Cohen ‘Outstanding’ Community Leader
SPECIAL FOR THE AJT //
On May 19, ORT Atlanta’s Next Gen Board will honor Cobi Edelson Cohen as the first recipient of the Outstanding Community Leadership Award.
Leisa Richman and Diana Luskin Margolis, both proactive leaders on the newly formed Board, volunteered for the role of co-chairs for this inaugural event. Together, they are extremely proud and excited to award Cohen, who was the Board’s immediate first choice as an honoree.
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They agree that she bests represents what strong leadership looks like in the Atlanta Jewish Community.
“No one deserves this award more than Cobi,” said Richman. “Cobi does not just know people, she connects the dots.”
According to the Board, Cohen was selected because she exemplifies what the next generation of Jewish leaders should strive to represent: a dynamic and influential young adult who has not only made a difference in the community around her, but has helped to form the landscape of the young adult Jewish community in Atlanta.
“As a young leader in the Atlanta community, Cobi has led many of us to valuable connections both professionally and socially that would not have developed without her,” Margolis said. “For this, we are truly grateful and want to acknowledge her for her efforts.”
Cohen, a native of Raleigh, N.C, has taken an active role in volunteerism for much of her young adult life. In 2003, she graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and moved to Atlanta.
At first, she found it difficult to navigate the small but very segmented local Jewish community. She therefore took it upon herself to bring those segments together: In 2006, Cohen initiated a group called “636” that engaged young Jewish audiences in social activities around the city.
Then, in 2007, Cohen began compiling a fully comprehensive list of monthly activities from Jewish organizations around the greater Atlanta area. This list, recognized simply as “Cobi’s List,” reaches hundreds of young community members and has become an integral resource to Atlanta’s Jewish community.
Consequently, Cohen has now touched more lives than she knows personally by keeping people informed of current local events and opportunities to get involved. She has also been involved with Young Leadership Council (YLC) of the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta (JFGA) since 2004; served on the JFGA Board of Directors from 2008 to 2011; and was a member of the Board of Directors for the Jewish National Fund Southeast Region from 2006 to 2010.
“I’m honored and humbled to be recognized and to receive this inaugural award,” Cohen said. “I hope that it inspires others to get involved in our community and to take on leadership roles.”
As its mission, ORT is committed to strengthening communities throughout the world by educating people against all odds and obstacles.
“It is leaders like Cobi who help make it possible for Jewish organizations like ours to continue thriving,” said ORT Atlanta Region Director Jenna Shulman. “The determination and commitment that we recognize in her is a quality that we hope to emulate in many other future leaders as they continue learning about the power of leadership. We are incredibly proud to be able to honor Cobi with this award.”
Cohen currently works as the Digital Marketing Coordinator at Jewish Family & Career Services. She lives in Dunwoody with her husband, Bennie Cohen.
The award presentation will be held May 19 at the Marcus Hillel Center at Emory University at 5:30 p.m. Tickets – which include heavy appetizers, an open bar, musical entertainment and a special program recognizing Cohen – are on sale now. Tribute messages and sponsorships are also available. Please visit ORTAtlanta.org/Leadership_Event.php or email nextgenatl@ortamerica.org for more information.
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