Rabbi Dovid Cohen

Associate Rabbi, Young Israel of the West Side and Sgan Mashgiach Ruchani, Yeshiva University, Manhattan, NY

Oct 3, 2006

Rabbi Dovid Cohen grew up in West Hempstead, NY and graduated from HAFTR High School. He then spent two years studying at Yeshivat Sha'alvim in Israel. He attended Yeshiva University, was awarded a Samuel Belkin Scholarship for Academic Merit, and graduated cum laude with a BA in History.

Rabbi Cohen was inspired to enter the rabbinate by his maternal grandfather-Rabbi Meir Felman z"l, a former RCA Vice President and a pulpit Rabbi for over forty years, and decided to enter the semicha program of the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary of Yeshiva University. At this time he also was admitted to the Columbia Law School. He completed his semicha yoreh yoreh in 1997 and completed his Juris Doctor degree in 1999.

Rabbi Cohen served as the Assistant Rabbi to Rabbi Benjamin Yudin at Congregation Shomrei Torah of Fair Lawn, NJ for five years, learning much from his experienced, senior colleague. After serving in Fair Lawn, Rabbi Cohen embarked upon a legal career, practicing white collar criminal defense for two years at the law firm of Simpson, Thacher & Bartlett and then bankruptcy and restructuring for two years at the law firm of Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson.

While visiting Israel during a vacation, Rabbi Cohen met his future wife and decided to leave the practice of law and move to Jerusalem to begin married life. In Jerusalem, Rabbi Cohen learned in Kollel Sharei Meir under the guidance of Harav Yaakov Freidman, a product of the Lakewood and Mir Yeshivas and a disciple of Harav Chaim Brimm, a student of the Chazon Ish. Rabbi Cohen also did intensive work on the interface between Jewish law and fertility at the Puah Institute in Jerusalem, as well as gaining an expertise in the area of family purity. He also taught at various Jerusalem seminaries, including Michlalah, Midreshet Tehilla and Midreshet Moriah. He will be completing a Masters of Science degree from the University of North Texas in Clinical Sociology with a concentration in family therapy. His clinical training was at The Family Institute of Neve Yerushalayim under the leadership of Dr. Yisrael Levitz.

Rabbi Cohen has received various rabbinical awards, lectures regularly, and has published articles in popular journals. He currently serves as the Associate Rabbi of the Young Israel of the West Side of Manhattan, where he works in partnership with HaRav Emanuel Gettinger, a student of Rabbi Yitzchak Hutner. He is a Sgan Mashgiach Ruchani at Yeshiva University.

Rabbi Cohen's wife, Ruchi (nee Eisenberg) is the daughter of RCA member Chief Rabbi Chaim Eisenberg of Vienna, Austria. They are the proud parents of Yedidya Shlomo & Tzippora Anaelle.