Ilise Benshushan Cohen, Ph.D., received an undergraduate degree in Anthropology from Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, and a doctorate from California Institute of Integral Studies, San Francisco. Dr. Cohen is a scholar-activist on Israel/Palestine, specifically focused on Mizrahi Jews (from the Middle East and North Africa). She taught Jewish studies at Agnes Scott College, global issues of justice at Mercer University, international policy and perspectives, and socio-cultural concepts at Smith College’s School for Social Work, globalization, and social movements at California State University, Monterey Bay. She is active on Middle East, human rights, peace-building, and education and has led many delegations to the Middle East. She is committed to critical thinking, organizing, and educating for justice in the Middle East and to anti-racist activism and organizing locally.

Dr. Cohen is co-founder and co-coordinator of the Jews of Color, Sephardi and Mizrahi Caucus, co-founder and co-leader of Jewish Voice for Peace, Atlanta chapter, steering member of SEDQ: Global Jewish Network for Justice and a member of the newly formed International Jewish Collective for Justice in Palestine. She was co-vice chair of the national council of the Fellowship of Reconciliation (FOR), former chair of Interfaith Peace-Builders (Eyewitness Palestine), and member of FOR’s Latin American Task Force Colombia program committee among other commitments.

Dr. Cohen also teaches Hebrew and mentors young Jews and allies. For the last few years, she has been teaching Middle East history and current events at Academe of the Oaks.