Maurice Abraham Cohen
Maurice Abraham Cohen | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 1851 |
| Died | (aged 72) |
| Occupations | Educator Linguist |
Maurice (Moses) Abraham Cohen (1851 – 26 June 1923) was a linguist and pioneer of Jewish education in Sydney, Australia.[1]
Cohen was born in London, England in 1851.[1]
Career
After completing his education, Cohen worked as a teacher before travelling to India. Here he was headmaster at the Sassoon school in Bombay while taking a degree at the Bombay University. He then served as the personal translator for General Roberts, commander of British Forces in Afghanistan during the Second Anglo-Afghan War. In 1887, after home leave in England, he travelled to Australia where he took up a role as the first headmaster of the Jewish Sunday School that had recently been established in Sydney. He went on to be appointed head of the NSW Jewish Board of Education.[1]
Cohen was regarded as a world expert on the language of Urdu during his lifetime. He was one time editor of Sydney's first Jewish weekly newspaper as well as a lecturer on Hebrew at a number of theological colleges in Australia. Maurice Abraham Cohen was fluent and also taught Yiddish, Ladino, Spanish, German, Aramaic, Amharic and Arabic.
Social commentator
Cohen was one of the first European Australians to call attention to the plight of the Australian Aborigines and argue for compensation and land rights, even risking his position as editor of the Australian Hebrew with his fiery opinion pieces on the subject. He also argued for increased non-discriminatory immigration drawing from all cultures and vehemently opposed the White Australia Policy.
References
- 1 2 3 "Obituary: Mr. Maurice A. Cohen", Sydney Morning Herald, 28 June 1923.
- ↑ "Family Notices". The Sydney Morning Herald. 12 December 1939. Retrieved 18 August 2026 – via Trove, National Library of Australia.
- ↑ "Bernard David Cohen". Virtual War Memorial Australia. Retrieved 18 August 2026.
- ↑ "Arthur Cohen". Virtual War Memorial Australia. Retrieved 18 August 2026.
1883, Cohen married Deborah Grouse at the Central Synagogue in London.[4][5]
- ↑ "Bernard David Cohen". Virtual War Memorial Australia. Retrieved 18 August 2026.
- ↑ "Arthur Cohen". Virtual War Memorial Australia. Retrieved 18 August 2026.
- ↑ "Sydney's First Jewish Educator". Australian Jewish Historical Society. 18 May 2021. Retrieved 18 August 2026.
- ↑ "Bernard David Cohen". Virtual War Memorial Australia. Retrieved 18 August 2026.
- ↑ "Arthur Cohen". Virtual War Memorial Australia. Retrieved 18 August 2026.
- ↑ New South Wales Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages, Marriage Certificate of Sydney Cohen and Sylvia Jessica Isaacs, 29 December 1919, Bondi Beach, NSW, registration no. 15260/1919, certified copy issued 17 August 2026.