BRIEF: 150 who made Scranton great: ABRAHAM B. COHEN

Dec. 26--Abraham B. Cohen sold insurance for a living, but spent his life ensuring that future Scrantonians could be happy, healthy and educated.

The native of Lithuania championed many city institutions, including the Jewish Community Center, the Scranton Recreation Board and Temple Israel. He raised money for the Scranton Fire Department's first ambulance and the first bookmobile of the Scranton Public Library.

Mr. Cohen also led the way in combining nine Jewish organizations into the Jewish Federation to serve area families. In 1955, the Scranton-Lackawanna Jewish Council honored Mr. Cohen at the Hotel Jermyn in celebration of the 300th anniversary of the first Jewish settlement in America.

Also honored at the event: Polio vaccine developer Dr. Jonas Salk and physicist Albert Einstein. A big man in a small city, Mr. Cohen stood shoulder to shoulder with giants of our time.

On June 8, 1962, a Scranton Fire Department ambulance carried Mr. Cohen to Moses Taylor Hospital, where he died. He was 88.

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