Honorific-Prefix: | Chacham |
Yosef Hamadani Cohen | |
Synagogue: | Yusef Abad Synagogue |
Synagogueposition: | Chief Rabbi of Iran |
Began: | 1994 |
Ended: | 2006 |
Predecessor: | Uriel Davidi |
Successor: | Younes Hamami Lalehzar |
Birth Date: | 1916 |
Death Date: | March 29, 2014 |
Death Place: | Tehran, Iran |
Yusef Hamadani Cohen (;1916 – 29 March 2014) was the Chief Rabbi of Iran and spiritual leader for the Jewish community of Iran (Iranian Jews) between January 1994 and 2007.[1]
In August 2000, Chief Rabbi Hamadani Cohen met with Iranian President Mohammad Khatami for the first time.[2] In 2003, Cohen and Member of Parliament Morris Motamed met with Khatami at Yusef Abad Synagogue which was the first time a President of Iran had visited a synagogue since the Islamic Revolution.[3] For the event, Cohen led the opening of the Torah scroll ark and the recitation of prayers.[4]
Cohen died after a long illness on 29 March 2014 in Tehran over Shabbat.[5] [6]