On September 7 Montreal Jewry will honor its acknowledged religious leader and dean of local rabbis, the venerable Rabbi Hirsh Cohen, who is celebrating his seevntieth birthday.
The aged Rabbi, who is also esteemed and respected outside of religious circles, has completed forty years’ service as religious head of the local Jewish community. He is chairman of the Rabbinical council, chairman of the Board of Education of the United Talmud Torahs, chairman of the Canadian Mizrachi and active member of the Separate Jewish School Committee. His patriarchal face and flowing white beard also grace many Zionist functions. He has recently visited the Jewish homeland.
Rabbi Cohen was born in the village of Budowitz, Suvalk province (formerly Russian territory) being a descendant of a dynasty of pious and learned men. He received his education in the famous Yeshivoth of Voyozhin and Vilna, and came to Montreal in the year 1890.
The movement for separate Jewish schools found its strongest champion in the person of Rabbi H. Cohen who notwithstanding his advancing years has carried on a fiery and active campaign for a Jewish school system. He was a member of the delegation to the Provincial government in Quebec which voiced the demand that the Jews be given the right to control the education of their children.
For forty years Rabbi Cohen has helped to form and mould the Jewish community of Montreal.
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