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TEMPLE BETH EMUNAH ANNOUNCES A NEW RABBI
“I’ve got big shoes to fill,” Rabbi Cohen smiles, referring to his predecessor, Rabbi H. David Werb, who served the congregation and the larger community for 36 years.
Having built a reputation as dynamic, caring, and visionary in Skokie, Illinois, Rabbi Cohen has 13 years of experience providing a range of rabbinical duties and serving in Jewish experiential educational positions.
Members of the temple’s Search Committee were impressed with Rabbi Cohen’s considerable counseling experience with adults and adolescents, background in donor cultivation, team building and staff development skills, and “an outgoing personality combining passion for Judaism with love for Israel and strong conversational Hebrew.”
Temple President Bob Fishman said, “We’re excited to welcome Rabbi Cohen as our new spiritual leader. We look forward to his interaction with our membership at large and particularly with our youth. His camp leadership experience will be an invaluable asset as he undertakes his new post.”
“There’s a real sense of community here. People are warm and welcoming, motivated to do more, understand more and be more,” says Rabbi Cohen. “This community has a richness that you don’t see in many places – and I visited 35 communities across the Midwest in my prior position with the Camp Ramah organization.”
In 1995, Rabbi Cohen earned degrees in History at Columbia University and in Jewish History at List College, both in New York. He earned an M.A. degree from the William Davidson Graduate School of Jewish Education and was ordained as a rabbi at the Jewish Theological Seminary in 2001. For 6 ½ years Rabbi Cohen was Assistant Director of the 500-camper Camp Ramah in Wisconsin.
He has served in volunteer capacities with the Solomon Schechter Day Schools of Chicago, and as national enrollment coordinator with the National Ramah Commission. Rabbi Cohen is a
member of the Rabbinical Assembly, the Jewish Educators Assembly, Midwest Jewish Camp Directors, and the American Camp Association.
Rabbi Cohen and his wife Sarah Bierman have a 2 ½ year-old daughter, Sidney. Sarah has joined the educational staff of the South Area Solomon Schechter School which recently moved to a new campus in Norwood.
For Temple Beth Emunah membership and or religious school information, call 508-583-5810, or visit www.templebethemunah.org. -- By Stanley Hurwitz
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