Ari Ephraim Rubin, vice chairman of the Jewish Defense League died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound on July 20.
At 30, Ari Rubin had been active in the militant JDL, rejected by mainstream Jewish organizations for its violent tactics, since his youth, and became vice chairman in 2006. He is the son of the late JDL leader Irving “Irv” Rubin.
His death was ruled a suicide by the Los Angeles County coroner’s office, whose spokesman, Craig Harvey, said that a neighbor found Rubin in his car with the self-inflicted gunshot wound to his head.
The report was confirmed by Sgt. Marty Morrow of the Glendora, Calif. police department, who said that no suicide note was found but that foul play was ruled out.
Attempts to reach members of his immediate family were unsuccessful.
In 2008, Ari Rubin visited Israel for the first time through the Birthright Israel program. He returned in 2010 to study at Aish HaTorah in Jerusalem, then “embracing the Orthodox Jewish lifestyle and striving to be a better Jewish man in the world.”
He is survived by his mother Shelley, younger brother Kelman, and numerous uncles, aunts and cousins. Graveside services were held on July 24 at Sholom Memorial Park in Sylmar, Calif.
In an obituary notice inserted by his extended family in the Pasadena Star-News on July 25, Ari Rubin was described as a life-long resident of Arcadia, who graduated with high academic honors from Pasadena City College and California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.
In reporting Ari Rubin’s death, the Jewish Defence League U.K. described his death as “another tragic loss for the Right Wing Jewish Leadership, first Rav Meir Kahane, then Binyamin Kahane. Irv Rubin and now his son. When will it end?”
