RICHARD RUBENSTEIN

RUBENSTEIN--Dr. Richard Lowell, Theologian, author, and educator Richard Lowell Rubenstein, age 97, of Fairfield, Connecticut, passed away on May 16, 2021 in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Dr. Rubenstein was known for his groundbreaking works on the meaning of Judaism, religious life, and contemporary civilization in the aftermath of the Holocaust and the rise of the state of Israel. His 1966 book, After Auschwitz: Radical Theology and Contemporary Judaism (1966;1992) was among the first to systematically probe the significance of Auschwitz for post-holocaust religious life and initiated debate which continues to this day. Rubenstein attended Townsend Harris High School and City College before studying for the rabbinate at the Hebrew Union College/University of Cincinnati. Unable to reconcile the horror of the Holocaust with the then current thinking of Reform Judaism, he followed his teacher Abraham Joshua Heschel to the Jewish Theological Seminary, receiving his ordination and M.H.L. degree in 1952. In 1955 he earned his S.T.M. from the Harvard Divinity School and Ph.D. in the history of religion from the graduate school while serving as interim director of Hillel at Harvard. In 1958 Rubenstein became Hillel director and, later, Charles E. Merrill Professor of Humanities at the University of Pittsburgh. In 1971 he joined the religion department of Florida State University, becoming Robert O. Lawton Distinguished Professor of Religion and co-director of the Humanities Institute; Florida State University established the Richard L. Rubenstein Chair for Religious Studies in his honor. He ended his academic career as president of the University of Bridgeport from 1995-2000. Rubenstein's vast bibliography of scholarly articles and books includes Morality and Eros (1970), The Religious Imagination (1971), My Brother Paul (1972), Power Struggle (1974), The Age of Triage (1983), The Cunning of History (Introduction by William Styron, 1987), Approaches to Auschwitz (with John K. Roth, 1987; 2003) and Jihad and Genocide (2010). Dr. Rubenstein was predeceased by his beloved wife of 46 years, Betty Rogers Rubenstein, his first wife and mother of his children, Ellen Vanderveen, son Isaac Aaron Rubenstein, and daughter-in- law Carol Bulloch Rubenstein. Surviving children are Hannah R. Rubenstein of West Simsbury, CT (Frederick C. Feibel), and Jeremy N. Rubenstein of Los Angeles, CA (Linda Tang Rubenstein); stepchildren John H. Alschuler of Sag Harbor, NY (Diana Diamond); Jean Reed of Knowlesville, NB, Canada, and Liora Alschuler of East Thetford, VT; and 10 adored grandchildren and step- grandchildren. He lies in rest at Beth El Cemetery, Fairfield, CT. Memorial contributions may be made to Congregation Beth El, Fairfield, CT.