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.
As most of you know, so many things have touched me about the Olomouc Torah story. The memories are flooding back as we approach the one-year anniversary of that amazing experience in a few days. One of the connections that sticks in my head is that of Mr. Peter Briess, who, as young boy, recalled … More Peter Briess’ Story
Come again? Dayton, Ohio? You mean halfway between Indianapolis, IN and Columbus, OH? Just a hop, skip and a jump up the road from Cincinnati, OH, THAT Dayton, OH? Well, yes…let me explain… A few weeks ago, as I was researching the story of the 7 remaining Torah Scrolls from Ceske Budeovice, the home of … More The Olomouc Story is now famous in Dayton, Ohio!
We are not alone. There are in fact several other scrolls from České Budějovice spread around the world! … More Yes, Virginia, there are several České Budějovice Scrolls
John Lewis: “Do not get lost in a sea of despair. Be hopeful, be optimistic. Our struggle is not the struggle of a day, a week, a month, or a year, it is the struggle of a lifetime. Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble.” The past … More Do not be afraid
Just a short post to commemorate today’s visit back to Olomouc by members of my Synagogue community on the way from Prague to Warsaw. The Olomouc community hosted all 40 of them and made a nice BBQ lunch for them. Roman Gronsky and Rabbi Helfand How could Linda Oberstein and I forget Helga Smékalová our … More Last Bus to Olomouc
No more Memorial Candles! No more somber music! No more visits to Military Cemeteries (for now)! No more sirens (for now)! It has been too long since my last visit to Israel. How long? Well 2008 was the last time I was there and I was still doing this! Working on the Sidekick LX and … More My eyes are on Israel, today–Yom HaAtzmaut (Independence Day)–Israel @70
70 years aint chicken feed! It’s an amazing accomplishment. Something to be proud of; Something to worry about; Something to be exasperated with; Something to be vigilant about. Just now, across Israel, the first of two air raid sirens sounded. 1 minute. Silence, noise, a metaphorical shofar, bowed heads. In another 15 hours, a 2 … More My eyes are on Israel, today–Yom HaZikaron (Memorial Day)
50 Years ago, PSC started a journey. 47 years ago, The Memorial Scrolls Trust in London, England gave PSC, on permanent loan, 2 Torah scrolls rescued from the Nazis. 4 months ago, in October, 2017, I just privileged to be part of a delegation from our synagogue to return a 200-year-old Torah Scoll to its … More B’reisheet to Radical Amazememt. A collection of amazing moments
An article by Roman Gronsky who orchestrated the return of the scroll to Olomouc from Peninsula Sinai Congregation in Foster City. (Translation from the Czech by Google Translate.) In my search for the family roots and fate of our family members, in 2015, I found that two scrolls of the Olomouc Torah survived the … More Article in Zidovske listy 43 – December 2017. A long return of Torah No. 740 to Olomouc (by Roman Gronsky, Jocelyn and Doron’s Cousin in Olomouc)
I could not let it pass that my picture appears on page 14 of the December 2017 issue of the United Airlines “Hemispheres” magazine. Thanks to my friend Michael Hayat for all the hard work getting us the red carpet treatment last month! If you happen to be flying “The Friendly Skies” this month, see … More United Airlines “Hemispheres” Magazine, December, 2017 issue: “Sacred Passenger”
The Tao of Steve 