Rabbi Michael M. Cohen
Rabbi Emeritus, Israel Congregation of Manchester
Rabbi Michael M. Cohen is a graduate of the University of Vermont where he received the History Award, and graduated in 1980 with honors for his work on Lenin’s Theory of Self-Determination and the Muslims of the Soviet Union. After graduating from UVM he worked for the American Zionist Youth Foundation for two years. Over the years he participated in a number of programs in Israel: NFTY Archeological Seminar; CAY on Maale HaChamisha; KABAK on Tirat Tzvi; Sherut La’am; Marva (was Hanich Mitztiyan); Hebrew University; Machon Meir.
Rabbi Cohen received ordination from the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College in 1990. He was the Rabbi of the Israel Congregation in Manchester Center, Vermont from 1990-2000. He also served as the President of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association. In 1993 he was awarded the Unsung Hero Award by the Town of Manchester. Rabbi Cohen was a founding faculty member of The Arava Institute for Environmental Studies (www.friendsofarava.org) located on Kibbutz Ketura in 1996 while on sabbatical from the Israel Congregation. The Arava Institute is the premier environmental teaching and research program in the Middle East preparing future Arab and Jewish leaders to cooperatively solve the regions environmental challenges. He returned to the Arava Institute in 2000. From 2001- 2006 he served as the Executive Director of The Arava Institute North America. In 2002 he co-founded the Green Zionist Alliance, the first Environmental Zionist party to run in the World Zionist Congress elections. He returned to the Arava Institute for 2004-06. At the Institute he worked on Palestinian Student recruitment, development, and other projects. He also teaches two classes at the Institute: Genesis As a Key to Environmental Thought and Moses: A Study of Leadership and Environmental Wisdom. Rabbi Cohen is presently the Director of Special Projects for the Friends of the Arava Institute working on development and student recruitment issues for the Arava Institute in North America. He is also the VP Global Resource Development for the Arava Power Company which is working to make Solar Power the main energy source for southern Israel and Jordan. He is the author if numerous articles in Haaretz, the Jerusalem Post, the Jerusalem Report, The Palestine Times, the Israel-Palestine Journal, The Jordan Times, the Rutland Herald, etc, a VPR Commentator, and is completing writing a novella, "Einstein's Rabbi." He presently serves on the Board of the Burr & Burton Academy and the Energy and Trees Committees of the Town of Manchester.
Related articles:
Fostering Peace in a Land of War
Feeding the Enemy
Omer Teaching: Beyond the Human Perspective
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E-mail Rabbi Michael
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