Event Honorees

Myra Musicant & Howard Cohen

Myra and Howard were both born and raised in Chicago and moved to the east coast to attend college. Myra earned a BA magna cum laude from Smith College, studied for a year in Israel, and earned an MBA from Simmons College. She became a CPA and worked at Coopers & Lybrand until she retired to raise their three children.

Howard earned a BA from Washington University in St. Louis and a law degree from Harvard Law School. He spent a decade in public service, fifteen years as a partner at Mintz Levin, and the last thirty years building Beacon Communities, a developer and owner of affordable housing.

Myra and Howard have devoted themselves to volunteering with and supporting non-profit organizations. Myra served for many years as a board member and treasurer of Schechter Boston, where their children attended school. She has served on the finance committee for Gateways since 2017. Together, Myra and Howard helped Rabbi Moshe Waldoks revitalize Temple Beth Zion in Brookline. Myra, as a Hebrew College board member, and Howard, as chair of its relocation committee, helped the College build a new home at the campus at Temple Reyim. Howard served for many years as a board member and board chair of Hebrew Senior Life, where he led its increased commitment to affordable senior housing.

Partnering with Gateways and Schechter Boston to create a lasting home for Gateways and dedicated classrooms for its Sunday Accessible Hebrew School has been the opportunity of a lifetime. Myra and Howard are thrilled to have been instrumental in fostering a new chapter of collaboration between Gateways and Schechter.