Rabbi Valerie Cohen

rabbi@bethisraelms.org

Read the September Divrei Ha Rav

Valerie Cohen currently serves as the Rabbi of Beth Israel Congregation in Jackson, Mississippi. Rabbi Cohen grew up in Merritt Island, Florida, and has wanted to become a rabbi since she was 14 years old. She was very involved in her youth group, and served as the Chaplain for the North American Federation of Temple Youth.

Rabbi Cohen received a bachelor’s degree in Public Relations from the University of Florida in 1993, and a Master’s degree in Hebrew Literature with her Rabbinic Ordination from the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in 1999.

For four summers, she served in various capacities at the Greene Family Camp in Bruceville, Texas. Her work there focused on religious education for children of all ages. During rabbinical school, she served as a student rabbi in congregations from Michigan, Mississippi, and Ohio, and worked as a chaplain at Dallas Children’s Medical Center.

After ordination, Rabbi Cohen became the assistant rabbi at Temple Israel in Memphis, Tennessee, where she was one of three rabbis serving a population of over 4,500 Jews. She shared with them the many clergy responsibilities, including leading worship services and delivering sermons, officiating at life cycle events, teaching children and adults, counseling, and much more.

On July 1, 2003 Rabbi Cohen became the Rabbi for Beth Israel Congregation in Jackson, Mississippi. She enjoys being the rabbi of a small congregation because she knows the name of almost every member who walks through the door.

Rabbi Cohen is married to Jonathan Cohen, who serves as the Director of the Henry S. Jacobs Camp in Utica, Mississippi. They have a son, Gabriel, and a daughter, Marisa.