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JANUARY 15 - 21, 2026
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OBITUARY
Temple Israel’s Jay Rosenbaum dies at 75 By MELISSA BERMAN mberman@liherald.com
Rabbi Jay Rosenbaum, who guided Temple Israel of Lawrence for 19 years, helping to shape one of Long Island’s most prominent reformed congregations through periods of growth, transition and reflection until he retired in 2021, died on Dec. 16 at Long Island Jewish Medical Center in Forest Hills. He was 75. Though Rosenbaum had suffered a stroke in October, his death was unexpected, according to his son, Jordan. Rosenbaum was born in Brooklyn on April 17, 1950, and graduated from Midwood High School while also attending Jewish day school. At the University of Cincinnati, he took part in a dualdegree program with Hebrew Union College, and was ordained in 1975. Rosenbaum met his future wife, Amy [Pincus], in Brooklyn when he was in his early 20s and she was in her late teens. They were married in 1974, and Amy died in December 2020, at age 66. The Rosenbaums moved to Woodmere in 1977, when he joined Temple Israel as an assistant to Rabbi Joel Zion. Rosenbaum became the synagogue’s senior rabbi in 2002, when it was seeking a leader who could balance tradition with a modern spiritual vision. Temple Israel was originally founded in Far Rockaway in 1908. “The real thing I learned from having a dad as a rabbi is that nobody is perfect — not me, not you, not his thousands of congregants and certainly not him,” Jordan Rosenbaum wrote in his eulogy. “That’s why all of these people, all of you loved and respected him.” Rosenbaum also served as a chaplain in the Army Reserves, from which he was honorable discharged as a captain in 1989, after 13 years. He was known for his thoughtful sermons, his approachable leadership style and his deep commitment to making Judaism accessible, relevant and compassionate for congregants of all ages. During his tenure at Temple Israel, he became a steady pastoral presence for
Rabbi Jay Rosenbaum led Temple Israel of Lawrence for 19 years before retiring in 2021. thousands of families, guiding several generations through the major milestones of their lives. “Rabbi Jay was there for me when my mother and brother passed away,” member Elaine Prusack wrote on the Riverside-Nassau North Chapels funeral home website. “He officiated at my daughter Hannah’s Bat Mitzvah and was fond of my son Spencer.” Rosenbaum emphasized inclusivity, learning and community engagement, congregants said, encouraging them to see Judaism not only as a faith practiced in the sanctuary, but also as a moral guide to everyday life. “May his memory always be a blessing,” Prusack wrote. Under his leadership, Temple Israel expanded its educational programming, strengthened its youth and family involvement, and deepened its role as a center for worship, study and social connection in the Five Towns. “Rabbi Rosenbaum believed that the heart of the rabbinate was presence,” Rabbi Galina Makaveyev, who worked alongside Rosenbaum and became head rabbi in 2023, wrote in an email. “Being there for people in moments of joy and in times of sorrow. In recognition of his extraordinary pastoral service follow-
Courtesy Jordan Rosenbaum
Rabbi Jay Rosenbaum blowing the shofar for the Jewish New Year in September in Long Beach. He died on Dec. 16, at age 75. ing the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, Rabbi Rosenbaum was honored by the North American Board of Rabbis as Chaplain of the Year for his work with rescue workers and the families of victims.” When Rosenbaum announced his retirement, he framed his departure not as an ending, but as a transition both for himself and for the congregation. In a farewell message, he reflected on relationships built over decades, and expressed confidence in the synagogue’s future, crediting its strength to its congregation. “For Rabbi Rosenbaum, Temple Israel was home, and the congregation was family,” Makaveyev wrote. Even after stepping away from the pulpit, Rosenbaum remained a respected voice in regional Jewish life, working with Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman as the county’s head of Jewish outreach. Rosenbaum’s legacy at Temple Israel endures in the programs he
helped build, the values he championed, and the countless individuals whose lives he touched through teaching, guidance and faith. He is survived by his son and three grandchildren. His funeral was held at Riverside-Nassau North Chapels, in Great Neck, on Dec. 18. “Everyone deserves a little kindness, a little compassion, a little understanding,” Jordan Rosenbaum wrote in his eulogy. “Tell someone you know how much you love them, how much you appreciate them, that you forgive them for what they may have done or not done, that you see and hear them — and then you will know what it is like to have Rabbi Jay Rosenbaum as a father.”