Rabbi Morris Rubinstein

Rabbi Morris (Moshe) Rubinstein of Camarillo, Calif., died July 24, 2012. He was the former rabbi of the Strathmore Jewish Center in Matawan.

Rabbi Rubinstein served as rabbi of Valley Beth Israel in Sun Valley, Calif., for 28 years. Upon leaving full time military service in 1963, he served as rabbi of Strathmore Jewish Center and then at Har Zion Congregation in Scottsdale, Ariz., before taking the helm at Valley Beth Israel in 1972.

He served as president of the Southwest Region of the Rabbinical Assembly in 1988-1990. He also was a frequent lecturer in Jewish studies in the Department of Continuing Education, the Elderhostel Program, and the Introduction to Judaism program, all at the University of Judaism (now the American Jewish University) in Los Angeles. He also served on the beit din (rabbinic court) of the Rabbinical Assembly in Los Angeles. After retiring from Valley Beth Israel in 2000, he continued his other involvements and also taught Torah classes regularly at Temple Etz Chaim in Thousand Oaks, Calif., and led the Foreign Policy Group discussions at Leisure Village in Camarillo, Calif.

He received his bachelor of arts from Yeshiva College and a master of arts in Hebrew literature as well as rabbinic ordination at the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York in 1959.

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He served as an Air Force Chaplain in Ankara, Turkey, and at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Miss. He received the Air Force Commendation Medal for providing Jewish coverage in Turkey, Crete, and Greece. He remained active in the Air Force until his military retirement in 1994 and attained the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

He is survived by his wife, Mildred (Miriam); three sons, Rabbi Aaron, Daniel, and David; two daughters, Naomi Weiss and Judy Massarano; and nine grandchildren.

Services were held July 26 with arrangements by Chevra Kadisha Mortuary, Los Angeles. Memorial contributions may be made to the Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund at Temple Etz Chaim, 1080 East Janss Rd., Thousand Oaks, CA 91360; or Yad Sarah (www.yadsarah.org).