Kobi Chumash was born in Haifa, Israel, and lived there until he was 12 years old. He and his family moved to the city, Rehovot, where they lived until he graduated from high school in 1975. During Kobi’s teen years, he was highly involved in the Israeli Scouts Youth Movement — teaching, training, and motivating children and teens.
As all Israelis, Kobi went to the army at the age of 18, serving seven years in the Israeli Air Force. In 1982 he completed his full-time army service with a rank of Major. While continuing to play an extremely active role in the Army Reserves, he entered Tel Aviv University to study Geography and Political Science. After three years he changed direction and went to the College of Architecture & Design in Tel Aviv. He became an architect and interior designer, founding a small architectural firm with a colleague, specializing in custom-designed homes, restaurants, and offices. During this time Kobi also designed, opened, and managed a restaurant called Samobar Café.
