Norwich bulletin., 1918-06-06
HARRY COHEN GRADUATES
 WITH HIGHEST HoNoas Receives Degree of Doctor of PhiIos. ophy at Columbia University.

At the commencement exercises of Columbia university held in New York this week, Harry Cohen of this city received the degree of Doctor of Pill osophy. The title of Dr. Cohen's dis sertation was R. David Kiiachi's Com nhentary to Hosea with Translation, Critical Notes and Introduction In addition to this honor. it was an nounced at the graduation exercises of the Jewish Theological Seminary held in New York last Sunday; taat a scholarship or s25e had been award I cd to Dr. Cohen for his high stand ing throughout the year and for nav ing passed the annual examinations With distinction.
 Doctor Cohen is veil known to the | people of Norwich. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Herman E. Cohen of S2 l Spring street and although born in New York city has lived in Norwich l from a very early age. He is a grad 4 caden1y, of the class of 1a1f, rank ing as the first scientific scholar. Af- 1 ter attending the School of Applied ] Science Of Columbia university for 1 two years, he entered the College Of 1 the City of New York, wliefe he 6b. tafned the degree of Bachelor of 1 Science in 1915. For the past three years. he has been attending the Jew ish Theological Seminary, where, from
 the very beginning. lie has maintain ] ed a very high standing, and has ev- l cry year won a scholarship of merit. 1 In his p6st-gfaduats work at Co. lunlbia university, Doctor Cohen spe- 1 cialized in seTnitics, Hebrew, Arabic, Syriac and Aramaic languages and 1 literature. and in philosophy and llis- tory. His dissertation, which is writ 1 ten in both English and Hebrew. is made up of three parts. The first l part consists of the Hebrew eonmen= tary of R. David Kin1icti on Hosea, 1 critically edited on the basis of the spanish, and Italian manuscripts in the library of the Jewish Theological Seminary and of the early editions of 1 the Later Prophets. all of which con tain Kimehi's commentary.
 The second part of the thesis is the translation of the commentary. Both the text and translation are accom- panied by notes in Hebrew and Eng fish showing in detail KiInelfs sources tand the use made of kin1ehi by later 1 ez.egetes The notes are so arranged that one can obtain at a glance the various readings Of the most imt5er- tant English versions of the Bible. as well as the interpretations of moderr commentators.
 The whole work is preceded by ar
 elaborate introduction whereia Dr. Cohen traces the influence of Kin1th
 Upon the English Bible. Despite the
 fact that kifachi's influence is notice.
 able in nearly every line of the Pro. phetical books, not one historian ot the English Bible seems to be at al
 aware of this fact. Doctor Cohen, De ing especially qualified by his grea acquaintance with Jewish conmenta tors and the English versions, has. foi
 the first time traced and proven tl1il ) remarkable influence.
 pr. Cohen's work is thus of interest not only to the teacher and sudden
 of the Bible. but even to the ordfriar,
 reader. as many of the Bibliea phrases which are now so familiar tt
 our ears are but the English render
 ings of Kimchi's exegetieai remarks
 The work which consists of more thai 300 pages, is being published by tht
 Columbia University Press.
 Although only A years of age. Doc tor Cohen has been very active fo
 several years in the commercial ant religious work of the Jewish eornnen lty of New York, In 1914 and 1a1
 Mems Hebrew Association of Batf , Beach, and then resigned this office t accept the position of principal of tn
 Hebrew Religious School Of Yonkers
 He has freely given his services a institutes and forums established fe the benefit Of the general public. Dur | ing the past year, Doctor Cohen ha
 been acting rabbi Of the Cengregatio, Sheareth Judah of Washingto,
 Heights, New York, and despite tn great claims made upon him by hi
 scholarly activities and other dutie : has organized and maintained a Tal
 med Torah wherein 100 children dail . receive instruction and has increase
 the religious activities of the congre
 gation in many other directions