SHIMON SMITH
Shimon Smith tours the Jewish world and lives in Tel Aviv with wife Rebecca, daughter Lily and German Shepard Lucy.
Shimon is one of the leading Songleaders / Cantorial Soloists in Israel. His home congregation is The Daniel Centers for Reform Judaism in Tel Aviv, where he leads musical services, teaches hundreds of Bar and Bat Mitzvah students a year, runs the Mitzvah Chug, and leads special musical services with his band on various festive and solemn occasions. To read some testimonials of families who have worked with Shimon click here. Since the begining of the Covid Pandemic, Shimon has become the main Broadcaster and video editor for Beit Daniel and the Israeli Reform Movement - check out this page for what that looks like.
Shimon is also the spiritual leader of Tlamim, (Tel Aviv chapter) the Reform movement’s group for young adults. He also is the spiritual leader for the Reform movement’s gap-year Mechina program in Holon and does special events for Noar-Telem (Israel’s NFTY). Shimon lead HHD services as Cantorial Soloist for 9 years in Jaffa and last year for Brooklyn Jews.
Shimon leads music in social justice settings around the country in support of the Reform Center for Religion and State. He was also the music director at last year’s IMPJ conference, leading the Friday night songsession. He was invited to sing his Prayer For The State of Israel at the URJ conference in Chicago 2019. He was commissioned to write the Women Of The Wall’s 30 year anniversary song, “Kumi Ori”, and recently released an album by the same name. He is one of the leaders of “Hallelu,” Israel’s singing communities conference. He also records weekly Torah Sermons and songs for the IMPJ.
He is the musical director for the Jewish Agency’s Summer Shlichim program, which sends 1,500 Shlichim to the states every year. Next year will be his 8th year working with the organization. Shimon tours summer camps around the USA, Canada and Israel during the summer - young campers or older campers - they are all engaged.
Shimon was born in Korea to American parents, and Aliya from Hoboken, NJ as a kid. Growing up in the Israeli Conservative movement, his Nusach came before his musical chops. After serving in the IDF as an officer he went on Shlichut to the States, where he worked as the head songleader at Capital Camps for 6 summers. He’s toured Jewish summer camps every summer since. Shimon continues to write original Jewish music. He was featured in 3 Transcontinental music publications and the PJ Library. He is also the host of “The Best in Israeli Rock” on Jewish Rock Radio.
Shimon recently voice dubbed “Scar” in Hebrew, for the new Lion King movie, 2019.