
From Vietnam to Philanthropy: The Life I Never Planned Stephen Rosedale
From Zero Percent by Menachem Lehrfield
February 25, 2026 · 41 min · Season 4 · Episode 3
About this episode
Stephen Rosedale shares his transformative journey from Vietnam veteran to philanthropic leader, emphasizing the importance of community and personal trials in shaping a life of purpose.
🎧 Listen to this and other episodes at www.joidenver.com/podcasts. Welcome to Zero Percent, the podcast that explores the outsized impact of the Jewish people! 🌟Vietnam veteran and healthcare entrepreneur Stephen Rosedale built one of America's largest post-acute care systems, but his most defining moments happened long before that. In this episode, Stephen shares how a chance encounter in college led him to Israel, how combat in Vietnam forged an unbreakable promise to be his "brother's keeper," and how a single tap on the shoulder at a bar mitzvah changed his life at 47. Discover how Stephen's philosophy of "hearts touching hearts" became both the foundation of a 25,000-employee company and a blueprint for transforming Jewish life in Cincinnati from founding a kollel to building schools and synagogues and supporting Israeli communities rebuilding after October 7th. Whether you're thinking about what it means to give, how to pass philanthropic values to the next generation, or how near-death experiences shape a life of purpose, Stephen's story is a masterclass in turning personal trials into communal impact. This episode asks a simple but powerful question: when you feel that…
People in this episode
Host: Menachem Lehrfield
Guest: Stephen Rosedale
Topics covered
- philanthropy
- Jewish life
- healthcare
- Vietnam War
- personal trials
- communal impact
- values
Keywords
- philanthropy
- Jewish community
- Vietnam veteran
- healthcare entrepreneur
- personal growth
- communal impact
- values transmission
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Cincinnati, Israel
Places: Vietnam
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