The Charlotte Jewish News- February 2026- Page 8
All in the Mishpachah: Jewish and Proud
By Elizabeth Johnson
When Catherine Cohen speaks about her Jewish journey, she does so with a clarity that feels both personal and universal. The path she chose was shaped by curiosity, courage, and a sense of belonging she felt long before she had language for it.
Her dynamic story weaves together the unexpected: an internship that opened the door to Jewish communal life, a college friendship that became a marriage, family values that echoed Jewish principles, and a conversion process that helped her define the home she hoped to build.
Together, these experiences reveal a woman who didn’ t simply choose Judaism but recognized it as where she was always meant to be. In this month’ s issue, she shares her reflections on faith, family, and the beauty of building a Jewish life with intention.
For those readers meeting you for the first time, how would you describe yourself and your family? I was born and raised in Seattle, WA, and I later attended George Washington University in Washington, D. C. My husband, Tomer, and I have worked together since 2016. We now primarily invest in commercial real estate, which enables us to work from home and care for our four young daughters. We love to travel as a family in our Sprinter, and our
The Cohens kids especially enjoy caring for our horses, ducks, chickens, and dog.
What first drew you to Judaism? It’ s unexplainable but since I was a teenager, I had a voice in the back of my head encouraging me to learn about Judaism and visit Israel. I can’ t logically explain why I felt these things, but my soul felt Jewish long before I ever had the words to understand what that feeling was, and what it would eventually come to mean in my life.
My first introduction to Judaism was through a summer college internship where I fundraised for American Friends of Rabin Medical Center( AFRMC) in New York City. I had an incredible boss and mentor, Rabbi Joshua Eli Plaut. His joy for Judaism, paired with his natural charisma and genuine enthusiasm for his work, proved infectious.
I was the only non-Jewish person working in the office that summer, yet it never crossed my mind( or theirs) that I wouldn’ t belong in that environment. I was truly fortunate to be surrounded by such incredible co-workers who were Jewish and embraced me in this important body of work.
I didn’ t grasp it at the time, but in hindsight, I was learning to be Jewish is to belong to a global family, one that spans from a modest fourth-floor office in
Manhattan to bustling Tel Aviv and well beyond.
Who in your life helped you understand your connection to Judaism on a deeper, more personal level? I was personally drawn toward Judaism through a friend I made during my sophomore year of college. His name is Tomer. Spoiler alert: we’ ve been married for almost eight years now. Tomer is soft spoken, deeply kind, incredibly intelligent, family-oriented at his core, and uniquely funny.
When we first met, we formed an incredible friendship built on trust, understanding, and a true sense of belonging whenever we were together. I learned about his family in Israel and how his Jewish faith informed the man he’ d grown into. We fell in love so innocently and so sincerely, and I just knew he was the one I wanted to build a life and create a family with.
What led you to the decision to convert? I knew I could not convert only because I had met the love of my life. I could not convert because I wanted to superficially please him or his parents. I alone, had to answer the questions: Do I have a Jewish soul I will honor despite what may come in my marriage? Was I willing to raise my children Jewish no matter what?
The“ religion” I experienced as a child was more nuanced and less spiritual. It came in the form of an inherited value system from my parents grounded in the relentless pursuit of their shared goals, teamwork as a family in the face of struggles, and a personal responsibility to question everything and in turn, to make sensible choices based on facts and our guts.
At my core, I was already spiritually aligned with the fundamental values of Judaism, and giving my future children the unquestionable identity of Jewishness from their births would be my greatest gift to them.
That important realization encouraged me to begin the technical process of conversion. Fast forward to now, I am proud to say, our four daughters were all born Jewish and are being raised in a Jewish home.
What, if anything, surprised you most about the conversion process? A beautiful and unexpected aspect of converting was that it opened the door to so many essential conversations worth having before entering a marriage.
It was important to me that I converted before getting engaged. Through the conversion process, my husband and I were able to think through and begin answering so many complex as well as difficult questions about our future together that otherwise would not have come to light so early on had conversion been set aside.
Through this, we developed the habit of speaking openly and honestly with each other, and practiced pushing back on opposing ideas with respect instead of ego. We learned to find solutions together and that laid the groundwork for our marriage.
How did your family respond to your decision to convert, and how has their understanding evolved alongside yours? I am uniquely lucky in the way my mom, dad, and sister all trust me to know myself best. Emotionally, I felt a deep kinship to the Jewish people because of the forced diasporic movements our families have endured.
My mother’ s family fled communist China for a life of freedom in America and Taiwan, and my father’ s family has deep Mormon roots that include original members who followed Brigham Young to Salt Lake City, Utah, while fleeing religious persecution. My parents also understand how these paths toward freedom intertwine and overlap historically with that of the Jewish people.
Before our wedding my parents, Tomer, and I visited Israel together and celebrated Shabbat in Tomer’ s Safta’ s home. To have them stand proudly under the chuppah with us at our wedding was unforgettable, and to watch them learn Hebrew from our children is such a delight.
What do you most hope your daughters carry forward from Judaism? I pray my daughters carry a deep understanding that to be Jewish is to persevere, even when it’ s easier to fade into the background or be pulled away from the values that rooted them in the first place.
I pray they remember Lashon Hara, speaking negatively about others, also applies to how they speak about themselves, and the respect they deserve must begin from within.
I pray their love for Israel grows stronger, and that the resilience of those who came before them remains a steady light
they can draw on durng challenging times.
And finally, I pray they bring their light to others, brightening each and every place they go.
Which Jewish ritual or holiday holds the most meaning for you, and why? My family loves Shabbat. With four daughters aged six, four, two, and just four months old, Shabbat feels especially joyful. The girls dance to Shabbat music, join us in candle lighting prayers, and eagerly await their Friday night“ fancy dinner.” I’ m grateful for the weekly pause that lets us rest as well as reset together.
All in the Mishpachah celebrates the people, practices and traditions that make Jewish life in Charlotte so vibrant. Every family has a story, whether it’ s the way you mark the holidays, a weekly ritual that connects generations, or a creative tradition uniquely your own. If your family, friends, or community circle fits this spirit, please write to to elizabeth. johnson @ charlottejewish. org.