Obituaries
RJC President, Educator
Howard Cohen Dies
at 81
BY HEATHER M. ROSS | STAFF WRITER
H oward A. Cohen, 81, a teacher
who worked under two pres-
idents, served as president of
the Greater Philadelphia Republican
Jewish Committee and was deeply com-
mitted to Israel, died on May 21.

“Howard was a Republican who
yearned for the days when Republicans
and Democrats could speak civilly to
each other, and I was a Democrat who
yearned for the same,” said Ben Picker,
a best friend for nearly 50 years and the
godfather to his daughter, Sarah.

From 1971 to 1972 Cohen worked
as a staff assistant to President Richard
Nixon’s White House Counsel Charles
Colson and also worked in the Ford
administration. He had a stint as secre-
tary of revenue for the Commonwealth
of Pennsylvania, too.

Cohen was a longtime member of Har
Zion Temple, where he served as pres-
ident of its Men’s Club for a time and
espoused his love for Israel.

“He cared very much about Israel
and about Judaism. The biggest thing he
wanted was to see my daughter bat mitz-
vahed,” Sarah Cohen said.

Cohen held positions as the execu-
tive vice president/CEO of ORT America
and vice president/CEO of Operation
Independence, which promoted eco-
nomic growth in Israel.

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“He was an adamant
supporter of Israel and the
survival of the Jewish peo-
ple,” Picker said.

P rofe s siona l ly,
Cohen was the found-
ing chair of the Public
Management Department
at the University of
Pennsylvania’s Wharton
Courtesy of Sarah Cohen
School and taught for Howard Cohen
many years at the Fels
School of Government.

the survival of the Jewish people, which
He also was involved with Temple was reflected in his involvement with
University’s Fox School of Business in Operation Independence.

multiple capacities for more than 15 years;
Cohen was born in Newark, New
that included teaching courses on business Jersey, on Feb. 10, 1941.

ethics and negotiation, serving as asso-
He received a master’s of business admin-
ciate dean of development, helping with istration in international business and
fundraising and serving as the executive transportation from George Washington
director of Temple’s Dialogue Institute.

University and both a law degree and a
The institute is a nonprofit organiza- bachelor of arts in political science and eco-
tion dedicated to promoting interfaith and nomics from Rutgers University.

intercultural dialogue by conducting sem-
Later, he married his wife, Barbara, on
inars for young leaders from around the July 8, 1972.

world and introducing young people to
Cohen was dedicated to teaching,
many faiths, according to Majid Alsayegh, believed in education and wanted to help
a longtime colleague of Cohen’s.

people improve themselves and succeed,
Cohen brought government experience according to Sarah Cohen. Because of the
to the board of the Dialogue Institute, pandemic, he learned to use and teach
which he served on before becoming the on Zoom at 78 — all while fulfilling his
executive director and again afterward. duties as a grandfather.

While on the board, he pushed for the
“My dad wrote letters to my daughter,
teaching of ethics to be incorporated into who is 11 years old. He would send her
the teaching of religion and faith.

letters. If she wrote back, he’d send her a
“He always spoke his mind and spoke dollar. She’ll have those letters for the rest
up when something needed to be said. of her life,” Sarah Cohen said.

He was a voice of reason who added value
An avid reader, he followed the news
when he spoke,” Alsayegh said.

every day and read many books on busi-
He pushed for the board to bring on ness, economics and other topics.

members of color and diverse faiths
Hobbies included fishing, reading
because the institute respected celebra- and woodworking. He built some of his
tions of diverse faiths and ethnicities; furniture, including the dining table he
Cohen believed the board should reflect shared with his wife.

that, Alsayegh said.

“They used to sit and have breakfast
According to friends and family, bring- together every morning. They sat and read
ing people of diverse ideas together was an the paper together,” Sarah Cohen said.

important part of who Cohen was.

Cohen is survived by his wife, Barbara;
“He loved the idea of bringing people his son, David; his daughter, Sarah; son-
to the table,” Sarah Cohen said.

in-law, Jon; and two grandchildren. JE
Cohen believed economic security for
Israel was a crucial part of ensuring hross@midatlanticmedia.com