Janice Cohen

Sarah Imeinu. Sarah, Abraham’s wife, was the first Matriarch of the Jewish people. Tradition ascribes to her great power and influence:

1. She enculturated people into Jewish tradition, bringing them under the wings of the Shekhina (Divine Presence).

2. Thru her, barren women became pregnant, sick people were healed, deaf people gained hearing, and blind people were given sight.

3. And thru Sarah, Isaac was born, then Jacob, then 12 tribes, and we we, the Jewish people, stand as the present link in that chain, tracing our lineage back to Sarah, our Mother.

Matriarch

Peter: matriarch of the family. She ran the day to day operations and long-term planning. She organized vacations & made sure to be present at athletic events, performanace – anything with the kids or grandkids. & She made Harold feel that he had a part in it.

Janice (Samuelson) Cohen of Boca Raton, FL, formerly of Salem and Swampscott, MA, entered into rest on June 28, 2018. Born and raised in College Corner, Indiana, she was the daughter of the late Loren and Florence (Beckman) Samuelson. She was the beloved wife of Harold Cohen for 65 years. Together they built a beautiful family and a successful family business, Somerville Lumber. Janice was the matriarch of the extended Somerville Lumber family; from company picnics to family events or grants from the Cohen Foundation to Somerville employees, Janice was always deeply involved.

Throughout her life, Janice was an active volunteer and leader in the North Shore community. During the 1960’s and 1970’s she was the president of The Temple Israel Sisterhood, ORT and the PTA of the Swampscott school system. She was philanthropic to numerous charities, including the Juvenile AIDs Foundation and Israel Bonds where she remained active through this past year. Through the Cohen Foundation, she helped to fund the educations of students near and far, extending from the greater Boston area to Whitwell, Tennessee.

In addition to her dear husband Harold, those left to cherish Janice’s memory are her devoted children: Jill & Tom Bloom of Hollywood, FL, Beth & Peter Shribman of Swampscott, MA, Linda & Steven Weinstein of Marblehead, MA and Brian & Michele Cohen of Marblehead MA; devoted grandchildren: Jeremy & Sharlene Weber, Ross & Ari Weber, Cory Weber, Randy Weber, Danny & Laura Shribman, Nikki & Doug Lutin, Katie Weinstein (Fiancée, Mark O’Shea), Samantha Weinstein (Fiancée Zach Weiss), Tim Weinstein, Karly Cohen, Jake Cohen, Jessica Cohen, and the late Charlie Madyson Weber; dear great grandchildren: Ava Weber, Tyler Weber, Harry Shribman, Benny Shribman, Lizzie Shribman and Kelsey Lutin. She was the sister of the late Jack Samuelson and sister-in-law of the late Jean Samuelson.

A funeral service for Janice will be held on Sunday, July 1, 2018 at 10:00 a.m at Congregation Shirat Hayam, 55 Atlantic Ave., SWAMPSCOTT. Interment will follow at Congregation Shirat Hayam Cemetery, Temple Israel Section, Lowell St., PEABODY. Relatives and friends are invited to gather immediately following interment at the Village at Vinnin Square Clubhouse in SALEM, MA. Shiva will also be observed on Monday, July 2, from 4:00 - 8:00 p.m. at the home of Beth and Peter Shribman. Contributions in her memory may be made to: The Multiple Sclerosis Foundation, National Headquarters, 6520 N. Andrews Ave Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309-2132, https://msfocus.org/Donate.aspx or to The Mass General Fund, Mass General Development Office, 125 Nashua Street, Suite 540 Boston, MA 02114-1101, https://giving.massgeneral.org/mgh-fund/donate/.

For more information or to register in the online guestbook, please visit www.stanetskyhymansonsalem.com.