fer ▁and ▁Joe ▁Al me ida , ▁the ▁organization ' s ▁street - sm art ▁director , ▁who ▁founded ▁it ▁after ▁his ▁daughter ▁was ▁killed ▁in ▁gang ▁cross fire . ▁ ▁Cast ▁ ▁Mary ▁Stuart ▁Master son ▁as ▁Kate ▁Br ash er ▁▁ ▁R he a ▁Perl man ▁as ▁Abb ie ▁Sch a ef fer ▁ ▁H ector ▁Eliz ondo ▁as ▁Joe ▁Al me ida ▁▁ ▁Mason ▁Gam ble ▁as ▁El vis ▁Br ash er ▁▁ ▁Gregory ▁Smith ▁as ▁Daniel ▁Br ash er ▁▁ ▁Roger ▁Robinson ▁as ▁Earl ▁ ▁Among ▁those ▁actors ▁making ▁guest ▁appearances ▁during ▁the ▁series ' ▁short ▁run ▁were ▁K ▁Call an , ▁Dennis ▁Christopher , ▁Paul ▁Do ole y , ▁Mar iet te ▁Hart ley , ▁Josh ▁Hop kins , ▁Carl ▁L umb ly , ▁David ▁N aught on ▁and ▁Mack en zie ▁Phill ips . ▁ ▁Development ▁and ▁production ▁Series ▁cre ator ▁Stephen ▁Tol kin ▁based ▁the ▁character ▁of ▁Al me ida ▁on ▁Rab bi ▁Mark ▁Bor ov itz , ▁an ▁ex - conv ict ▁and ▁alco hol ic ▁who ▁became ▁the ▁spiritual ▁leader ▁of ▁Gate ways ▁Beit ▁T ' Sh uv ah , ▁a ▁resident ial ▁treatment ▁center ▁for ▁Jews ▁in ▁recovery ▁from ▁alco hol ▁and ▁drug ▁add iction . ▁The ▁two ▁men ▁met ▁when ▁Tol kin ▁contact ed ▁the ▁ra bbi ▁for ▁help ▁with ▁a ▁friend ▁who ▁was ▁dealing ▁with ▁subst ance ▁ab use . ▁ ▁Although ▁set ▁in ▁Santa ▁Mon ica , ▁California , ▁the ▁series ▁was ▁shot ▁on ▁location ▁in ▁San ▁Diego , ▁California