Rabbi Mordey Richler was born and raised in Long Beach, CA as one of eleven siblings. As a teenager and later as an adult, he found his calling as a Rabbinical student traveling across the United States, France, Canada, and Israel, spreading the wellsprings of Judaism near and far. Now, together with his wife Shaina, they seek to permanently answer their true calling: To celebrate Judaism and the warmth of our great heritage together with the Lake Tahoe community, no matter ones previous background or affiliation.
Mordey was educated in Los Angeles, and then moved to France to attend an exclusive high school specializing in the comprehensive study of the Talmud and Hassidism. While studying in Jerusalem, Israel, Mordey received his Rabbinical ordination from Chief Rabbi of Kiryat Malachi, Rabbi Yehuda Yaroslavsky.
As a young rabbinical student, Mordey combined his leadership capabilities, friendly personality, and strong Jewish beliefs, to dedicate his life towards the dissemination of Judaism. He began to travel around the world visiting different Jewish communities and organizing Jewish outreach missions in Belarus, Ukraine, Germany, Nepal and Russia. He initiated and directed holiday services, kosher meals, home visits, and taught intellectual and stimulating adult and children classes. Mordey strived to create warm and everlasting experiences to instill sparks of Jewish life within the locales. His summers were spent directing overnight camps for children of various religious backgrounds. Mordey acquired a reputation among his peers and friends as a warm, caring individual with a clear, directed mission in life.
Shaina Richler (nee Simons) grew up in Sydney, Australia. She was raised together with nine siblings to love and cherish Judaism, to live and teach its principles throughout. She attended a Jewish Day School in Sydney and upon graduation she pursued further studies at a Teacher’s Seminary in Melbourne, continuing in Safed, Israel. After earning her diploma in Israel, Shaina assumed position of Youth Director at one of the largest Jewish Day Schools in Melbourne. Shaina was able to utilize her education, Torah values, and talents to mentor young students and foster their Jewish awareness and pride. She organized and directed Jewish themed activities, and taught Torah classes. Shaina’s love and zeal for teaching Torah continued on as she taught in different schools in Los Angeles and New York. In addition to her passion for early education she directed overnight camps in Melbourne, California, and Florida.
Shaina’s warm, friendly, positive personality is felt by all who come in contact with her. She enjoys hiking and healthy living, according to her mantra, 'healthy body, healthy soul’. Shaina’s dining room table is laden with homemade, delicious food, and happy guests. She goes out of her way to lend a helpful hand to a needy friend or stranger. Mordey and Shaina maintain this aspect of a Jewish Home with joy, and accommodate all who seek a shabbat meal, some words of wisdom, or even just a chat.
Mordey and Shaina seek to create an everlasting impact, and bring Joyous Judaism, to everyone, with all their heart.