We are proud to share that Rodeph Sholom was a filming location for the new movie Eleanor the Great. Scenes from Eleanor’s Bat Mitzvah — a pivotal moment in the story — were filmed in our sanctuary.
Our Senior Clergy Rabbi Ben Spratt and Cantor Shayna De Lowe were advisors to the producers, and they and Rachael Evans, our Chief of Staff and Operations, were all thanked in the film credits!
Executive Producer Scarlett Johansson also gave “Rabbi Ben” a shout out in this clip which has been shared on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram!
In this news story Johansson credits CRS clergy with teaching her and actress June Squibb the correct Hebrew for the synagogue scenes.
Rabbi Spratt with actors June Squibb and Stephen Singer in the Main Sanctuary
Eleanor the Great, Scarlett Johansson’s directorial debut, follows Eleanor Morgenstein (June Squibb), a 94-year-old widow who relocates from Florida to New York after the loss of her closest friend. In her search for belonging, she becomes connected with a community of Holocaust survivors and begins to weave their stories into her own. Themes of memory, identity, and renewal come to the surface — with Eleanor’s Bat Mitzvah serving as a powerful moment of connection across generations.
Scenes from Eleanor’s Bat Mitzvah — a pivotal moment in the story — were filmed in our main sanctuary, along with additional scenes that feature our lobby, board room, and even the front of our building.
(Click to enlarge photos)
More Film Coverage
- Scarlett Johansson, June Squibb say ‘Eleanor’ encourages communication (UPI)
- Real-life Holocaust survivors star in Scarlett Johansson’s directorial debut ‘Eleanor the Great’ (JTA)
- Scarlett Johansson & June Squibb On ‘Eleanor The Great’ (NPR)
- ‘Eleanor the Great’ Writer Tory Kamen’s Grandma Is Not a Liar (Hey Alma)
- Scarlett Johansson ‘Eleanor The Great’ Interview (Deadline)
- Scarlett Johansson Tells Holocaust Survivors’ Stories in Directorial Debut (Kveller)
