William Cohen Military history of Jewish Americans

william sebastian cohen (born august 28, 1940) republican served secretary of defense (1997–2001) under democratic president bill clinton. father, reuben cohen, russian jewish immigrant, while mother, clara, of protestant irish ancestry; 2 owned bangor rye bread co. cohen attended hebrew school child. when told have undergo conversion ceremony (see matrilineality in judaism), however, decided not follow through bar mitzvah. instead, followed mother s example in refusing convert judaism , became christian, within unitarian universalist tradition.