JUDITH L. RUBENSTEIN Ph.D.

RUBENSTEIN, Ph.D., Judith L. (Goldstein) Noted child development researcher, astute clinician, and devoted mother dies at 80 After a courageous battle, Judith L. Rubenstein succumbed to the complications of Alzheimer's on February 3, 2021 at her home in Newton, MA. She had participated in two clinical trials to treat the disease. Her clinical course was complicated by the development of Covid-19 which seemed to exacerbate the dementia. However, she never lost the will to overcome her illness consistent with her perseverance and strength of character. Though brilliant in her research and insightful in clinical practice, her instinctive devotion to her two children, five grandchildren, and entire family was inspirational. She was born in Brooklyn to Frances & Martin Goldstein and grew up in Wilkes-Barre, PA. She moved to Roxbury, MA when her father took a position with the Jewish Board of Education and moved to Newton, MA when he became educational director at Temple Emanuel. Graduating from Newton High School, she completed Radcliffe College in three years, summa cum laude in 1961. During her first year at Radcliffe College, she simultaneously completed her Bachelor's degree in Jewish Education at Hebrew Teachers College. She received her doctorate from Boston University in Psychology in 1967, where she was recognized as a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation scholar. Supported by a grant from the foundation, she then moved to New York to complete her thesis and support her husband who was a resident in medicine at Columbia University. To collect data for her doctorate, she rode public transportation to the most economically depressed neighborhoods in the Bronx and hospital ambulances to childcare centers during the New York transportation strike. Two years later, she again moved with her husband whose military service commitment brought them to VNIH in Washington. Despite a promising and productive career as a Research Associate at the National Institute for Child Health and Development, Judith again moved with her husband back to Boston where he entered a fellowship in Cardiology at the Massachusetts General Hospital. She continued her research career as Assistant Professor of Psychiatry in Child Development at Tufts University School of Medicine in 1972, moving to Associate Professor in 1978. She was then recruited to become Associate Research Professor at Boston University School of Medicine in 1986. Her early research interests were prescient with a focus upon the social environment's influence on the social and cognitive function in the infant. In the 70s, she wrote about the benefits of well-run daycare on infant and child creativity and development as well as about the importance of the father's role in development and social responsiveness. She also wrote of her concern that the welfare reform legislation in the 70s might unintentionally result in a decrease of fathers' presence in the home. In the 80s, her research examined and identified risk factors for adolescent suicide. Academically, her work product consisted of several books, chapters in texts, and over 50 peer-reviewed papers on childhood development. She served on Editorial Boards and had multiple professional affiliations. Though she continued on the faculty of Boston University School of Medicine, her focus for the next 30 years was in the clinical practice of child and adult psychology in Newton. She was adored by her patients and respected by her colleagues. Throughout her professional career, she remained steadfastly committed to her family. She was supportive and contributed to her husband's career and was completely devoted to and involved with her children's and grandchildren's growth, development, and education. There were frequent visits to multiple classrooms to evaluate which was optimal for her children. She also recognized the importance of individual attention for her children and grandchildren with "special" trips to the record store, library, or just sitting, listening, and talking one-on-one with each child. Beside the professional accomplishments and love of family, she was an avid and voracious reader, particularly of mystery authors such as Agatha Christie, David Baldacci, and Daniel Silva. She loved travel, the Cape, Opera, and the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Her only unfulfilled wish was travel to study the social behavior of mountain gorillas in central Africa. Her presence will be sorely missed by friends, colleagues, and family as an inspiration and a blessing. Judith is survived by her husband Joel Rubenstein, MD; her children Mark Rubenstein, MD & his wife Sarah Wood Rubenstein, MD, and Elizabeth Bernstein, MD & her husband Joshua Bernstein, MD; her grandchildren, Alexandra and Lila Rubenstein and Anna, Jacob, and Benjamin Bernstein. She was the sister of Edward Goldstein & his wife Joanne, sister-in-law of David Rubenstein & his wife Naomi, and Susan (Rubenstein) Albright & her late husband John and aunt of Michael, Jana, and Jeffrey Goldstein, Tal, Ron, and Gil Rubenstein and David and James Albright. Due to the current health crisis, funeral services are private. Her memory may be honored by a gift to the Alzheimer's Association, PO Box 96011, Washington DC, 20090 (please include note indicating in memory of Judith L Rubenstein, Ph.D.), you may also contribute online at https://act.alz.org. Levine Chapels, Brookline 617-277-8300 www.levinechapel.com