by Rabbi Ze'ev Smason | Apr 23, 2026 | Op-Eds
By Rabbi Ze’ev Smason in St. Louis Jewish Light A rabbi recently shared a story from a flight home from Israel. While preparing for a Torah class he was scheduled to give upon returning to the United States, he realized he didn’t have access to the material he...
by Rabbi Ze'ev Smason | Jan 20, 2026 | Op-Eds
By Rabbi Ze’ev Smason in St. Louis Jewish Light “Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio?” The line from Simon and Garfunkel’s “Mrs. Robinson” became one of the most famous lyrics of the 1960s. Years later, Paul Simon shared something unexpected: Joe DiMaggio himself had...
by Rabbi Ze'ev Smason | Oct 22, 2025 | Missouri, Op-Eds
Originally published in St. Louis Jewish Light Goldie Cohen, an elderly Jewish lady from the Bronx, goes to her travel agent. “I vant to go to India.” The travel agent warns her about the long journey, but Goldie insists. After arriving in India, she joins the long...
by Rabbi Ze'ev Smason | Jul 9, 2025 | Missouri, Op-Eds
Originally published in St. Louis Jewish Light Tired of the summer heat? Let’s cool off by stepping into the “treasury of snow,” as described in the Book of Job (38:22). Where does one go to learn about snow? The internet, of course. According to SnowCrystals.com,...
by Rabbi Ze'ev Smason | Apr 3, 2025 | Missouri, Op-Eds
Originally published in the St. Louis Jewish Light To most people, the 2005 movie “Wedding Crashers” is a lighthearted comedy romp in which two lovelorn bachelors crash weddings to meet women. But imagine the following scenario: At your daughter’s 500-person wedding,...
