(UPDATE BELOW) A fast-moving house fire killed a prominent Westchester rabbi and his wife early Shabbos morning, spinning a tightly knit Orthodox community into grief.
For the past two decades, Rabbi Yackov S. Rubenstein has been the leader of the Young Israel of Scarsdale, home to 400 Orthodox families.
Fire officials told WNBC that Rabbi Rubenstein and his wife Devorah were R”L found inside the burning home on Barud Road in New Rochelle at around 3:30 a.m., nearly 90 minutes after the fire started. It’s possible the couple was asleep when the blaze sparked. Firefighters say it was an accident – and was possibly caused by lightening.
It took between nearly 40 firefighters to get the blaze under control, fire official said.
The cause of the fire is not yet known. The Rubensteins are survived by their four adult children.
Rabbi Rubenstein, Rabbi of the Young Israel of Scarsdale had long been active in outreach, social activism, legislative advocacy, international affairs and philanthropic endeavors. His writings, which span the academic to the popular, have appeared in a number of newspapers, books and journals.
He was born in Rosenheim, Germany and as a displaced person immigrated to America at an early age, residing in Memphis, Tennessee. Rabbi Rubenstein received his Jewish and secular education in Memphis, Chicago, Israel, and Boston. He attended the Yeshiva at the Hebrew Theological College in Skokie, Illinois, Yeshivat Radin in Netanya, Mir Yeshiva in Yerushalayim, and is one of the founders of the Diaspora Yeshiva in Jerusalem. He received his Rabbinic ordination from the Chief Justices of both the Rabbinic Court of the Ashkenazic, as well as the Sephardic community of Jerusalem, and Chacham Ovadiah Yosef Shlita.
He was the immediate Past President of the Rabbinical Council of America (RCA) and currently served as its Honorary President. He has served the RCA as chairman of its Social Action Committee and organized the first Rabbinic Missions to Washington. He has served as both President and National Chairman of the Rabbinic Cabinet of the United Jewish Appeal. For a number of years, Rabbi Rubenstein chaired the Rabbinic Advisory Council of the U.J.A- Federation of New York. He is a past President of the Westchester Board of Rabbis, an executive officer of the Westchester Rabbinical Council and has served on the board of the Westchester Jewish Conference. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Washington Institute for Jewish Leadership and Values and a member of the Orthodox Jewish Caucus.
Rabbi Rubenstein’s awards include: the Orthodox Union National Rabbinical Leadership Centennial Award, 1999, the Keser Torah Award, Ariel Institutes of Israel, 1994; the Samuel W. and Rose Hurowitz Award, UJA Federation of New York, 1993; Rabbinic Award, General Assembly of the Combined Jewish Federations, 1991; Rabbinic Service Award, UJA-Federation, Westchester Division, 1987; City of Peace Award by Israel Bonds, 1978; NCSY New England Region Meritorious Leadership Award; Dr. and Mrs. Abraham Stern Service Award, Yeshiva University; and is listed in Marquis Who’s Who in Religion, 1991,1998. and Marquis Who�s Who in America, 2000.
Rabbi Rubenstein has served in pulpits in Milford, Massachusetts, and Providence, Rhode Island, before coming to Scarsdale.
UPDATE: The Levaya for Rabbi and Rebbetzin Rubenstein is scheduled for Sunday afternoon at 1:30PM in the Young Israel Of Scarsdale – 1313 Weaver Street, Scarsdale NY 10583.
Boruch Dayan Emmes…
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21 Responses
Terrible terrible story. No more can be said.
Boruch Dayan Ho’Emmess
The sad losses of our Torah world goes on,Adar,Nissan,week before Pessach. We must look into ourselves and get back to HKB”H.
What a tragic loss. May his children find the courage to continue to carry on their parent’s legacy. Hamakom yenachem osam…
the levayah is tomarrow at 130 pm in the young israel of scarsdale…
Baruch Dayan HaEmes. What a horrible tragedy. I met him both in Providence and in New Rochelle as I have cousins who live in both cities and he was the Rabbi of both their shuls. My mother in law taught him in Memphis. We live in Chicago and I’m sure many people here knew him. In fact my father in law and husband both went to HTC in Skokie. Can you tell us anything about his wife A”H – maiden name – where she’s from etc.
May the family be comforted. Hamokom Yenacheim. Hashem Yishmiraichem.
Does anybody know if he had any son-in-laws, and what thier names are??
He was a really nice man; this is incredibly sad. Baruch Dayan Emes.
HaShem should give his kids the needed strength!!
Rabbi Rubenstein is the person who made this community into what it is today. My heart aches for his children. He was an important person in mine and my family’s life. Our entire community feels like they lost a father. Debbie was from Montreal, but I do not know her maiden name. She taught hebrew school at the Temple Isreal Center of New Rochelle. Neither of their daughters are married. Both their son’s are and they have 4 beautiful grandchildren. The shiva will be held at their eldest son’s home in Teaneck.
I know that Rabbi Rubenstein was very helpful to the Peekskill Yeshiva, which used to be in New Rochelle, over the years. Baruch Dayan HaEmes.
specialdad2004,
he had two married sons, and two single daughters, so no sons-in-law.
He was, in addition to all the above, extremely Israel-oriented. Many proactive persons, including myself (I have a sister in the congregation), were allowed to address the schule members and make either political or tzedakah appeals for YESHA projects and other Eretz-Yisrael concerns. His character was very person-to-person and his speaking abilitiy was phenomenal. I am guessing that plans for a 25th anniversary were underway and understand the pain and grief of the congregation. Yehai Zichro Baruch.
Boruch dayan emes.
Rabbi Rubenstein (Jake) was a very special person.
Not only will he be missed by his congregation, he will also be sorely missed by all of the many friends he accumulated around the world.
I cannot imagine how his children will overcome this tragic loss.
He was a true leader and a lover of all am yisrael
As one of his friends since 1970, who met him and his sweet wife Debbie,while he was studying for his smicha, this loss is very painful for me.
Does anyone know Mrs. Rubenstein’s maiden name?
Where can one send a nichum avelim letter or fax to?
Baruch Dayan HaEmes. Rabbi Rubenstein was a Tzaddik in OUR time, a roll model for us to emulate. May Rabbi and Rebbetzin Rubenstein each be a meilitz yosher for their family and Klal Yisroel.
My beloved Rabbi Rubenstein and Debbie are perhaps gone, but will never ever be forgotten by us or anyone who knew them. My husband and I and our children consider ourselves to have been profoundly blessed to have had their heartfelt love and friendship, wise counsel and spiritual guidance. We have always been and will continue to be inspired by the deep devotion and unabashed love that they had toward one another, their children, their community, in particular and their fellow man, in general. We prayed we ate we sang we laugh we cried we lived, together. We all feel that we have lost our surrogate father and our shepherd. He knew every child’s name in his congregation. When my seven year old heard that he died, her first response was”Oh no. He loved me.” Every child felt that way, because, he did. Deborah’s maiden name was Powell. May they rest in peace, together. They took care of us, and we will take care of their children.
At the “MORIYA” conference which took place in ZIKHRON JACOB, ISRAEL about 13 years ago under the auspices of the “ISRAELI FORM” it was my first time to meet Rabbi Jacob Rubenstein.
I was fascinated by his personality we became real friends ever since and at several opportunities that I had to visit his Scarsdale home I also had the chance of getting to know Debbi, her charming personality and outstanding hospitality.
During one of my visits at his office I have witnessed a young teenager coming in asking the Rabbi an intimate question about a relationship. I told him right after, how impressed I was about his ability to create such a level of rapport and confidence with that most sensitive element of the community. I am sure they will both make the ultimate Melitzei Yosher for this particular segment and for Klal Israel.
Still in shock
Zvika Gildoni, Ramat-Gan, ISRAEL
buroch dayan emes may his and his wifes neshaa be a meletz yoshir for all of klal yisroel and for his mispacha
Baruch Dayan Emes to a special Rabbi and Rebbetzin. May we only share in Simchas.
P.S. mentioned on 880 and 1010wins.
I live in Scarsdale and would like to share a maise that happened between myself and Rabbi Rubenstein Zt”l.
I asked Rabbi Rubenstein zt”l a question:
Navi distinctly makes reference to ten lost tribes. What about the tribe of Shimon, who were not located in the north like the others? He responded that Shimon is considered lost because the members of that tribe lost their mesorah that they were from that tribe. I asked him what about the tribe of Binyamin, did they not lose their mesorah as well? He answered me that they did not and indeed he personally had a mesorah that he was descended from that tribe.
Yehei zichro boruch.