by Lori A. Ferguson

Jessica (Jessie) Cohen devoted the majority of her adult life to the Jewish press. Following an early career in the Cleveland, Ohio, public school system, she moved to Memphis, Tennessee, where she became the associate editor of that city’s Jewish Spectator. She remained in that position for five years. Cohen left Tennessee to return to Cleveland as the editor of the Jewish Review and Observer. She remained as its editor until forced to retire due to ill health. Until her death, Cohen served as editor emeritus.

Jessie Cohen was born in Cleveland, Ohio, on July 11, 1869, the daughter of early Cleveland settlers Elias and Rachel Cohen. Her father was active in Great Lakes shipping. Jessie Cohen attended Cleveland public schools and graduated from Central High and the Cleveland Normal School, which became the School of Education at Case Western Reserve University.

Cohen was active in a number of organizations. She was a member of the National Council of Jewish Women and Temple Women’s Association, and was an honorary member of the Cleveland Women Writers Association. Jessie Cohen died at her home in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, on August 15, 1945.

Bibliography

AJYB 6 (1904–1905): 75, 48:486; Jewish Review and Observer 17, no. 33 (August 17, 1945), 1:3; Obituary. NYTimes, August 17, 1945, sec. 2, 17:4.