שלום פנחס־כהן

Scholarship, editing, and teaching

My scholarly interests focus on Maimonides, the work of Rabbi Yosef Qafih, and the Yemenite Jewish tradition. I studied under Rabbi Qafih for four years and subsequently with rabbis and scholars including Zechariah Tubi, Yosef Shevach, Yitzhak Ratzabi, Aviad Ashwal, and Ratzon Arusi. I currently study under Rabbi Eliakim Tzadok.

I also studied under Rabbi Shlomo Mashriki and, following his passing, served as a Torah lecturer in the Yemenite community of Gilo.

I have edited and published transcriptions of Rabbi Yosef Qafih’s lectures and edited Al Yad Yehiel, a collection of studies dedicated to Yechiel Kara. My articles address Maimonidean thought and Yemenite manuscripts, including the illustrations in Ma’or ha-Afelah, the appearance of the Tablets of the Covenant, Maimonides’ definition of twilight, and his approach to women as interpreted by Rabbi Qafih.

As part of the series Rabbi Yosef Qafih’s Lectures on Maimonides’ Introductions to the Mishnah, I edited the volumes Introduction to the Mishnah and Perek Helek. A volume on the Eight Chapters will be published in the future.

I have also assisted authors including Rabbi Yohai Makbili, Rabbi Aharon Qafih, and Rabbi Avraham Hamami in preparing works for publication.

Engineering and military simulation

I studied physics at the Jerusalem College of Technology (Machon Lev) through the IDF Academic Reserve program and am an electro-optics engineer. I served for 13 years as an IDF officer, attaining the rank of Major and holding key positions in the Ground Forces Technology Division, where I built and installed observation and weapon systems along Israel’s borders.

At Bagira Systems Israel, I have led the requirements definition, development, and implementation of simulators for the SPIKE (Gil) missile system in cooperation with Rafael, and for the FireFly (Maoz) system.

I developed the Gorilla mobile training platform, which brings the company’s simulators to soldiers at their point of need, and built approximately 60 systems simulating military equipment for the Dutch and Israeli armed forces. I also developed a chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) trainer in the Netherlands, subsequently replicated in Cyprus. My work has included the design of user interfaces for trainee-operated stations.

Community and family

Together with Yaya Fink and Hili Tropper, I co-founded the Gilo branch of Shachen Tov, a volunteer initiative distributing food to families in need.

I am married, a father of five, and live with my family in Yad Binyamin, Israel.