The New Israel Fund mourns the loss of our longtime International Council member, DC Regional Council member, and passionate supporter Elaine Reuben. A fiery, intrepid, and early feminist leader and activist for social justice, Elaine knew her mind and spoke it. Guided by her firm beliefs, values, and love for Israel, Elaine developed strong connections with NIF staff and grantees, and was committed to amplifying NIF’s work locally and nationally. Elaine was a generous patron of the arts and an ardent supporter of numerous Jewish and social justice organizations, including T’ruah, NCJW, Just Vision, Project Kesher, and many more.  She served on the J Street President’s Council and Finance Committee, co-chaired the Women Donors Network’s Middle East Peace and Democracy Circle, served on the Steering Committee of the Resilience Fund of the Greater Washington Community Foundation, a founding trustee of the Tikkun Olam Women’s Foundation of Greater Washington.

We will miss her and her sharp and insightful mind—and we are grateful for her devoted and deeply generous support of NIF, including naming NIF as the destination for charitable gifts in her memory. May her memory be for a blessing.  

Elaine’s obituary was published in The Washington Post; it testifies to the rich life she led and the force for social change she was. It noted that she will be remembered as an educator, community activist, philanthropist, and ardent feminist whose commitment to social justice was grounded in her commitment to Judaism and the value of Tikkun Olam.

Read the full obituary in the Washington Post here.

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