Eli Cohn-Postell

Eli Cohn-Postell is an educator whose projects emphasize Israel/Palestine and inclusion.

Eli grew up an active member of the Minneapolis Jewish community, attending summer camp, youth group events, religious school, and celebrating holidays and milestones with friends and family. As one of the few Jews in a large public school, Eli developed educational skills early on as he found himself explaining to his peers what Judaism was and how it was different than their religious understandings and behaviors.

As a student at Lewis and Clark College, Eli helped found the Greater Portland Hillel and served as its first President.Eli is an alum of the Alexander Muss High School in Israel and the MASA program OTZMA, two experiences that launched his career working on Israel/Palestine. He has spent years developing an nuanced understanding of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, building relationships with Israelis and Palestinians, and supporting grassroots efforts to create peace and reconciliation between the parties. Eli has led over 10 trips to Israel/Palestine during this time, focusing on both Jews and non-Jews.

Eli holds Master’s Degrees in Jewish Professional Leadership and Near Eastern and Judaic Studies from Brandeis University, where he wrote his thesis on the Americanization of Zionism in the 21st Century. A member of a mixed-heritage family, Eli understands that not everyone who engages with the Jewish community has a comfortable experience. Jews by Choice, Jews of Color, and Jews who identify as LGBTQIA+ are only some of the groups marginalized in the predominantly white, Ashkenazi American Jewish community. Eli has made it a part of his mission to ensure that families like his can find comfort and ease in expressing their Jewish identity.

As a project management consultant, Eli has worked with major Jewish movements to support new inclusion efforts and novel research to further our understanding of American Jews and race. Eli lives outside of Boston with his wife, Cheyenne, a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion program officer, their daughter, Miri, and their cat, Duncan.