Around a table of refreshments and coffee, members of the Keene community gathered for the first Cohen Conversation on Tuesday, Feb. 18 from 4-5 p.m. in the Cohen Center lobby. Cohen Conversations have no topic agenda for gatherings; they are simply to help build connections and create space for informed interactions for anyone in the community. Sophomore Hailey Michaud was a student in attendance.
“I’m in an Honors Holocaust in France class and heard about this event through my professor,” said Michaud. “I came to check it out and I really like interacting with new people.” Michaud explained how her class met with a Holocaust survivor via Zoom and that it had a powerful impact, sparking her decision to come. She brought two friends with her who weren’t in any Holocaust and genocide studies classes to interact as well.
Director of Mason Library Celia Rabinowitz explained the importance of the event.
“The goal is to just encourage conversation. It’s easy to do that here with comfy places to sit and refreshments,” said Rabinowitz. “Events like this can often create lots of anxiety for people when they think they have to talk about a certain subject. With this, it can be anything. We just want to connect with our neighbors.”
Cohen Institute Administrative Assistant Michele Kuiawa said the Cohen Institute wanted to create a community and was excited to see how the first event turned out.
Kate Gibeault, director of the Cohen Institute, also spoke about the importance of community.
“We just wanted to create a space for others in the community,” Gibeault said. “It’s a great low-stress way to get to know your neighbors and create check-in opportunities. It’s also a space for informed interactions, making talks about the Holocaust seem less scary.”
Gibeault explained that the topic of the Holocaust can evoke strong emotions and be a heavy-hitting topic for some people, making things like Cohen Conversations a great way to ease stress and invite open conversations.
Cohen Conversations happen once a month, the next event being held on March 3 in the Cohen Center lobby.
Jaden Johnson can be contacted at
