. We live in an age where content floods every screen. But stories that speak to the soul, that elevate rather than numb — those are the ones that last.

I call upon fellow storytellers, especially within Am Yisrael: pick up your pens, your cameras, your instruments. Tell our stories. Shape our legacy.

Baruch Hashem. The screen is a sacred space, too. Let’s light it with holiness.

About the Author

Rabbi Avi Schwartz is an individual who has made contributions in various fields. He is the son of Motke Eish HaGarzen, also known as Motke the Axeman, a legendary figure in the Palmach. Motke Eish HaGarzen led a group of 21 Palmach Warriors who successfully conquered Har Tzion (Mount Zion), rescuing 1,700 Jewish men, women, and children from the Jordanian onslaught in the Jewish Quarter of the Old City. Rabbi Schwartz himself is a Black Hat Rabbi and activist, dedicated to upholding Jewish traditions and values. Alongside his religious pursuits, he has also found success as a filmmaker and writer, with his works featured on platforms such as Red Coral Universe Apple TV, Tubi of Fox Corporation, and Netflix. Notably, Rabbi Schwartz's movie "The Quest" has received high praise from none other than Pat Boone, a Music and Hollywood Icon. Boone, known for his illustrious career as a singer, actor, and television personality, has publicly commended Rabbi Schwartz's film, acknowledging its quality and significance. This endorsement from Pat Boone further solidifies the impact and recognition of Rabbi Schwartz's work within the entertainment industry. Beyond his artistic endeavors, Rabbi Schwartz has been at the forefront of the battle against the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement. He has developed two groundbreaking apps, "Fight BDS" and "BDS Myth Busters," aimed at countering BDS propaganda and raising awareness about the realities of the movement. The notable Hollywood icon and anti-BDS activist, Roseanne Barr, sponsors the app "BDS Myth Busters." Additionally, Rabbi Schwartz holds the position of Vice President of Digital Marketing and serves as the Director of Energycite, a revolutionary technology in energy conservation. His involvement in this field highlights his commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility. Furthermore, Rabbi Schwartz has established the Torah Teen Palmach Center, a transformative initiative that trains teenagers to become future leaders in the spirit of the Palmach. Through this center, he imparts invaluable leadership skills and instills the values of courage, determination, and resilience in the next generation.