Former West Hartford rabbi to take over Stamford pulpit
By Judie Jacobson

APR 8, 2005 n STAMFORD - It will be a homecoming, of sorts, for Rabbi Daniel Cohen when he takes over as spiritual leader of Congregation Agudath Sholom in Stamford on Aug. 1.
Now spiritual leader of Beth Midrash Hagadol-Beth Joseph in Denver, Colorado, Cohen previously served for seven years as rabbi of the Young Israel of West Hartford.  He will succeed Rabbi Mark Dratch, who is stepping down after eight years to launch a new non-profit called JSAFE, The Jewish Institute Supporting an Abuse Free Environment.
Describing Cohen as "warm, passionate and energetic," Agudath Sholom president Howard Rothman noted, "The rabbi has all the characteristics that we believe are necessary to take on the challenges of our congregation n to grow our membership and establish a vision for our shul." 
Agudath Sholom, with 650 member families, is the largest Orthodox synagogue in New England.
Cohen is widely credited with doubling Shabbat attendance at the sanctuary service of his 800-member Denver synagogue, as well as doubling membership at his West Hartford congregation. 
Cohen's talent for outreach, says Rothman, is a result of his "uncanny ability to immediately connect with people of all ages." 
The synagogue search committee who, according to Rothman, voted unanimously to offer Cohen the senior rabbi post, were impressed by the high marks the rabbi received from his congregants, past and present.
"I was out in Denver when Rabbi Cohen announced during his sermon that he was leaving.  He did it so graciously that, by the time the sermon was over, there wasn't a dry eye in the house…and he got a standing ovation."
By all accounts, Cohen is well liked and widely respected by his Denver congregants. Nonetheless, he tendered his resignation after failing to convince the congregation to divide the sanctuary into men's and women's sections and install a mechitza n a physical division n between them.  Beth Midrash Hagadol-Beth Joseph remains the only synagogue in the country affiliated with the Orthodox Union (OU) to have so-called "mixed seating."  
According to Rothman, Cohen voluntarily decided to step down when it appeared that his efforts to institute separate seating might cause an irreparable rift among members.  The fact that he "was willing to leave a wonderful community rather than cause pain to the shul," says Rothman, "I believe speaks volumes about Rabbi Cohen."
Looking forward to his new position in Stamford, Cohen said, "I'm most impressed with the warmth of the people, their dynamism and the diversity of the congregation.  I enjoy working to create a synthesis between people who are on different parts of their religious journey, and Agudath Sholom has a strong representation of people of various backgrounds. I want to create an open Orthodox synagogue that provides strong spiritual nourishment, but also reaches out to the broader community."
Born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, Cohen is a graduate of Yeshiva University (YU) and its Azrieli Graduate School. He received his rabbinic ordination from YU's Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary. 
As he prepares to move east with his wife Diane and their six young daughters, Cohen is thinking big.
"We are excited about moving back to the East Coast where we have a lot of friends and family," he said, "and back to UConn Husky country. We do come, you know, with five women and a reserve!"