Bill Text: NY J02398 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Honoring Rabbi Martin Samuel Cohen and his wife, Joan Cohen, for many years of distinguished service to the Jewish community

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2024-05-14 - ADOPTED [J02398 Detail]

Download: New_York-2023-J02398-Introduced.html

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Senate Resolution No. 2398

BY: Senator MARTINS

        HONORING  Rabbi  Martin Samuel Cohen and his wife,
        Joan Cohen, for many years of distinguished  service
        to the Jewish community

  WHEREAS,  The character and richness of religious and community life
in this noble Empire  State  is  nourished  and  fulfilled  through  the
faithful  concern  and selfless devotion of those who would commit their
energies and purpose to the ministry of others; and

  WHEREAS, It is the sense of this  Legislative  Body  to  bring  full
recognition  and  just  tribute  to  those  individuals  who distinguish
themselves and the ministry through  their  unremitting  commitment  and
preeminence of service; and

  WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to honor Rabbi Martin
Samuel  Cohen  and his wife, Joan Cohen, for many years of distinguished
service to the Jewish community; and

  WHEREAS, Rabbi Martin Samuel Cohen,  a  native  of  New  York  City,
received his Bachelor of Arts degree, graduating with the highest honor,
summa  cum  laude, from the City University of New York; in 1978, he was
ordained as a rabbi at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America  where
he also earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree in ancient Judaism in 1982;
and

  WHEREAS,  The  recipient  of post-doctoral fellowships at the Hebrew
University in 1983 and Harvard University in 1993, Rabbi  Martin  Samuel
Cohen  has also lectured on the history of religion at Hunter College of
the City University of New York and  taught  Bible  and  Talmud  at  the
Jewish  Theological  Seminary  of  America  and the Institute for Jewish
Studies, attached to the University of Heidelberg in Germany; and

  WHEREAS, In 1986, Rabbi Martin Samuel Cohen left Europe  for  Canada
where  he  accepted  the  pulpit  of  the  Beth  Tikvah  Congregation in
Richmond, British Columbia; in 1999, he left Canada to assume the pulpit
of Congregation Eilat in Mission Viejo, California, leaving in  2002  to
become  the rabbi of the Shelter Rock Jewish Center in Roslyn, New York,
where he has served for 13 years; and

  WHEREAS, After 22 years of compassionate faith and exemplary service
to God, man, and community, Rabbi Martin Samuel Cohen,  amateur  pianist
and   dog  lover,  will  retire;  upon  retirement,  he  will  have  the
opportunity to spend more time with his wife, two  sons,  daughter,  and
five grandchildren; and

  WHEREAS, With Rabbi Martin Samuel Cohen throughout, and deserving of
her  own commendation, has been Joan Cohen who has served as an educator
and Head of the Drama Department at the Schechter School of Long  Island
for many years; and

  WHEREAS,  In addition to his work as teacher and rabbi, Rabbi Martin
Samuel Cohen is an author and has published two  scientific  studies  in
the  history  of pre-Kabbalistic Jewish mysticism, four novels, and four

books of essays, as well as his own 2004 edition of the Book of  Psalms,
titled Our Haven and Our Strength: The
 Book of Psalms in New Translation; and

  WHEREAS,  More recently, Rabbi Martin Samuel Cohen has published the
two-volume prayer book for the house of mourning, a children's book, and
a book on the exploration of the relationship between study of the Torah
and service in the congregational rabbinate; and

  WHEREAS, From 1997 to 2000, Rabbi  Martin  Samuel  Cohen  served  as
Chairman  of  the  Publications Committee of the Rabbinical Assembly and
chaired the Editorial  Board  of  the  quarterly  journal,  Conservative
Judaism, for the last 12 years; and

  WHEREAS,  Rabbi  Martin  Samuel Cohen served as Senior Editor of the
2012 landmark volume, defining Conservative Jewish life,  The  Observant
Life:   The Wisdom of Conservative Judaism for Contemporary Jews, and is
currently working on his own translation and commentary  of  the  Torah;
and

  WHEREAS,  Rabbi  Martin  Samuel  Cohen  has  brought an overwhelming
spirit of charity and compassion to his ministry and  community,  acting
from  vision  and  enlightenment  in  conducting  his administrative and
spiritual duties, while  always  displaying  the  highest  standards  of
personal and professional integrity and dedication; and

  WHEREAS,   This   distinguished   man   of   God  has  always  given
enlightenment, guidance, and wisdom to the many entrusted  to  his  care
and  has  administered  abundantly and unstintingly to the spiritual and
corporal needs of all; and

  WHEREAS, It  is  the  sense  of  this  Legislative  Body  that  when
individuals  of  such  noble aims and accomplishments are brought to our
attention, it is appropriate to publicly  and  jubilantly  proclaim  and
commend those individuals for the edification of others; now, therefore,
be it

  RESOLVED,  That  this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor Rabbi Martin Samuel Cohen and his wife, Joan Cohen, for many years
of distinguished service to the Jewish community, and extend to them the
heartfelt  best  wishes  of  this  Legislative  Body  for  a  future  of
purposeful success and well-being; and be it further

  RESOLVED,  That  copies  of  this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to Rabbi Martin Samuel Cohen and Joan Cohen.