Rabbi Jonathan Cohen grew up in West Hempstead, N.Y. and attended HAFTR High School. In September of 1993 he arrived in Sha’alvim for a year of study in Eretz Yisrael. Following his year at Sha’alvim Rav Jonathan returned to the United States and attended Yeshiva University where he completed a degree in accounting. Yearning to get back to Israel, Rav Jonathan jumped on a plane and spent his first post-graduate year serving as a madrich at Yeshivat Reishit Yerushalayim while completing his semicha studies under the tutelage of Rav Zalman Nechemia Goldberg. Divine providence brought Tzivia Abramoff to Israel at the same time to help her sister, Pircha Soleveitchik, care for her newborn baby. Rav Jonathan, who was working together with Rav Chaim Soloveitchik at the time, met Rav Chaim’s sister in-law and Rav Jonathan and Tzivia got married the following June. The Cohens moved to N.Y. where Rav Joanthan taught at the Har Torah middle school and learned in Rabbi Marc Penner’s kollel in Holliswood. After two years in Queens, in September of 2000, the Cohens moved to Highland Park where Rav Cohen taught at the Joseph Kushner Hebrew Academy. In September of 2001 the Cohens moved to Woodmere N.Y where Rav Jonathan taught in his alma matter, HAFTR, and functioned as the Rabbinical High School/College Coordinator of the Young Israel of Woodmere.

During the spring of 2004 the Cohens decided that it was time to head east and they returned to Sha’alvim with Rav Jonathan joining the Sha’alvim Kollel where he is a respected role model and mentor for many of the younger overseas talmidim who are now in the situation that Rav Jonathan was in twelve years ago. Rav Jonathan and Tzivia are the proud parents of six year old Yaela, five year old Kalev, and one year old Tova.

A few questions for Rav Jonathan:

Q. Which aspect of the yeshiva stands out in your mind when you think back to your first year at Sha’alvim?

A. What stands out in my mind is the warmth of the rabbeim. I remember Rav Yamer approaching me one day after shiur and casually asking me to come over to his house to talk. Without me even saying anything Rav Yamer picked up on the needs of the talmid at the time and was able to be there for him.

Q. Why did you decide to make aliyah?

A. The reasons that we decided to leave chutz l’aretz are, firstly, our longing for a richer spiritual life. In addition, my two brothers live here and I feel that it is very important to live near family.

Q. Why did you decide to move to Sha’alvim?

A. It’s home.

Q. What do you miss most from America?

A. Snapple

Q. Which specific event stands out in your mind when you think back to your first year in Sha’alvim?

A. Purim, but I’ll leave it at that.

Q. What is one line of advice that you would give a first year student at Sha’alvim?

A. Appreciate each day, and take things slow. The time that you have here is precious, take advantage of it.