Career
Born in Samarkand in the Soviet Union (today in Uzbekistan), Cohen made aliyah to Israel in 1973. He gained a Bachelor in business administration at the Center for Academic Studies in Kiryat Ono and took a two-year course at the Institute for Local Government in Bar-Ilan University. Cohen served as deputy mayor and acting mayor of Ramla, and chaired the city"s Organisation for Prisoner Rehabilitation.
He was first elected to the Knesset on Shas" list in 1999 and chaired the Public Petitions committee.
He retained his seat in the 2003 elections, after which he chaired the State Control and Economic Affairs committees. He was re-elected again in 2006, and served as a Deputy Speaker of the Knesset.
He retained his seat in the 2009 elections after being placed fourth on the Shas list. He was re-elected again in 2013.
Prior to the 2015 elections Cohen announced that he would not contest the elections, and would leave the Knesset.
Cohen is married with four children and lives in Ramla.
