Rabbi Amy Cohen
Rabbi Amy B. Cohen joined Temple Beth Shalom in July 2012 and served as our Associate Rabbi until June 30, 2020.
On August 3, 2020, Rabbi Cohen took a new position at Shalom Austin as Chief Social Service Officer, Director of Jewish Family Service. You may contact her there at Amy.Cohen@shalomaustin.org.
Rabbi Cohen is thrilled to lead JFS during this critical time and to expand their services in the years ahead. JFS promotes well-being across the lifespan for the Austin Jewish community and community-at-large through a range of programs designed to address critical areas of need.
Raised in Sudbury, Massachusetts, Rabbi Amy Cohen received a Bachelor of Arts degree in social work with a double major in Jewish history and civilization and a Master of Arts degree in social work from New York University. Rabbi Cohen also earned Master of Religious Education and Master in Hebrew Letters degrees from Hebrew Union College. She completed her ordination as a rabbi at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in New York. Rabbi Cohen received her license in Social Work from the State of Texas in the summer of 2019.
Before joining Temple Beth Shalom in Austin, Rabbi Cohen worked as a youth educator at Temple Beth Shalom in Needham, Massachusetts. During her time at Hebrew Union College, Rabbi Cohen worked at Congregation Beth Elohim in Brooklyn as a family educator. She spent a year at New York University Hillel teaching an adult b'nai mitzvah class and advising the Reform students at the Bronfman Center for Jewish Student Life, and also spent a year at Jewish Family and Children's Services leading support groups and offering counseling services.
Rabbi Cohen has always felt passionate about making Jewish education relevant and engaging for learners of all ages, and has been teaching since her senior year in high school at her home congregation, Congregation Beth El. Her love and passion for Jewish education informs her work at Temple Beth Shalom every day as she works to inspire our community to engage in deep learning. She enjoys working with community members of all ages and embracing innovative trends in the field of Jewish education, as well as coming up with unique and fun ways to integrate Judaism into our secular daily lives. To that end, Rabbi Cohen became a Schwinn certified spin instructor in the summer of 2019, and she created a Jewish spin class entitled JSpin that she offers at the JCC.
Through her roles as rabbi-educator and now associate rabbi, Rabbi Cohen has combined her passions for social work, education, and Jewish life. She serves on the Jewish Family Services Cabinet in Austin and she is a partnering rabbi with Hasidah. She also is an active member of the Central Conference of American Rabbis (CCAR) and the Women's Rabbinic Network (WRN). Rabbi Cohen believes in the power of relationships and she feels extremely blessed to be a part of a community that values each and every one of its members.
Rabbi Cohen and her husband, Ian, are parents to three children, Adi, Lev, and Noa. The Cohen family enjoys spending time outdoors, hiking, and exploring gourmet food trucks in Austin. Rabbi Cohen's door is always open and she especially enjoys meeting congregants for coffee to learn about their lives.
(See information about Rabbi Cohen officiating at wedding ceremonies.)