What does the word Kohen mean in Judaism?

Answer 1

In the Biblical Age, Ancient Israel had Priests called Kohanim (literally Hebrew for "Priests") who oversaw the sacrifices in the Great Temple and passed this position to their children. The Kohanim still exist today as the descendants of those Priests and commonly have the last name of Cohen or some variant to indicate their ancestry.

Kohanim, however, do not retain a strong religious function in Modern Judaism. The preacher and Jewish scholar have merged into the "Rabbi" which means "Teacher". These Rabbis run synagogues, interpret Jewish law, and generally guide the religion's various movements.

Answer 2

It means "Priest" in Hebrew and refers to the priestly class and their descendants in Judaism. There are three classes in Judaism: Kohen - the Priests, Levites - the Assistants to the Priests, and Yisrael - the general congregation. Roughly 1% of Jews are Kohens, 9% are Levites, and 90% are Yisrael.

Answer 3

Cohen is a Hebrew word usually translated as "priest". Historically, they are descended patriarchally from the first Jewish priest, Moses' brother Aaron. Interestingly, even now in the 21st Century, a unique genetic marker has been found to occur with non-random consistency among the population who carry the name 'Cohen' or one of its derivatives, and among those whose family tradition holds that they are descended from the priestly lineage.