Or Taul Cohen will be the new Israeli Shaliach (emissary) to the Rhode Island Jewish Community

The Jewish Alliance invites you to drop-in at a welcome reception for Or Taul Cohen, The new shlichah. Join us on Thursday, September fifth, between 5:00 and 6:30 at the Dwares JCC, 401 Elmgrove Avenue, Providence.

Or Cohen is 28 years old and lives in a small village (moshav) near Netanya. She has three younger sisters, and her father works on her family's farm.

As a teen, she was a champion swimmer, specializing in the butterfly stroke. She joined the navy (rather than try out for the Olympics) and participated in combat operations as the executive officer of a missile ship. She next was the first female commander of an Israeli patrol boat. Later, she was the commander of the academic phase of Israel’s naval academy.

Following her release from the IDF with the rank of Lieutenant Commander, she traveled all over the world: Kyrgyzstan, Vietnam, Philippines, USA. She spent some time earlier this year in a cross-cultural delegation to Northern Westchester County, New York, as part of the Tzahal Shalom program, speaking at schools, churches, synagogues, community events, etc. In Israel this past year, she has been volunteering in a children’s hospital, teaching swimming and coaching a teen water polo team. She earned her BA cum laude from Haifa University.

I have received great reports about her. Gilor, our shaliach a few years ago, says she is one of the most interesting people he has ever met. She will arrive in Rhode Island at the end of August.