Empowering The Next Generation To Confront Hate - Auschwitz Jewish Center Foundation Names Michael Cohen U.S. Executive Vice President

Cohen brings deep experience in Jewish communal leadership, government affairs and Holocaust Education. Most recently, he served as East Coast Director at the Simon Wiesenthal Center and the Museum of Tolerance, where he oversaw strategy, operations, programming and staffing. His career has spanned influential roles in both government and advocacy, including as Director of New York State lobbying at Pitta, Bishop, Del Giorno & Giblin, Director of Public Policy for the Orthodox Union and Chief of Staff to the New York State Senate Majority Leader. Earlier, in between stints with NYC Councilmember Mathieu Eugene and NYC Public Advocate Mark Green, Cohen served a pivotal role on the staff of longtime congressman Edolphus Towns, a former chair of the Congressional Black Caucus. While with Towns, Cohen organized the first Black/Jewish Capitol Hill Conference in a generation, working with co-sponsors such as the iconic Congressman and Civil Rights Leader John Lewis.

“We are excited to welcome Michael to the Auschwitz Jewish Center Foundation,” said Chairman Simon Bergson. “At a time when antisemitism is escalating worldwide, his addition to our leadership team will help ensure AJCF remains at the forefront of Holocaust and anti-hatred education—empowering the next generation to confront hate with knowledge, courage and moral clarity.”

Cohen currently serves on Governor Kathy Hochul’s Hate & Bias Council, New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ Jewish Advisory Board, CUNY Chancellor Félix Matos Rodríguez’s Jewish Advisory Board and the New Jersey Israel Commission. He also serves as an appointee to the Israeli Consulate and Hadassah's Speakers Bureaus. From 2011 to 2022, Cohen was a city councilmember in Englewood, New Jersey.

“At a time when hate and antisemitism are on the rise, I am humbled to join the Auschwitz Jewish Center Foundation’s remarkable team, whose work continues to transform remembrance into responsibility and impact communities worldwide,” said Cohen. “Together, we will build on AJCF’s extraordinary legacy to expand its reach, deepen its impact and forge lasting partnerships with government leaders, civic institutions, and faith communities—strengthening the Jewish community while building bridges with all communities committed to tolerance, dignity and human rights.”

Cohen holds both Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Political Science from Brooklyn College (CUNY). He lives in Woodmere, New York, with his family.

The Auschwitz Jewish Center Foundation is a NonProfit Organization dedicated to harnessing the lessons learned from the Holocaust to combat hatred and bigotry through educational programs and by providing direct humanitarian aid to victims of mass atrocities. It supports survivors of genocides and other tragedies, including Ukrainian refugees and those impacted by Hamas's October 7th attacks. The Foundation maintains the Auschwitz Jewish Center, the last remaining synagogue in Oświęcim (Auschwitz) and serves as the primary institution dedicated to preserving the memory of the town's Jewish community while addressing hate. To date, over a million people have visited the center, more than 300,000 students participated in its educational programs and tens of thousands of diplomats, military and law enforcement personnel and educators, have taken part in its educational initiatives on tolerance and the Holocaust.

For more information, visit: https://ajcfus.org/.