Mark Herskovitz:
One of my early memories of your Abba is during a Shevah Brachot for your parents. The Shevah Brachot occurred at your grandparents. I believe it may have been a Shabbat Day Shevah Brachot. [You need to check with your mother on this.] There was a huge crowd. At least it seemed that way to me -- I was about 10-years-old. Toby Frieman (now Toby Klein) was also there, she was much younger than I. (Toby was maybe 5-years-old at the time.) The Shevah Brachot were outside in the back yard. There was also a table set up in the dining room inside. We kids were running around. The door to the service porch was opening and closing and I remember the smell of your grandmother's chulent - the best ever. Anyway, some flies got into the house from the outside. Toby saw them hovering above the Challah, and she said: "Danny, Danny, the flies are eating the Callah." Your Abba did not miss a beat. He said: "I sure hope not. We just got married." I thought that was the funniest thing!
I also remember how our Zeddy, Rev Shalom Herskovitz, wanted both your Abba and I to come learn Parsha with Rashi with him each Sunday morning, at his Shtibel (Kehal Chatam Sofer on Melrose Ave.) Your Abba was much more dedicated to attendance than I. (I was just about Bar Mitzvah age at the time.) Your Abba would go every Sunday (or nearly every Sunday.) I would sometimes miss for this reason or that, but I recall being disappointed on the rare occasions when I would show up, but your father was not there. When we were both there, Zeddy would have your Abba read a Pasuk and translate. Then it was my turn. I could see what a special admiration Zeddy had for your Abba, each time it was his turn to read. I could also see that the feeling was mutual. Sometimes, your Abba would stop and ask interesting questions about the narrative or point out something that may have troubled him. Zeddy would pause and he think for a few moments before carefully responding. I think Zeddy understood how important it was for your father to have a meaningful response to his questions or observations. I could feel the special Kavod your Abba showed for Zeddy, and I would notice the appreciation your Abba had for the response he would receive from Zeddy. I also recall looking forward to when your Abba was there to learn with Zeddy with me, because he served as this magical buffer - who was at a completely different and higher level than I. Your Abba's questions and observations helped me appreciate that Chumash was not a linear text, although both your Abba and I used what I think was novel for its time, a linear translation Chumash with Rashi.
Sincerely,
Mark
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Dear Brenda, Amira, Moshe, Devora, Racheli, Revital, Yosef, Eric:
You are all very much in our thoughts and hearts, as are our memories of your dear husband/father Z”L.
Speaking for myself, the most vivid memory I have, and the one that made the most impression on me and which I will carry with me to the end of days, is seeing your father every Shabbat afternoon sitting at the dining room table with the seforim before him, learning, learning, learning. When I would come to play Scrabble, there he was already, right after lunch, as if he couldn’t wait to finish eating to crack open those books. This to me will always be especially impressive, knowing how he came late to the “feast”, and then couldn’t get enough of it.
The other memory which is indelible is of him always walking your mother to our door when it was her turn to come to my house for Scrabble on Shabbat. He never let her walk by herself, and always made sure that I was actually home and had opened the door, before leaving her. He would wave and call out a cheerful Shabbat Shalom before walking back home to his beloved Seforim.
My husband will always be grateful for the way both your parents walked over to see him when he was hospitalized over last Shavuot. I believe your Dad was already coughing at the time, so it was probably an extra effort for him to make the walk all the way to Cedars.
You don’t need me to tell you how special Daniel Rubin Z”L is and was, as a husband, a father, a doctor, a man. Our whole community is poorer as a result of his passing.
May you all find Nechama.
Fondly,
Frieda Korobkin
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David Felsenthal:
Dear Brenda:
Please accept our heartfelt condolences.
I remember vividly the first time I met Daniel some 13 years ago at Union Station on the 6:05 a.m. train heading to Irvine. For a couple years we shared many morning trips together, the first part davening Shacharit with tallit and tefillin on the train. That there were two of us made it easier and less lonely for me. I had a company car that I kept at the Irvine train station to drive to my office. Rather than take my offer to drive Daniel to his office, Daniel always preferred the exercise of walking from the Irvine station to his office (except for the occasional rainy day).
Daniel moved on to a new position and so did I not long thereafter. Both of us much preferred working closer to home. But I thoroughly enjoyed Daniel's company and I will always remember those train rides.
המקום ינחם אותך בתוך שאר אבלי ציון וירושלים
May Daniel's memory be a blessing.
Fondly,
The Felsenthals
David, Felisa, Michael, Deena and Amira
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