Rotem Cohen, 66

PROVIDENCE — Rotem Cohen, 66, of Providence, died Sept. 25 in his home, surrounded by his beloved family. He was born on May 11, 1960, on Kibbutz Alonim in north-central Israel to Mira and Yacuba Cohen. He was the second of three siblings, born six years after his sister, Noga, and four years before his brother, Raz.

Rotem described an idyllic childhood on Kibbutz Alonim. Kibbutz philosophy and culture valued communal living, and Rotem lived in a children’s house with 19 of his peers from the time he was just a few weeks old. To this day, he remains in touch with all his former classmates. Despite this communal living arrangement, Rotem was extremely close with his nuclear family, and lived with them during four years of his childhood and adolescence when his father worked abroad. He spent two years as a young child in Iran, and two years as a teenager in Italy, both formative periods of his life that he reflected upon with great fondness.

Although Rotem made the decision to live in the United States, he always considered Kibbutz Alonim his home. He was determined that his children speak Hebrew, and Rotem and his family travelled to Israel every year to spend time with his parents and siblings. Rotem maintained strong and enduring relationships with Israel, with the kibbutz, with his family and with his many friends there.

Rotem met his wife Leslie in 1983, when she came to Kibbutz Alonim to do an ulpan (a course in Hebrew and Israeli history). They left Israel together a year later, traveled in Europe and then went to the U.S., where they settled in Boston. They married in 1985 when Rotem received a letter requiring him to self-deport for overstaying a tourist visa, but 41 years later, neither Rotem nor Leslie had any regrets. They have two children, Elan and Barry.

Rotem was infinitely proud of his boys and could not have asked for two more loving, kind and generous sons. He could talk with Elan for hours at a time about history and politics, and he was thrilled to see Walt’s Farm grow and flourish under Barry and his wife Courtney’s patient stewardship. During the last year of Rotem’s life, he derived tremendous strength from their continual presence and support. Rotem was blessed to have one granddaughter, Cora, whom he adored. During the last year of his life, she was his shining light and an endless source of joy.

Professionally, Rotem was a woodworker. Mostly self-taught, he became a master craftsman and built custom cabinets and other fine wood pieces. He was an avid reader, an armchair historian, a political pundit on topics both Israeli and American and a highly skilled do-it-yourselfer. He had an unbridled passion for music, soccer (both watching and playing) and making beer. He played soccer right up until the day of his diagnosis and referred to his weekly games as his therapy sessions. When he wasn’t playing, he was watching the English Premier League, especially his beloved team, Liverpool.

Rotem is survived by his wife, Leslie; his sons, Elan and Barry; his daughter-in-law, Courtney; his granddaughter, Cora; his sister, Noga, and her husband, Iftach; his brother, Raz, and his wife, Keren; his brother-in-law, Brian, and his wife, Simone; his many nieces and nephews; and his beloved dog, Willow, who throughout his illness never left his side.

In the final year of his life, Rotem was given the tremendous gift of knowing just how loved he was. His family and friends provided him with so much joy, support and love. From the time of his diagnosis to his very last day, he was encircled in a giant hug. He surely knew that he never walked alone.