MARCH 9 • 2023 | 39

to study the winery business 
by Baron Rothschild. When 
Israel became a state, Yehuda 
Kaufman changed his last name 
to Israeli. 
After graduating from Pardes 
Hanna, Coby enlisted in the 
Israel Defense Forces. This 
mandatory military service 
“changed my direction,
” he said. 
The military responsibilities 
of the unit to which Coby was 
assigned specialized in the 
relationship between Israel and 
Lebanon, primarily protecting 
the Christian minority and 
doing the work necessary to 
avoid the flourishing of terror-
ists and terrorism.
Coby was forever changed 
by his time in the IDF. Being 
a farmer was no longer his life 
path. “I missed the train,
” he 
shares. His grandfather had 
passed, and the farm was sold.
Coby started working for a 
company selling welding sup-

plies from Israel to the United 
States. Through this work, 
he first visited Michigan. At 
the time, the America-Israel 
Chamber of Commerce was 
based at the JCC. There, Coby 
met Shelley Jackier, who con-
nected him with Warren-based 
General Dynamics. In 1989, 
Coby moved to Michigan and 
took a job at General Dynamics.

In addition to working at 
General Dynamics, Coby 
worked for grocery store 
Farmer Jack, importing frozen 
vegetarian food from Israel. 
Then, Coby founded Decks by 
Coby, a company specializing in 
construction and maintenance 
of custom decks. The company 
thrived and still exists today 
under different ownership.

OVERCOMING 
CHALLENGES
In 1994, Coby was in a car acci-
dent that broke his neck and 
back and derailed his life. He 
sold Decks by Coby. For three 
years, he was out of work and 
fighting to regain his health and 
physical ability. At the time, 
Coby had five children at Hillel 
Day School. Coby said he is 

continued on page 40

Coby helps 
Telena 
Shulman 
select 
mezuzahs.

Coby and his 
good pal Moose.

NMLS #718852

B I R M I N G H A M

We can’t help you 
unravel the mystery 
of Stonehenge.

But we can help you 
understand mortgages.

Ad Number:
PP-BOAA-22775C
Trim:
7.375" x 4.8"

Perich Job No:
22775
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Colors:
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Format: 
1/2 Page Ad

Version:
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