Gabriel Cohen, Jewish educator and community activist, died on May 18, 2007 in Bellevue from complications of a stroke suffered in July 2005, immediately following his testimony arguing for the rights of the homeless to the King County Council.
Gabriel was born on April 19, 1926 in Montreal, Canada and spent his childhood in Jerusalem and Brooklyn. After graduating from Yeshiva University, he joined the fight for the liberation and independence of Israel serving as a tank commander from 1947 through 1949. He became an ardent advocate for peace in the Middle East, serving on the board of directors of the Compassionate Listening Project, an organization dedicated to reconciliation and communication.
Gabriel earned a Master’s degree in Education and later a Doctorate in Gerontology from the University of Rochester.
His early career was devoted to Jewish education. He served as education director at Germantown Jewish Center in Philadelphia, Pa. and Congregation Har Shalom in Potomac, Md. He 0was also the headmaster of Solomon Schechter Day School in Philadelphia. For over a decade he spent his summers running the educational programs at Camp Ramah in the Poconos. He was executive director of the Board of Jewish Education in Rochester, N.Y. and moved to Seattle to take a similar position at the Seattle Jewish Education Council.
Gabriel was elected president of the Jewish Educators’ Assembly, an organization of professionals dedicated to the advancement of Jewish education. An educator and activist, he was also on the national board of directors of the Gray Panthers and the Retired Senior Volunteers. He was appointed to the King County Senior Advisory Council. A member of the board of Temple B’nai Torah in Bellevue, he was active in efforts to create tikkun olam (repairing the world). Gabriel’s doctorate was on intergenerational education, and he used his knowledge to benefit organizations such as Generations United and Intergenerational Innovations.
Gabriel is survived by Anita, his wife of 25 years, of Bellevue; brothers, Daniel (Fern) Cohen and Joseph (Claire) Cohen of New York; son Michael (Soni) Cohen of St. Louis Park, Minn.; daughters, Mina (Jeffrey Berenson) Cohen of Mendocino, Calif., Debby (Sam) Tucker of Potomac, Md., Elaine Lipson of Seattle, and Judi Tamblin of Rochester, N.Y.; grandchildren Aaron and Benjamin Cohen, Elana and Yael Berenson, Seth and Jennifer Tucker, and Richard and Maria Tamblin. He is also survived by his first wife, Judith Meisel, who resides in Santa Barbara, Calif.
Funeral services were held May 20 at Temple B’nai Torah in Bellevue. Memorials can be made to the Gabriel Cohen Education Fund and sent to Temple B’nai Torah, 15727 NE 4th St., Bellevue, WA 98008.