Malerie Yolen Cohen
Alumni Honoree
 It is with great pride and pleasure that Bi-Cultural Day School honors Malerie Yolen-Cohen, Bi-Cultural Class of 1971, with this year’s Alumni Award. Malerie clearly personifies the best of Bi-Cultural’s alumni, actively involved in Jewish life and Jewish leadership in her community, successful in her professional life, and connected to the school.
Malerie’s fond memories of her years at Bi-Cultural include attending Bi-Cultural in its first building on Colonial Road and taking part in Bi-Cultural’s then four-month trip to Israel when the school went through the 9th grade. “It was wonderful,” she recalls. “We had a small, nurturing class. We were like brothers and sisters. Even when I was sent to the principal’s office for whatever reason, Mr. S. always had a kind word and a piece of candy for me.”
Malerie met her husband Jeff, who hails from Murfreesboro, Tennessee, when both were working in finance in Houston, Texas. Not long after their marriage, she convinced Jeff they should return to her native Connecticut, and when their children were born, Malerie says, “there was no question. They were going to Bi-Cultural.” Benjamin, Bi-Cultural Class of 2004, now attends Lehigh University. When his younger brother, Jacob, Bi-Cultural Class of 2006, graduates from Solomon Schechter of Westchester in June, he will join Ben at Lehigh.
After years of work in the financial field, Malerie, who holds a BA and MA in psychology, switched to journalism and is today a successful freelance writer. In addition to her past service on Bi-Cultural’s Board of Trustees, she and Jeff have been highly visible leaders in the local Jewish community. They twice served as co-chairs of UJA/Federation’s Super Sunday, were in the leadership of the JCC Maccabi Games in Stamford in 2006, have been active at Congregation Beth El, and have played important roles in other organizations and events. Malerie was a Melton Fellow from 2006-2008. Malerie’s mother, Jill Yolen of Greenwich, has also been an unwavering supporter of the school through the years, in keeping with the family’s tradition of dedication to Jewish educational excellence at Bi-Cultural Day School.
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