Rabbi Noah Zvi Farkas serves as a rabbi at Valley Beth Shalom in Encino, California. He was ordained at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America in 2008 where he won numerous academic prizes in the areas of Jewish Philosophy and Talmud. During his time in rabbinical school he co-founded the Rabbinic Leadership for Public Life Fellowship, a program that teaches Jewish clergy the art of communal engagement, which is now run by Jewish Funds for Justice.

Before coming to VBS, Noah served as the Student Rabbi at Congregation Beth Israel in Biloxi, Mississippi where he helped rebuild the Gulf Coast Jewish community after Hurricane Katrina. He has recently resigned his commission as a United States Navy chaplain.

In addition to his work at VBS, Noah has co-founded Netiya: the LA Jewish Coalition on Food, Environment, and Social Justice. He has presented at many national conferences about Judaism, the Environment and Social Justice. Noah has also published several articles on Jewish Philosophy and Jewish communal life. His forthcoming book is entitled, The Social Action Manual: Six Steps to Repairing the World (Behrman House). Noah lives with his wife Sarah and his daughter Meira in Sherman Oaks. Noah's number one passion after spending time with his family is thinking up creative ice cream flavors.