Volunteer Spotlight on Barbara Cohen!

Barbara Cohen volunteers as both a Front Desk Receptionist and Docent at the JMM.  She grew up not far from the Museum, less than 2 miles to the west and likes to think of it as her return to the inner city.

When asked to share some interesting facts about her, the first reply was that she has a wonderful family.  She is a widow, mother of 3 sons and daughters-in-law, and grandmother of 7. She spent a career in education, over 60 years as a teacher.  She always loved teaching and began teaching the children in her South Baltimore neighborhood when she was only 10 years old.  While in high school, she worked in the office at the Board of Jewish Education and at 15 years of age, they asked her to do some substitute teaching and tutoring for students in afternoon Hebrew schools. She trained in General Education in college and began her adult teaching career as a 5^th grade teacher in Prince Georges County, MD.  In addition, while her husband was in graduate school, and recognized he was too busy to handle a 2^nd job, she took over his hours as an afternoon Hebrew school teacher.  While raising her young children, she began teaching Judaics in their Jewish Day School.  The family moved to Israel and while there, she had already been teaching English to neighbors when the principal of the local school asked her to teach English as an after-school activity.  She taught all levels of students in what felt like a one-room schoolhouse, since students didn’t receive instruction in English as part of the school curriculum until 5^th grade. When she returned to Baltimore she worked at Krieger Schechter Day School as a first grade teacher and Principal of Lower School Judaics.

In her last year prior to retirement at Krieger Schecther Day School she saw and advertisement placed by the JMM for Educators.  She replied and offered to volunteer as such.  She also volunteers at Greater Baltimore Medical Center in the family waiting room where people wait for loved ones who are in surgery. She is responsible for keeping them updated during the entire surgery process.  She volunteers at Millbrook Elementary as a tutor in the 2^nd grade in both reading and math.  She also volunteers on the Chizuk Amuno team at Our Daily Bread serving meals to those in need.

Her favorite engagement with visitors to the JMM is with those from church groups and city public schools.  She notes that since the members of the church groups possess an interest in religious life although not Judaism, they present interesting questions.  She recalls an incident when explaining the background of the Torah scrolls in the Lloyd Street Synagogue to Baltimore city school students.  One child asked if she thought any of the Tuskegee Airmen had helped the Jewish people.  She was charmed by the connection he made between his own culture and identity and others.

Barbara volunteers at the JMM because she likes keeping busy and busy she is.  She especially enjoys meeting interesting people and providing a service.  We gladly accept her donation of time and appreciate that we are included on her list that is so full of activity.

A blog post by Volunteer Coordinator Ilene Cohen. The first Monday(ish) of every month she will be highlighting one of our fantastic JMM volunteers. If you are interested in volunteering with the JMM, drop her an email at icohen@jewishmuseummd.org or call 410-732-6402 x217! You can also get more information about volunteering at the Museum here.