New Soup Kitchen Honors Late Actor Yakov Cohen's Legacy of Giving
Translated & summarized from Maariv by baba
A new soup kitchen named "Giving is Healing" has opened in Haifa to honor the memory of late Israeli actor Yakov Cohen. His widow, Tirnit Barzilai Cohen, revealed his private acts of charity after his death in November 2024. The initiative, which serves hundreds daily, aims to continue Cohen's legacy of generosity. Barzilai Cohen also discussed her personal healing journey and the profound impact of his loss.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- A new soup kitchen in Haifa, "Giving is Healing," honors the late actor Yakov Cohen.
- Cohen's widow, Tirnit Barzilai Cohen, revealed his extensive private charitable acts after his death.
- The soup kitchen will serve hundreds of people daily with donated and purchased food.
- Cohen died in November 2024 at age 66 after battling Parkinson's and lung disease.
- The initiative aims to continue Cohen's legacy of generosity and humility.
- His widow is also undergoing a personal healing process and returning to her art career.
A new soup kitchen in Haifa, named "Giving is Healing," has opened to honor the memory of the late Israeli actor and comedian Yakov Cohen, nearly two years after his passing. Cohen's widow, Tirnit Barzilai Cohen, shared that her husband, who died in November 2024 at age 66, was a deeply humble man who preferred to keep his extensive charitable acts private. She explained that only after his death did she learn the full extent of his generosity, with many people coming forward to share how he had helped them.
Cohen, who battled Parkinson's disease for years and later succumbed to lung disease following cancer treatments, was known for his love of theater and his successful career in stage, stand-up, film, and television. Barzilai Cohen described him as "a bunker, who told nothing," emphasizing his modesty and immense capacity for giving. She recalled instances where he would offer support to those in distress, even staying late after a performance to talk with someone struggling with mental health issues.
The initiative to open the soup kitchen was inspired by a meeting Barzilai Cohen had with Yarit and Shimon Sabag during a photography exhibition aimed at raising awareness for soldiers dealing with PTSD. This led to the establishment of the dining hall, which will serve hundreds of people daily. The food is sourced from donations from organizations like the IDF, Intel, and Elbit, as well as purchased and donated food products. Barzilai Cohen sees this memorial as a way to connect her late husband's life with her own path forward.
Barzilai Cohen also spoke about her own healing process and return to work in the art world, facilitated by Odelia Friedman, former CEO of Habima. She described the profound grief and the ongoing process of rebuilding her life and that of her two sons after Cohen's death, noting that "it doesn't get easier, it gets different." She finds solace and purpose in her work and in continuing her husband's legacy of kindness, stating that "giving is healing, it is healing. For us more than for those who eat."