Actress Rotem Zissman-Cohen: “Shabbat Is a Vacation for the Soul”

Israeli actress Rotem Zissman-Cohen has undergone a significant spiritual transformation in recent years, embracing a more religiously observant life alongside her husband, actor Morris Cohen, who is also growing stronger in his Jewish observance.

In an interview with Channel 16, Zissman-Cohen opened up about her journey, the changes she has made along the way, and why she no longer seeks fulfillment in the world of fame and glamour.

“I Wanted to Connect With Jewish Women”

One unexpected part of Zissman-Cohen’s journey has been hosting hafrashat challah gatherings for women.

“I had an inner prayer to connect with Jewish women, and somehow I started hosting hafrashat challah evenings, and it really took off,” she shares.

The spiritual changes have affected the couple’s life together as well. Her husband, Morris, has also been growing in religious observance and has opened an art gallery as the couple gradually moves in a new direction.

For Zissman-Cohen, that shift has meant reconsidering many of the things that once occupied a central place in her life.

“You give up fame, covers, freebies, Instagram, and followers,” she says. “But Shabbat and religious life are peace and a vacation for the soul. Today, I’m no longer looking for the next role. I found tranquility somewhere else.”

A Gradual Journey Toward Modesty and Shabbat

Zissman-Cohen has also spoken candidly about the fact that her transition did not happen overnight. Rather than demanding an immediate transformation from herself, she allowed her observance to develop gradually.

“I was constantly in dialogue with modesty. When I started covering my hair, it kept changing: half-covered, quarter-covered, taking it off, putting on a hat.

“The same was true with skirts. Suddenly I felt like wearing pants, and I would allow myself to do that. With Shabbat, too, I observed a little and gradually added more. I allowed my inner system to adjust to the change and truly accept it.”

Her words reveal a journey built not around a single dramatic decision, but around a series of gradual changes. From Shabbat and modesty to connecting with other Jewish women through hafrashat challah, Zissman-Cohen describes a life increasingly centered on spirituality and the sense of tranquility she says she once sought elsewhere.