Ze'ev Smason

Rabbi Ze'ev Smason
Rabbi Smason was born in Chicago and raised in Los Angeles.

Rabbi Ze'ev Smason is the spiritual leader of Nusach Hari B'nai Zion, an orthodox congregation in St. Louis. He lives in University City with his wife, Chani, and their 9 children.

Education
Rabbi Smason graduated from UCLA with a degree in Political Science. He then pursued rabbinical studies for 8 years in Jerusalem, receiving ordination and continuing post-graduate studies while lecturing there on Torah, Philosophy, Ethics, and Current Issues.

Career
From 1988-97 Rabbi Smason was associate director of Aish HaTorah Center of Jewish Studies of St. Louis; from January 1998, through June 1999, he served as Associate Rabbi and Family Educator of Nusach Hari B'nai Zion before being chosen by the membership to assume the pulpit of the synagogue.

Back in August, 2007, a volunteer at Nusach Hari B'nai Zion was arrested on charges of child molestation. Rabbi Smason, received "The Child Advocate of the Week Award" from The Awareness Center for doing the right thing when he learned that there was an alleged sex offender in his synagogue. He then became one of the founders of Our Precious Children. A non-profit organization to assist Jewish survivors of sexual abused children residing in the St. Louis area.

Awards
Child Advocate of The Week: Rabbi Ze'ev Smason