Who We Are

P'nai Or (" Faces of Light") is a warm and welcoming independent  Jewish community in Long Beach that joyfully embraces Judaism through Torah, prayer, learning and song. We draw on the wisdom from all traditions of Judaism and are not affiliated with any specific denomination or movement.  We are a diverse community, welcoming to all who wish to walk a Jewish path together and seek to deepen Jewish spirituality and practice.

Spiritual Leadership

Rabbi Micha’el Akiba is the Rabbi and Spiritual Leader of P'nai Or.  Rabbi Micha'el is a teacher of Torah, T'fillah and the Kabbalah.

Along with guiding P’nai Or, Rabbi Micha’el Akiba also teaches Torah, Tanakh and Jewish Law at Los Angeles Hebrew High School; music at Growing Gardens Pre-School (Chabad) in Redondo Beach; teaches Hebrew and Kabbalah privately; and offers spiritual guidance to individuals (both in Southern California and as well to seekers from around the world).

Rabbi Micha'el  completed his doctoral coursework in music at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles. While at USC, he was the conductor of the USC Mens’ Chorale and the assistant conductor of the internationally-known USC Chamber Singers. For many years, Rabbi Micha’el worked professionally in Los Angeles as a musician, composer-arranger, and award-winning musical director.

Rabbi Micha’el received the personal semichah (ordination) of Rabbi Zalman Schacter-Shalomi. He received an M.A (in Ancient Near Eastern Studies: Languages and Literatures from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor); M.Div. and M.Th. (with an emphasis in exegesis and sacred liturgy from the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago); and an M.Mus. (in orchestral conducting from Michigan State University, East Lansing).

In the secular world, Rabbi Micha'el works as a private corporate consultant, helping companies to become high-performance teams by focusing on improving communication and developing their hidden inner strength.