Seth Cogan turns 40 in February. A few months later, he and his family — wife Lainie and children Sam, 10, and Mimi, eight — will leave New Jersey to make aliya. They will settle in Ra’anana, where Cogan will assume the role of general manager of Nimrei Netanya, the Netanya Tigers of the new Israel Baseball League.

“I think of Rabbi Akiva, who didn’t start to learn anything until he was 40,” Cogan said in a telephone interview. Similarly, he added, Moses’ life was divided into distinct periods of accomplishment.

“I’ve had success professionally,” said Cogan, a managing director of Lantern Investments, “but this is the next endeavor.”

With plans in the works to move his family to Israel after the current school year, Cogan found himself in search of employment opportunities.

Based on articles he read in NJ Jewish News about the IBL, he contacted league founder Larry Baras to offer his assistance “in any way possible.” After meeting with Cogan, Baras was impressed enough to ask him to consider taking the reins of one of the league’s six ball clubs.

In addition to his front-office duties, Cogan sits on the league’s board of directors, which includes a roster of such heavy hitters as Daniel Kurtzer, former U.S. ambassador to Israel and Egypt, who will serve as the league’s commissioner; Dan Duquette, a former general manager for several Major League teams and now IBL director of player development; Marty Appel, former public relations director for the New York Yankees; and economist Andrew Zimbalist.

Cogan, a resident of Short Hills, has high hopes for the new venture. “The sites have been strategically chosen where there are large numbers of American olim to support the game, and we hope to win over the Israelis over time,” he said. In addition to Netanya, other teams include the Beit Shemesh Blue Sox, Eilat Lizards, Gezer Lions, Petah Tikva Pioneers, and Tel Aviv Lightning.

The host cities recognize the value that these teams have, not only in terms of prestige but on an economic level as well, as visitors from other areas come to check out the game and stay to shop or dine.

“The importation of baseball is not unlike the importation of basketball and other things from various different cultures that just add to the overall rainbow of what’s exciting about Israel,” Cogan said.

Cogan is also trying to make the league attractive to American companies that want exposure to the growing Israeli market. Major League Baseball, its eyes and ears always open to new territories to which it can expand, “is very interested in the IBL,” Cogan said. “A number of high-level discussions are going on.”

As the Tigers’ top executive, Cogan will be responsible for the game in the stands as well as on the field. He said his primary goal will be to make “the fan experience at the game the equivalent to a minor league game here.” To this end, the team’s home field attractions will include pitching and hitting machines for the fans, fireworks, and the requisite team mascot. And since food is an integral component of both the ballpark and the Jewish experience, concessions will feature both Israeli fare like falafel and schwarma and traditional ballpark favorites like popcorn and hot dogs (kosher, of course).