David Cohen
A major Harrisburg-area organization has announced a new day-to-day leader, just as it plans to make a big move.
On Wednesday, the Jewish Federation of Greater Harrisburg announced the appointment of David Cohen as its new president and CEO, following a yearlong, national search.
According to the federation, Cohen, currently of Boston, has experience helping federations, JCCs, synagogues, summer camps, Jewish day schools and other Jewish organizations succeed.
Cohen will play a critical role as the federation transitions to the new Alexander Grass Campus for Jewish Life, which is slated to open later this year, according to the federation. In April 2022, the federation purchased the former Dixon University Center, located on the 2800-block of N. Front Street in Harrisburg, from the PA State System of Higher Education for its new home.
It will move from its long-time location on the 3300-block of N. Front St. in Harrisburg.
“We’re grateful to be bringing David on board. He’s someone with all the skills and expertise that you would want in a federation leader, and who’s also an incredibly down-to-earth, haimish¸ warm person who fits in with the culture and sensibility of our Harrisburg Jewish community,” said Abby Smith, federation board chair. “For him, it goes beyond working within the Jewish community, but also being a Jewish ambassador and leader within the community at-large.”
Cohen will join the federation in mid-August. He succeeds Arnie Sohinki, who has led the organization in an interim role since last summer.
Most recently, Cohen served with the Jewish Community Relations Council in Boston and as JCRC director in Richmond. He also has served as an administrator with the Shlenker School of Congregation Beth Israel in Houston and as the director of Congregational Learning at Temple Sinai Congregation in Toronto, Canada, among other prior positions.
“I am excited to meet with even more community leaders and a wide spectrum of community members to hear what they’d like the future of Harrisburg to look like,” Cohen said. “The Jewish Federation is already a great convener of different segments of the community and there are amazing people in leadership of the Jewish community—to take that to the next level is the goal, with even more support for learning, community and connectivity.”
For more information on the Jewish Federation of Greater Harrisburg, visit their website.
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