Linda Cohen
I am originally from the east coast, having spent my early childhood in a suburb of Boston and my high school years in a small rural town called Ludlow, Vermont. I am now grateful of that rural living experience but as a teenager it was less than desirable. Learning to raise animals, grow vegetables and making maple syrup just wasn’t thrilling to me in those days. I fled Vermont as soon as I graduated to see the world.
I spent a year abroad in Israel attending university and living on a kibbutz. When I returned to the United States, I moved to Los Angeles to complete my undergraduate degree at the University of Judaism. After college, I returned to Boston. There I met and married my husband. I attended Brandeis University and received my Masters Degree in 1994 in Jewish Communal Services. We moved a short time later back to the west coast for a job opportunity.
We have discovered the humbling joys of parenthood these past 12 years raising our two children. Unfortunately, my children didn’t feel particularly close to my father when he died, so it was not something they experienced in the same way I did. I have come to feel that this mitzvah project has allowed us many opportunities to talk more about my father and for me to share stories from my childhood with them.
I am an active volunteer in my community and at my children’s school. I have been an entrepreneur as a Consultant for an International Health and Wellness company for the past six years.
I am available for speaking engagements about my journey and this mitzvah project. Please contact me at lindamcohen@comcast.net to discuss my availability.
13 Comments
January 15, 2009 at 9:59 am
Linda,
It was wonderful to meet you last night. Thank you for being hospitable to me as a guest with your group. I was definitely intrigued by your speech and figured I would take some time to review your website. I enjoy volunteering and I am trying to figure out ways I can help more people. Thank you again for sharing your stories with us and being a wonderful citizen in our community.
January 27, 2009 at 2:31 am
Thanks for visiting my blog and for your comment.
February 13, 2009 at 9:54 am
Hi LInda,
I just wanted to leave you a note and let you know how much I LOVE your mission. What a lovely premise. I hope you don’t mind if I share this with friends and clients alike.
Pam
February 22, 2009 at 8:14 pm
Hi Linda!
Just dropping by to say hi, and to let you know I’ve been so busy with travel, but still try to stay close in touch with your blog.
I hope everything is going well for you and your family!
I also received your lovely note, and wanted to thank you so much for taking the time to write. We will definitely be working together, so stay in close touch!
Debbi
http://www.mypersonalcantor.com
February 23, 2009 at 10:41 am
Linda,
I’m truely touched by your mission. I think it’s really amazing. It makes me want to reach out more to people. Thank you.
February 26, 2009 at 11:53 pm
Hello, Linda,
I’m so sorry about your father. I had no idea. My condolences as I always though of him as a good man. I’m glad to see you are doing well. You’ve come a long way since the days of leaving your clarinet with the taste of bubble gum. (Ms. Chaffee told me that)
Very nice site. Do take care and say hi to David for me.
March 31, 2009 at 8:39 pm
Hello Linda:
I’m so glad I met you tonight at the mamapreneurs event. I understand what a profound affect the loss of a parent can have on us. The 2nd Yerhrzeit of my mother was just last week – I cried throughout the entire Shabbat Service as I thought about the wonderful gifts she gave me in life.
It’s so hard to work through the grief – especially watching my children grow without my mom to share the joyous moments of their journey.
What a treasure you have discovered in connecting with your dad in such a positive way.
Well, before I write a novel here – I’ll sign off for now. Hope to see you again in the near future!
Michelle Minch
April 11, 2009 at 8:09 am
what a beautiful blog, and wonderful idea. I cannot wait to read more ,…
Sincerely, Amber
@amberausten , twitter
May 5, 2009 at 10:40 am
Hello Linda! I am sorry I have not been able to see you in person I have been very busy recently. How wonderful that this project has fulfilled you and others in such a profound way. I actually have a project I am working on that might dovetail nicely with this work, and I would love to share it with you. Contact me at your earliest convenience. And mazel tov! Melinda
June 7, 2009 at 4:44 am
I hope you continue to update this web log. Most of my WWW reading consists of scientific nerdball stuff and the Green Bay Packers. But your web log is different.
It reminds me of an old story I read, about a wedding and seven beggars. One part of the story captured me: one of the beggars said that time itself is created from all true acts of kindness.
That seems like a good reason to write a web log, and a good reason to continue your journey, remembering your dad in the 1000 mitzvah.
August 7, 2009 at 3:35 pm
Linda, it was great meeting you today … you have a great positive attitude, and I hope your book idea works out for you, best, Bill
October 14, 2009 at 5:05 pm
Wonderful site. You truly are doing a great job at making the world a better place.
In line of completing all of those Mitzvot, one very important one which cannot be overlooked are the Laws of Family Purity. There is a site (www.mikvahcalendar.com) which teaches you all about these laws and helps you with the calculations of attending the Mikvah (ritual bath) at the correct times.
Let me know if its something you would be interested in accepting on your way to achieve your goals!
http://www.mikvahcalendar.com
Best!
Dana
November 15, 2009 at 5:53 pm
Dear Linda,
So good to meet with you last week at New Seasons. You seem so radiant as you speak about your Mitzvah work. It was a pleasure to meet both you and Dr. Juniper Martin. You work well together, complementing both the physical and spiritual aspects of coping with grief and loss.
Thank you again for being such an available model, teaching about these important ways to honor the lives we have loved and lost.
I hope we shall meet again.
All the best,
Judith