From Hollywood to the Holy Land: Meet The Hart Family

YESODEI YISRAEL FAMILY SPOTLIGHT

Meet the Hart family. One year ago, after already trading the famous Hollywood lights for the sunny suburbs of California, this remarkable family ultimately traded up for the historic hills of Beit Shemesh. 

What makes this family unique? For starters, Akiva Hart (formerly LaDerryl, a hip-hop choreographer who once performed with music icons like Missy Elliott, Stevie Wonder, Gnarls Barkley and Justin Timberlake) and his wife Chava (formerly Danielle, a successful Hollywood makeup artist working on TV/film projects with BET and CoverGirl) weren't even thinking about being Jewish a little over five years ago. Yet in November 2023, they and their six children completed an Orthodox conversion to Judaism and soon after, made aliyah to Israel, sharing their inspiring journey online as the social media hit “House of Lev.”

Chava and Akiva share their inspirational journey of faith, family, and aliyah with their tens of thousands of followers, giving chizuk to so many who relate to their spiritual journey and the inevitable bumpy roads that go along with big life transitions. It’s been a path filled with epic highs, inevitable challenges, and lots of change (including three different homes in their first year!). But most of all it’s been a journey of profound meaning.

How did this family go from Hip-Hop in Hollywood to Hashem?

Glitz and glamour weren’t everything to Chava and Akiva. Both born in Michigan, they were always deep thinkers and deeply spiritual. About five years ago one of Akiva’s cousins casually suggested that African Americans might be “the real children of Israel,” planting seeds of curiosity that spiraled into Akiva’s google search deep dive. What he found initially was off-putting and didn’t sit right with him. Until he stumbled upon videos of Nissim Black, the Orthodox Jewish rapper whose welcoming approach to Judaism showed Akiva and Chava a life they never knew existed. They were intrigued and inspired to learn more.

Throughout their journey toward living a Torah lifestyle, the Harts invited viewers into their home, allowing them a front seat as they learned to wrap tefillin, keep Shabbos, and navigate life as emerging religious Jews. Their authenticity, humor, and "heart" quickly attracted a global audience. The Harts social media platform became a virtual family diary that continues to inspire a growing number of viewers.

Their following was not the only thing that kept growing rapidly. As the Harts continued to grow in their Torah observance, they realized they need to find a faith based community that was more aligned with their values. It didn’t take long before the Harts traded in Hollywood sets for Shabbos meals and zemiros. They eased into keeping kosher, started going to minyan, and made sure their kids were educated and on board with this new lifestyle before they moved from Los Angeles to Orange County. There, for the first time, they met other Jews of color and felt truly at home. 

By late 2023, after two intensive years of formal study and living an orthodox life, the entire Hart family took the plunge… literally. On November 5, 2023, Akiva, Chava, and all six of their children (including Yesodei Yisrael’s very own superstar Betzalel) officially became Jewish. 

Documenting the Dream of Aliyah

The Hart family wasted no time before tackling the ultimate dream: living in the Land of Israel. In mid-2024, they packed up their California life and brought their family on aliyah. On October 9, 2024, the Harts arrived at Ben Gurion Airport. 

Life in Israel during that first year was exciting, hectic, and full of adjustments. The Harts candidly documented the ups and downs on their House of Lev vlog: from mastering the art of grocery shopping in Hebrew to navigating Israel’s bureaucratic paperwork (which we can all relate to). In true Hart fashion, they kept it real, sharing both the magical moments and the challenges. 

Through it all, their optimism never waned. Akiva and Chava quickly channeled their passions into the community. They often use their platform to support Israel, which is especially helpful during this turbulent time for the Jewish people. They have no qualms about using their public platform to fundraise for the IDF or to speak out against antisemitism, which really isn’t easy for influencers these days. They do so with so much style and grace. In every way, the Harts have been pouring their lev (heart) into their new life in the Holy Land.

Finding Yesodei Yisrael: A Perfect Fit for Their Son

Amid all these big changes, one of the Harts’ top priorities was their children’s education. Uprooting teenagers is never simple, and their oldest son was in 10th grade when they moved.

Back in the US, he had journeyed to Judaism alongside his parents; now in Israel he’d need a school that could appreciate where he came from and help him grow in Torah in a way that felt right to him. The Harts were in search of an open and nurturing Yeshiva that would view Betzalel’s background as an asset, not a hurdle to overcome. They were on the lookout for a place that would feel aligned with the values they cherished.

Enter Rabbi Shimon Kronenberg, a pioneer about to launch Yesodei Yisrael, an innovative yeshiva high school in Ramat Beit Shemesh with a mission to empower olim with the skills, values, and mentorship necessary for a successful launch into Israeli society. The Harts heard about him through a friend. A meeting was arranged.

It’s never easy to choose a passionate vision of a start-up over a tried and tested school with a track record and a history. But within minutes of sitting down with Rabbi Kronenberg, the Harts knew something special was happening. To the Harts, it felt like this Yeshiva was bashert. 

The school’s philosophy is all about meeting each student where they are and guiding them forward, helping boys weave together their Torah learning and general interests into a proud, unified identity. For Betzalel, this yeshiva meant he didn’t have to squeeze into a mold. He could be himself – an American-born, newly observant teen adjusting to Israeli life, and still feel 100% part of the yeshiva.

Fast forward to today: their son is thriving in 11th grade. He’s delving into Gemara (Talmud study) by day and jamming on guitar with new friends by night. Academically, he’s catching up on Hebrew and excelling in the small, supportive classes. Socially, he’s bonded with classmates from four different countries, each with their own interesting back story. This was exactly the diverse peer group he needed to feel at home and grounded. 

Akiva and Chava marvel at Betzalel’s enthusiasm for learning and are so grateful that he has made such an incredible group of friends so quickly. They credit the yeshiva’s warm and personalized approach. Between the passionate rebbeim and the school’s emphasis on character building and values, their son has truly blossomed.

Beyond Labels: A Doorway to Endless Possibility

The Hart family’s aliyah adventure underscores a larger truth: when it comes to forging a meaningful spiritual life, there is no one-size-fits-all path. And that’s exactly the ethos of Yesodei Yisrael. Rabbi Kronenberg often describes the yeshiva as an Aliya onramp, a doorway, one that opens to endless possibilities for each student and family. 

In a short amount of time, the Hart family has gone from California dreamers to Israeli role models. Their message is clear: with a strong foundation (yesod) in Torah and identity, you can soar to great heights. As the Harts often remind their online followers, anyone can “flood the world with light and joy.”

Yesodei Yisrael has provided an outlet for Betzalel’s light and will IY”H prove to be the perfect doorway to limitless growth and opportunity in his life.

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Family Spotlight Written by Rebecca Shapiro

Aside from being a proud fellow Yesodei Yisrael mom, Rebecca Shapiro is Yesodei Yisrael's communications and marketing specialist. She is a published author, writer, illustrator, and ghostwriter with over two decades of experience creating content on education, psychology, healthcare and Jewish thought. Her work, both credited and behind the scenes, has been endorsed by world-renowned specialists in their fields. She also provides full service self-publishing support and consulting services in curriculum development, branding, content creation, communications and marketing for individuals, businesses, academic institutions and nonprofits.