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Gerson D. Cohen
Gerson D. Cohen
Personal
Born	August 26, 1924; New York City
Died	August 15, 1991 (aged 66); New York City
Religion	Judaism
Nationality	American
Denomination	Conservative
Alma mater	City College of New York, Jewish Theological Seminary of America, Columbia University
Position	Chancellor of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America
Began	1972
Ended	1986

Gerson David Cohen (August 26, 1924 – August 15, 1991) was a Jewish historian, a Conservative rabbi, and the Chancellor of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America from 1972–86. He was born in New York in 1924 and graduated from City College of New York in 1944. Cohen received his bachelor's degree, master's degree, and rabbinic ordination (1948) from the Jewish Theological Seminary of America. He received his Ph.D. in Semitic Languages at Columbia University in 1958.^[1]

Cohen served as Gustav Gottheil Lecturer at Columbia University and in a number of posts at the Jewish Theological Seminary. His posts at the Seminary included Librarian (1950-1957), Lecturer (1957-1960), Visiting Assistant Professor (1961-1964), Visiting Professor (1964-1970), and Jacob H. Schiff Professor of History (1970-1991).^[1] He was named Chancellor of the Seminary in 1972.^[2]

Cohen is especially noted for ordaining the first female rabbi in Conservative Judaism in 1985.^[3] As Chancellor, he appointed a special commission to study the issue of ordaining women as rabbis in 1977.

Cohen died in New York in 1991.

References

^ ^a ^b Scheindlin, Raymond P. (1992). "Gerson D. Cohen (1924-1991)". Proceedings of the American Academy for Jewish Research. 58: 15–18. ISSN 0065-6798. JSTOR 3622622.
^ "Cohen New JTS Chancellor, President; Mandelbaum Named President Emeritus". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 1972-05-24. Retrieved 2019-06-04.
^ Goldman, Ari L. (August 19, 1991). "Gerson D. Cohen Is Dead at 66; Ex-Chancellor of Jewish Seminary". The New York Times.