A
native of San Francisco, Steve grew up attending
Congregation Beth Sholom, the largest Conservative
synagogue in Northern California. On Friday
nights, the Rabbi began inviting 8-year-old
Steve to lead the congregation in singing the
Kiddush. At the oneg, congregants would inform
Steve, “You’re going to be a Cantor
when you grow up!” But Steve would always
reply, “No I’m not. I’m going
to be a sportscaster!”
After attending a Jewish Day School,
Religious School, public middle and high schools,
Steve went off to the University of California,
San Diego to pursue a career in broadcasting.
Upon returning home to San Francisco in 1989,
Steve embarked on a 14-year career as radio
and television producer, guest booker, parody-song
writer and reluctant stunt guy. He even worked
at a sports station, but never received the
go-ahead to report on the air. All the while,
Steve taught religious school at Beth Sholom,
wrote and directed PurimSpiels, led a USY group,
created a “Kibbitzer” e-newsletter
for 1,500 young adults, and joined a cadre of
service leaders and Torah readers. In addition,
he led a communal overflow Kol Nidre service
for ten years.
In 2003, Steve was laid off from
a television guest booking position, and went
on a soul-searching mission. His then-fiancee
(now wife), Meredith, expressed her desire to
return to her native Massachusetts. Upon meeting
with a career counselor and expressing that
he wanted to “leave my mark”, Steve
literally Googled “Masters in Jewish Education
+ Boston” and the second listing (after
Brandeis) was Hebrew College.
Steve was accepted to the Master’s
program in September 2004, and hoped to acquire
a certificate in “Cantorial Arts”.
But that Summer, the Cantor-Educator program
was established, and Steve was accepted anew.
While studying Jewish education and chazzanut,
Steve taught at Temple Beth Sholom in Framingham,
Kesher Newton, Temple Reyim in Newton, and Congregation
Or Atid in Wayland. Among his accomplishments,
Steve instituted the first group B’nai
Mitzvah program at Temple Reyim, and crafted
his own Mitzvot/Israel/Holocaust curriculum
at Or Atid. He honed his cantorial chops leading
High Holidays services at Hillel B’nai
Torah in West Roxbury, and as a Torah reader
at Or Atid.
Upon receiving his Masters and
Cantorial ordination in June 2008 (completing
the five-year program in four years), Cantor
Steve was hired as Director of Congregational
Learning at Temple Ahavat Achim in Gloucester.
He organized daily Shirah (community singing),
modern Hebrew games, special programs for Sukkot,
Chanukah, Purim and Passover, and erev Ivrit
(an evening of Hebrew conversation, Israeli
food, music and culture). Adult education classes
included Music of the High Holidays and Passover,
Torah trope, beginning Hebrew, and a power-point
survey course called “Jewish Music: From
Bible to the Beastie Boys”. Cantor Steve
eagerly anticipates bringing many of these programs
to Temple Beth Torah.
Steve lives in Marlborough with
his wife Meredith, a Speech and Language Pathologist
working in the public schools in Acton, and
adorable cat Po (Hebrew for “here”).
He enjoys music, running, cooking and crossword
puzzles. Steve looks forward to getting to know
you, and learning with and from you!
Summer office hours: Tuesdays
9:30 am – 5:30 pm,
Thursday and Friday 9:30 am – 1:30 pm
Sunday mornings after school is in session.
