Rabbi Gabe Cohen joined the Temple Emanu-El clergy team as Assistant Rabbi in the summer of 2022.
Born and raised in nearby Hillsdale, New Jersey, and a Jersey boy through and through, Rabbi Cohen is a graduate of Rutgers University (Phi Beta Kappa) and earned his rabbinic ordination, master’s degree in education, and a certificate in pastoral care, from the Jewish Theological Seminary in May of 2022.
Rabbi Cohen spent his whole life involved in the Conservative movement. He is a graduate of the Solomon Schechter Day School of Bergen County, was transformed by his experiences in USY, and loved his year as a participant on the Conservative movement’s gap-year program in Israel, Nativ, so much that he went on to staff it after graduating from Rutgers. Rabbi Cohen’s rabbinic path was greatly influenced by his eight summers spent on staff at Camp Ramah in the Berkshires. Camp will always hold a special place in his heart, especially because that is where he and Deb met while they were both on staff together.
Rabbi Cohen brings his love of Jewish life, culture, and humor to everything he does. He has a passion for making Judaism feel accessible and relevant in the lives of those he teaches.
In his spare time, Rabbi Cohen can be found cheering for the New York Knicks, reading superhero comic books, watching Curb Your Enthusiasm, over-analyzing Star Wars, listening to The Beatles, or completing the daily New York Times crossword puzzle.
Rabbi Cohen’s wife, Deb Pollack is a graduate of Barnard, also has a masters from the Davidson School of Jewish Education at JTS and a masters in social work from Wurzweiler. She loves decorating their home with pomegranate decor, keeping up to date on the latest trends in Jewish food, and baking her award-winning challah and mandel bread for friends and family. Rabbi Cohen and Deb live nearby with their adorable son.