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“A Fire in his Soul”

Chana Bunim Rubin Ausubel Reflects on the Life of Irving Bunim

Perhaps the most impactful lay leader in American Jewish history, Irving
Bunim zt”l was a man driven by Ahavat Yisrael, love of Israel. A successful
businessman also known for his insightful commentary on Pirkei Avot,
Ethics from Sinai, Bunim used his Washington contacts to rescue thousands
of Jews from the Holocaust and help them resettle in the United States. As
a driving force behind the Young Israel movement and Rav Aharon Kotler’s
partner in founding Beth Medrash Govoha in Lakewood, New Jersey, Bunim
set Orthodoxy on a path to success in the United States. In parallel, he was
a proud Religious Zionist who made extraordinary efforts on behalf of the
new State of Israel.
When he passed away in December of 1980, Rabbi Moshe Feinstein declared
his death an “aveilus d’rabim”, a loss for the entire community. December
27, 2022 (the 3rd of Tevet) marks Irving Bunim’s 42nd yahrzeit.
In 2018, Eric Halivni (Weisberg), founder and Executive Director of Toldot
Yisrael, interviewed Chana Bunim Rubin Ausubel, author of As Long As The
Candle Burns, about her father’s extraordinary efforts on behalf of Israel
and the Jewish people. The following is an edited and abridged version of
(PHOTO: BMG LAKEWOOD)
their conversation.

Tell me a little bit about your father’s love for Israel. Jabotinsky in your home one day
and host a Torah scholar like Rav
My father had the greatest love for Eretz Yisrael, more than I could Elchonon Wasserman hy”d in your
ever describe. It’s easier to give examples of how his love for Israel home the next day?” He said, “I
translated to action.
like emet, I like truth and honesty.
In 1947, he was in the textile business, where he worked with huge I like an honest and a truthful
crates of textiles. Together with Eddie Silver, the District Attorney Torah scholar and I also greatly
of Brooklyn, he hid surplus guns from World War II under the admire a true Zionist – and that
textiles in these huge cartons and shipped them to Israel. was Jabotinsky.”
That same year, Dov Gruner was sentenced to be hanged by the For many years, Ben-Gurion
British for his participation in the Irgun’s arms raid on a police refused to allow Jabotinsky to
station in Ramat Gan. My father flew to England and made an be buried in Israel. In 1964, when
appointment with Lord Pakenham, the Under Secretary of State, Ben-Gurion was no longer Prime
hoping to convince him to rescind the sentence of Dov Gruner. Minister, my father flew to Israel The memoir written by Chana
He tried very hard, but sadly, Dov was hanged. to meet with Levi Eshkol about Bunim Rubin Ausubel.
My father yearned his whole life for an independent state. When the importance of bringing Jabotinsky to Israel for burial,
he came to Israel after independence and saw an Israeli flag, he which they finally did. In 1980, the year before my father died,
wept. I also remember, one year shortly after the Independence Menachem Begin presented him with the Jabotinsky Order Life
War, when a ship arrived in New York from Israel. My father had Achievement Award.
recently had surgery and was very sick. But he was adamant: “I’m He wanted to live in Israel, but my mother had a new baby and
going to see our ship!” was afraid of the living conditions here, so they remained in

He also loved Jabotinsky and was one of his supporters, working America. Still, he felt that everybody should have a chelek, a part
with him to convince the Jews of Eastern Europe to move to of Eretz Yisrael. He bought property in Herzliya, gave it to a moshav
Eretz Yisrael. People would ask my father, “How can you have and said to the people in the moshav: “Listen, if you keep the laws

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