Our Leadership
Rabbi Mordecai Finley, Ph. D.
Rabbi Mordecai Finley is Co-Founder, Co-CEO and Rabbi of Ohr HaTorah Synagogue.
He received his doctorate in Religion-Social Ethics from the University of Southern California.
In addition to his work at Ohr HaTorah, he serves as a professor at the Academy for Jewish Religion, California Campus, where he has taught Liturgy, Jewish Mysticism and Spirituality, and Professional Skills. He is married to Meirav Finley , also Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Ohr HaTorah, and is the father of two sons, Levi Yitzchak and Kayitz, and two daughters, Shulamit and Avigayil.
Rebbetzin Meirav Finley
Meirav Shevah Finley is Co-Founder of Ohr HaTorah Congregation and serves as Executive and Educational Director.
Born and raised in Eilat, Israel, she served in the Israeli Air Force. She then went on to study English Literature at Hebrew University and Linguistics at Tel Aviv University. After moving to LA in 1984, Meirav worked as a teacher at Heschel Day School, LA Hebrew High and Union Hebrew High. She administered an adult education program at Stephen S. Wise Temple.
Rabbi Finley and Meirav started The Learning Circle and managed the Mountain Top Minyan and Children's Program. Meirav and Rabbi Mordecai Finley are the parents of two sons, Lev and Kayitz, and two daughters, Shulamit and Avigayil.
Rabbinic Intern Yeshaia Blakeney
Yeshaia Blakeney is a philosopher and a dreamer, always looking to the stars, whose teaching is rooted in the quest for pragmatic truths about existence and living. His uncontrived spirituality is the result of reading, learning, listening, participating, counseling, dancing, singing, teaching and mystical leanings. Yeshaia is currently enrolled in Rabbinical School at AJRCA, pursuing a Masters in Rabbinics. As a student of Rabbi Finley, he was immediately drawn to his wisdom, his intellect and his willingness to engage in conversation. He knew from his very first class with Rabbi Finley that he wanted to study closely with him as often as possible.
Yeshaia is the co-founder of Recover Integrity Treatment Program and an addictions expert with 12 yrs experience working in treatment. Receiving his addictions counseling education at UCLA, he then received his BA from Antioch University. Specializing in spiritual counseling, philosophy of addiction, group facilitation and addiction education, Yeshaia's experience, knowledge and know-how is unique in the field of drug and alcohol treatment.
A creative soul, Yeshaia is also a writer, producer and rapper of hip-hop soul music and is currently working on the most ambitious movie trilogy script in the history of this rotation of the universe...in his spare time.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Rabbi Mordecai Finley,
Co-CEO, President
Meirav Finley,
Co-CEO, Vice - President,
Secretary, Executive Director
Pamela Anderson-Mahoney is the founder and director of Epidemiology Resources. She began her career working in industry at Lockheed's "Skunkworks" program where she identified groups of workers at high risk for injury and illness using a state-of-the-art surveillance system and prediction techniques. She used this data to design interventions to minimize risk and prevent injurious exposures. She then served at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the world famous Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) often known as the Disease Detectives. She was Principal Investigator for a multisite behavioral study overseen by the CDC. Dr. Anderson-Mahoney has successfully managed multi-million dollar research budgets with staff, overhead, equipment, travel, recruiting, etc. She has a strong academic foundation in epidemiologic methods with an M.S. and Ph.D. in epidemiology from UCLA's School of Public Health. Her wide range of practical experience in government, private and public sectors make her uniquely qualified to provide scientific consultation, guidance, and expert witness testimony.
2nd Vice-President, Treasurer
Pamela Mahoney
Helána Barry has been a licensed clinical psychologist since 1976. She took a post-doctoral fellowship at the UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute followed by a clinical faculty position in the Department of Pediatrics at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center where she taught developmental psychology to medical residents and fellows.She served as a consultant to medical teams in various clinics specializing in craniofacial anomalies, failure-to-thrive, child abuse and neurological disorders.
Dr. Barry has directed an inpatient 48 hour crisis stabilization clinic at the Riverside General Hospital, consulted with medical staff for the LA County Coastal Region outpatient clinics, and presented seminars for county staff and community groups. She has has testified in child abuse cases and had admitting privileges in various private psychiatric hospitals for children, adolescents and adults.
Among her specialties are individual and group therapy, play therapy for children and assessing character and personality strengths.
Director at Large
Helana Barry
Mickey Shapiro was one of the Founding members of OHT in 1993 having served as its first elected President for two consecutive terms and again for another two-year term. Mickey is a native Angelano having attend UCLA as an undergraduate and then USC where he earned in Law degree having also served as Student Body President while at USC. Mickey commenced his professional career as an entertainment attorney, personal manager, video producer in 1965 having represented such acts as Fleetwood Mac, Eric Clapton, Wilson Phillips, Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke, among others. In 1998 Mickey founded SPOTLIGHT HEALTH until 2000 when he returned to the management and production businesses. In 2004 Mickey founded Medical Marketing Services, LLC and has continued in the personal management and consulting business since 1979 as the owner and founder of MRS Enterprises, Inc currently managing Carnie Wilson (Wilson Phillips) and Justin Lanning. Mickey is the proud father of three sons, David, Brian and Stone.
Director at Large
Michael Shapiro