How Evyatar Cohen is reconnecting U.S. communities to the land, language, and legacy of the Bible
Evyatar Cohen has worn many uniforms; IDF special forces veteran, police officer, certified EMT, and an emergency responder. But the role that now defines him is the one he never formally trained for: an educator shaped by the land of Israel and raised on the Bible, now helping Americans rediscover the biblical foundations woven into their own national story.
Several years ago, Evyatar relocated to the United States for a family diplomatic posting. What he found here surprised him. “I am discovering; it’s ongoing, how ‘Biblical’ the United States is. Not the people themselves necessarily, but the places, the symbols, the cities,” he says. His observation is simple: America is filled with biblical memory, yet most Americans; and even most Jews, have stopped seeing it. That realization became his mission.
A Guide Who Saw the Missing Story
Before coming to the U.S., Evyatar spent years guiding American groups through Israel. He noticed a recurring pattern: visitors arrived seeking the Bible; the footsteps of Abraham, the hills of David, the landscapes of Jesus, but were often shown only the modern political story or the trauma narrative. “The messaging is basically: ‘Look how miserable we are, look what happened in the Holocaust,’” he explains. While the Holocaust remains a sacred chapter of Jewish history, Evyatar saw that something essential was missing: the 3,000‑year biblical story that binds Jews and Christians together.
So, he began asking a different question: What if we spoke to Americans in a language that already resonates deeply here; the language of the Bible? It echoes the verse; Deep calls to deep – Psalm 42:8, reminding us that shared stories create shared understanding.
Revealing America’s Biblical DNA
Once in the U.S., Evyatar began exploring American towns, museums, and civic symbols. What he found astonished him. Across the country, more than a thousand towns bear biblical names; Salem, Bethlehem, Hebron, Zion, chosen by early settlers who saw themselves as heirs to the Hebrew Bible’s moral vision. Hospitals, counties, rivers, and cities echo the geography of ancient Israel.
And then there is the Liberty Bell. Commissioned in 1751, it bears a verse from Leviticus: Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof – Leviticus 25:10. For Evyatar, this is not a coincidence; it is a bridge. “Americans proclaimed liberty, and we proclaimed liberty for hostages, and now for Iranians under dictatorship,” he notes. The Liberty Bell is not just an American symbol; it is a biblical one.
When he explains that “Salem” comes from an ancient name for Jerusalem, or that the Liberty Bell’s inscription is a Torah commandment, audiences suddenly see their own history differently. They see themselves not as distant observers of Israel, but as part of the same story. It reflects the verse: Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path – Psalm 119:105. Evyatar’s work helps Americans see that this lamp has been lighting their path far longer than they realized.
Teaching in the Museum of the Bible; and Beyond
Today, Evyatar leads groups through the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C., guiding visitors through exhibits that connect archaeology, scripture, and American history. He shows how the Hebrew Bible shaped the nation’s founders, its literature, its moral vocabulary, and its civic identity. He speaks not as a politician, but as a teacher; someone who believes that shared heritage is the strongest bridge between nations.
His tours are not lectures. They are encounters, with the land, the text, and the story Jews and Christians share. He often quotes: For out of Zion shall go forth instruction and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem – Isaiah 2:3. For many Americans, hearing this verse in Washington reframes Israel not as a distant conflict zone, but as the living heart of the Bible.
A Calling, Not a Campaign
Evyatar rejects the old model of public diplomacy built on slogans or political talking points. Instead, he emphasizes the three inseparable elements of Jewish identity: the people, the book, and the land. Israel, he argues, must be presented not as a modern political project but as the land of the Bible, the physical stage upon which the stories of faith unfolded.
Conflicts in Gaza, Lebanon, or Persia are not random geopolitical events; they occur in the same landscapes where biblical stories took place. When he explains modern events through biblical geography and narrative, Americans immediately understand the stakes.
Returning Home; Leaving a Legacy
Evyatar returns to Israel this summer, but his work in the United States has left a mark. He has helped Americans see Israel not as a headline or a political argument, but as the living heart of the Bible; the place where their own national story began. In a time of rising polarization, Evyatar offers something rare: a language of connection rooted in shared scripture, shared history, and shared destiny.
As Isaiah wrote, I will also make you a light to the nations – Isaiah 49:6. Evyatar’s work is a quiet, steady expression of that ancient calling.
Eliezer Avraham is the founder of i2, a Herzlian cross border strategic advisory firm operating at the intersection of Israel–India relations, defense innovation, energy security, and the architecture of modern warfare. He advises decision makers and capital partners navigating the geopolitical and market forces that shape strategic advantage.