Ben Cohen has never publicly stated his religion; he is relatively silent on this matter. Many speculations regard him as Jewish, but he does not follow an orthodox lifestyle.
Former rugby star Ben Cohen does not consider religion a focal point of his life. He is relatively silent on such matters.
However, there are several other issues that Ben is very vocal about. Cohen has built his repertoire as an activist through such actions.
Ben Christopher Cohen is a 45-year-old former rugby player; he played for the England national team for six years.
Cohen started playing very young, at 12, with a scouts team of Northampton Old. Then, at 17, he joined Northampton Saints, and after a decade or so, he opted to play abroad, joining French Top 14 club Brive.
After just two years in France, Cohen returned and joined the Mancunian club Sale Sharks. Ben’s time at Sale Sharks ended after some injuries and could not earn a new contract.
Moreover, the winger retired in 2011 after failing to secure a contract with premiership clubs. Post-retirement Cohen focused on his activism campaigns.
Ben was a World Cup winner with the England national team in 2003.
What Religion Does Ben Cohen Follow?
More On His Ancestry
Ben Cohen does not come off as a religious guy, and he is not one, either. However, most viewers tend to associate him with Judaism.
They are not entirely wrong; he does have Jewish heritage. Nonetheless, Cohen and his family are not Jewish.
Cohen said, My family’s not Jewish, but a few generations back they used to be.”
Furthermore, as per Cohen, his grandfather’s marriage with a non-Jewish girl broke their lineage.
So, Ben Cohen does have Jewish connections. However, his family stopped following the religion a few generations ago.
Ben Cohen Family
Death Of His Father
Ben struggled with his life the most when his lovable father died. In 2000, when Ben was just 22, he had to grieve the death of his father, Peter Cohen.
Peter Cohen died while trying to stop a brawl in his nightclub; he got injured while protecting the attack victim. The older Cohen breathed his last breath in the hospital a month after the incident, failing to recover from a blood clot.
Furthermore, three men were convicted and only served 18 months in prison. Ben hopes the incident haunts those attackers for the rest of their lives.
His Uncle Was A Soccer Player
Ben is the nephew of late rugby legend George Cohen, a man who was part of the historic 1996 World Cup.
George was a right-back and a single-club man, playing for Fulham FC. He is also a member of the English Football Hall of Fame.
Moreover, the legend died in December 2022, leaving a huge legacy for English soccer. George was equally active in charities and also pressurized inquiries on dementia in soccer.
Ben Cohen MBE
The former rugby champ completely shifted his focus to activism after retirement. He established The Ben Cohen StandUp Foundation to raise awareness against bullying.
Furthermore, Ben has been equally vocal regarding LGBTQ rights and also runs an agenda against homophobia. He is also an inductee into the National Gay and Lesbian Sports Hall of Fame.
The British Empire awarded him with the Most Excellent Order for his contributions to uplifting the vulnerable society.
