Steve has a Masters Degree in Jewish Education from Hebrew Union College in Los Angeles and a BA from UCLA. For the last 20 years he has managed support and training teams across Silicon Valley. In October 2017, Steve accompanied a 200-year-old Torah Scroll back to its ancestral home in Olomouc in the Czech Republic for the first time in 78 years. It was an amazing, historic, one-of-a kind adventure. Steve has blogged widely about the experience and is a recognized expert in the stories of the Olomouc Scroll and its sister scroll from Cheske Budejovice.
I was at the Tikkun Leil Shavuot this week and the featured speakers were two Rabbinic students from Ziegler. The presentations were good but one of the students made a comment during the Q&A that I found absolutely astounding. He said that some of his Rabbinic classmates were, in his words, “dismissive” of Israel. I … More Dismissive of Israel? WTF?
Back in June, I had the pleasure of attending my cousin’s beautiful wedding in Tel Aviv. It was a glorious day full of joy and laughter and it was a real simcha. But all that kind of flipped for me, waking up the morning of October 7th and realizing what was happening in Israel. 1200 … More October 7th changed EVERYTHING for me!
Our dear friend Roman Gronsky was featured in an article in the Jerusalem Report this month on his efforts as a Masters Swimming Champion but more importantly, for the purposes of this blog, as the President on the Olomouc Jewish Community. He was instrumental in facilitating the return of the Torah Scroll in 2017 to … More Roman Gronsky: A Modern Maccabean Hero (Jerusalem Report, November 7, 2022)
Our dear friend from Olomouc, Rudolf Dub passed away on July 9, 2022. He was fondly remembered by his community and was also quite a character, described by people who knew him best! Zichrono Livracha … More Rudolf Dub, z’l
Following in the footsteps of Civil Rights Heros … More With Liberty and Justice For All?
What are your memories of that fateful day, 20 years ago? Mine are somewhat like yesterday, though the specifics are fading. … More 20 Years since 9-11: What a difference a few days makes?
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=225132949570827&id=523541507&sfnsn=mo I wish everyone Shanah Tova U’metukah, a Healthy, Happy and Safe 5782, starting tonight! The Mitzvah is to “hear” the Shofar, not to “sound” the Shofar so you’ve now fulfilled the tradition! There are 3 basic Shofar Blasts: Tekiyah (one un-interrupted blast) Sh’Varim (3 blasts) T’ruah (More of a Staccato, traditionally 9 blasts) There’s … More Last Shofar of 5781
It is time we gave our communal leaders a break when it comes to decisions related to the Chagim. … More Give our communal leaders a break
In October, 2017 I visited the town of Ceske Budejovice on the way down to the beautiful Czech town of Ceske Krumlov (the Hearst Castle of the Czech Republic). Here is took a few minutes to bear witness to the town that once housed our Sefer Torah and the beautiful synagogue that once stood there. … More The beautiful Synagogue building of České Budějovice
The Tao of Steve 