Beth Israel Congregation, established in 1912 and the only remaining Jewish Congregation in the Pee Dee, recently hired Rabbi Lauren S. Cohn to serve as its full-time rabbi. For the past 14 years, the congregation has been served by part-time rabbis. Rabbi Cohn brings with her a deep passion for spiritual leadership, pastoral care, innovative Jewish education, and community engagement.
“My sacred task as a rabbi is to highlight Judaism’s relevance; to create opportunities for learning, understanding, and joy; and to help foster a world that values equality, dignity, and respect,” Rabbi Cohn shared.
“We are very happy to have a full-time rabbi living in Florence and serving our congregation,” said Alex Cohen, president of Beth Israel.
Rabbi Cohn’s experience spans an array of Jewish settings—religious schools, day schools, preschools, camps, and pulpits. She has served diverse communities in Dallas, Los Angeles, Cincinnati, Columbus, and most recently, Atlanta. For the past seven years, she served as the spiritual leader of Temple Beth El in Anniston, Alabama.
“Being the rabbi of a small, historic, Southern synagogue gave me deep insight into the unique responsibilities and opportunities that come with serving a close-knit community,” she said. “I am excited to lead Beth Israel Congregation—helping to grow our membership, enrich our children’s religious education, and strengthen our synagogue’s partnership with the greater Florence community.”
“I want to say how thrilled we all are to have Rabbi Lauren joining our Synagogue. It was a very long search process to find someone we thought would both fit into our community seamlessly, and elevate it in the ways we’ve all been looking for,” said Chelsea Bingham, co-chair of the Beth Israel rabbinic Search Committee. ”Her strengths of community engagement, building strong relationships both individually and collectively, and leading with Jewish values will bring a bright light and energy to our congregation.”
Rabbi Cohn expressed her affection for both Beth Israel and the city of Florence: “I fell in love with the congregants for their kindness, authenticity, and deep commitment to the city of Florence. I fell in love with Florence itself for its small-town charm, its diversity, and its dedication to compassion, equity, and opportunity for all. I liken my role here to that of a community helper—like Mr. Rogers, but in rabbinic form.”
As part of her commitment to accessibility and connection, Rabbi Cohn will hold regular office hours at Lula’s in downtown Florence every Wednesday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Barnett Greenberg, co-chair of the rabbinic search committee said, “We are thrilled to have Rabbi Lauren serve as Beth Israel’s first full time Rabbi in 14 years! We know she will do a great job serving our congregation, as well as being a wonderful ambassador to all those in Florence and the greater Pee Dee.”
A native of Dallas, Texas, Rabbi Cohn earned her Bachelor of Social Work from The University of Texas at Austin. She holds two master’s degrees from Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR), in Hebrew Letters and Jewish Education, and was ordained as a rabbi at HUC-JIR Cincinnati in 2000. She was awarded the title of Reform Jewish Educator (RJE) and received an honorary Doctorate in Jewish Religious Education from HUC-JIR in 2023.
Rabbi Cohn is also a published author, most recently featured in the Reform Jewish Quarterly, where her article, Seasons of Love, Grief, and Healing: Sacred Moments of Pastoral Care in the Jewish Preschool, offered profound insight into the emotional and spiritual dynamics of Jewish early childhood education.
“We are all in this life together,” she says. “The ups and downs, the joy and sadness, the ordinary and the extraordinary. We are all created in the image of God, and every day I strive to teach this, live this, and embody this.”
Rabbi Cohn is married to Matt Ruggles. They have two grown children, Micah and Tali, and two beloved dogs, Otis and Ollie. In her free time, she enjoys reading, collecting whimsical erasers, and sitting outside.