by Jill Huber
NJJN Bureau Chief/Monmouth

February 05, 2008

As a public official in the 1960s and ’70s, David Cohen felt the sting of prejudice. While campaigning for a seat on the Holmdel Township Committee in 1968, he was on the receiving end of anonymous phone calls that were laced with anti-Semitic remarks. He also received letters that contained the same message and discovered that anti-Semitic graffiti had been sprayed on his property.

The experiences set him on a course to try to eradicate bigotry and hatred wherever he found it. And although he is out of politics and retired 20 years ago from his job as a chemical engineer, he has been busier than ever, as he continues to talk to school, civic, and business organizations about the value of diversity.

In recognition of his years of service, Cohen will receive the Legacy Award from the Jersey Shore chapter of the American Conference on Diversity at its annual humanitarian awards dinner at the Sheraton Eatontown Hotel on May 22.

Cohen, a former mayor of Holmdel, joined the conference in 1970 and chaired the Jersey Shore chapter in 1975.

“I’m still a member and I take an active interest,” Cohen told NJ Jewish News. “I believe in the work they do, because this is an organization that is dedicated to its core principles, and it has never forgotten their significance.”

Eva Smithers, who chairs the chapter’s board of directors, said ACD’s mission “is to value diversity, educate and empower leaders, and promote inclusion and respect in schools, workplaces, community services, businesses, and communities. Our vision is to work with leaders to create and enhance a society that embraces social justice for all.”

Cohen still bristles at the memory of the anti-Semitic words and deeds directed his way 30 and 40 years ago.

“All of those racist remarks and incidents were done anonymously,” Cohen said. “Not one person had the courage to sign his or her name. It was the first time I had personally been accused of being a Jew.”

He responded by contacting local newspapers and challenging the anonymous culprits to a public debate.

“But there was no response,” Cohen said. “They wanted to spread a hurtful, hateful message, but none of them had the courage to face me.”

In 1970, Cohen was asked to join the National Conference of Christians and Jews, as the American Conference on Diversity was then known. He began addressing local school groups, civic organizations, and members of law enforcement teams. The office of the U.S. attorney for New Jersey asked him to be a panelist and guest speaker in programs designed to counter bias crimes.

Cohen’s efforts to combat bigotry and prejudice continued to expand. In 1979, he was asked to serve on the advisory committee of the Center for Holocaust Studies at Brookdale Community College in Lincroft, and in 1990, he helped create the Monmouth County Human Relations Commission.

“I remain active to this day in these bigotry-reducing organizations,” said Cohen. “I’ve tried to involve young people and their parents. The results of many studies have indicated that bigotry and bias start in the home environment. Kids are learning one type of behavior from us and another from their parents.

“There is no power that can take down this country, but we can destroy ourselves from within,” he continued. “It can happen if we don’t learn to live together in harmony and understanding.”

‘Pyramid of prejudice’

Cohen’s father left Russia in 1890 and arrived at Ellis Island at age 17. He worked in a sweatshop in New York, married, and eventually opened a clothing store in Red Bank, where Cohen grew up.

“My father raised his family here and was able to make a living,” he said. “He was an example of those who came to America because they had a chance to survive and prosper. And for that, I owe something to this country.”

When Cohen is engaged in public speaking on behalf of the ACD, he presents his audience with a “pyramid of prejudice.”

“The base of the pyramid is a level of ignorance,” he said. “The next two levels represent exclusion and physical threats. Mass killings — such as the Holocaust and genocide in Darfur — are at the top. We need to return to the base to combat ignorance by learning about people and things we don’t understand.”

Cohen and his wife, Mildred, still live in Holmdel and are members of Congregation B’nai Israel in Rumson. They are the parents of two adult daughters who reside in California and Freehold.

“I know the conference will continue to be a force for positive change,” said Cohen. “And I want to continue to be part of that effort. We’ve come so far, but everyone is aware that a lot of hard work remains to be done.”

Additional information about the American Conference on Diversity is available on-line.