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Memorial for Payl Cohen

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Graveside: 10:30 AM Friday, February 25th, 2022
Hills of Eternity Memorial Park
1301 El Camino Real
Colma, CA 94014
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Shiva: 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM Thursday, February 24th, 2022
Shiva Minyan for Paul Cohen
Shabbat Service: 7:15 PM - 8:15 PM Friday, February 25th, 2022
Congregation Sha'ar Zahav
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwrcOirrzgiGdz9aZudvaY3SsGX_Bj_dLR2
San Francisco, CA 94114
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August 19, 1947 - February 22, 2022

Paul died on February 22, 2022, in Mill Valley, CA. Born and raised in Jackson Heights, NY, he was the eldest child of Fay and Joseph. Educated at Queens College, where he was elected Student Association President, and at George Washington University where he studied Health Care Administration. He served as the board chair of the National Student Association, 1968-69.

His health care career included positions in New York City, Buffalo and in Trenton, where he was the first non-medical CEO of Trenton Psychiatric Hospital.

Moving to San Francisco in 1979, his career included administrative positions in diverse organizations including MUNI and Hillel International. His leadership and mentoring skills were devoted to Congregation Sha'ar Zahav as its first president, Menorah Park as board chair, and 18 Doors as national board chair. He also served on the boards of San Francisco Hillel, the San Francisco Jewish Community Federation, the Bureau of Jewish Education and San Francisco JCC.

He is survived by his spouse of 35 years, Dr. Robert Gutterman, siblings Marc (Jane) of Ft. Worth and Ellen Hass (Steven) of Boynton Beach, and their children and grandchildren. Paul was particularly proud of his many honorary nieces and nephews.

He believed that one of his greatest accomplishments was the many Jews by Choice that he was privileged to support on their journeys to Judaism. Burial services held at Hills of Eternity in Colma. Donations in his memory to Congregation Sha'ar Zahav or San Francisco Hillel would be appreciated.