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We will always be "a father and daughter team", Aaron Rubinstein and Haguit Rubinstein-Towler, who create Sculptural Timeless Jewelry Designs in Silver and Gold in the USA.

Obituary for Aaron Rubinstein

Aaron Rubinstein, 93, Holocaust survivor, peacefully took his last breath at 11:55 am on Tuesday, July 20th with his family surrounding him in love.

Aaron began his life in Sokolov Podlaski, Poland on February 28, 1928. He was the youngest son of Benyamin and Hiah (Tyk) Rubinstein and the youngest of five children. His and his family's whole world was uprooted in 1939 with the invasion of Germany. Aaron's parents, his siblings, Rivke, Shlomo, Yosef, and Lea escaped to Siberia via cattle cars.

In Siberia, life was exceedingly difficult, and Aaron was taken to an orphanage by his sister Rivke so he could have food to eat. The Polish government, the Jewish Agency, and the American Red Cross worked together to take these orphans to Tehran. Aaron's family was not aware of these plans, and his sister, Rivke, came to visit him one day to find that the orphans had started their migration to Persia via Karachi, Uzbekistan, India, and the Sinai Desert. The Tehran Children arrived in August 1943 where they lived in tents and Aaron contracted malaria.

After eight months, Aaron was able to immigrate to Palestine, specifically Ein Harod, a kibbutz where he had a room with two other boys. Aaron worked in the fields and was able to catch up the years of schooling that he missed.

Aaron joined the Israeli Army in 1946 and fought for the country's independence in 1948. In 1949, while driving for the army, his vehicle ran over a mine, and he was injured. Rehabilitation involved working on jewelry to regain his fine motor skills. He always loved art and jewelry and sculpture fed his passion.

Aaron met Rachel while she was in the Israeli army and both felt education was a priority. Aaron went to college to study Bible at Hebrew University, and the Teacher's College, and later an Administrative Degree. Rachel also went to the Teacher's College and they started their teaching careers in Ashkelon, Israel. Aaron became the principal of a school and together they taught thousands of immigrant children.

Aaron and Rachel were always looking for adventure together and better opportunities and became exchange teachers with the United States. In 1960, with Hillel, their son, arrived in Chicago for a one-year teacher contract. Aaron took the opportunity to study art and sculpture at the Chicago Art Institute which he loved. They returned to Israel where Haguit, their daughter was born and in 1964 received a visa to return to the US. This time to Minneapolis where Aaron, 1965, received another master's degree at the Minneapolis Art Institute majoring in sculpture and minoring in metalsmithing. They returned to Israel in 1966.
The Rubinstein Family finally settled in Cincinnati in 1968, where Aaron and Rachel taught at Yavneh Day School. Aaron wanted a new challenge and started the art jewelry company, Modern Art Jewelry.

Rachel and Aaron worked side by side building Modern Art Jewelry where Aaron designed, cast, and fabrications beautiful works of modernist and contemporary sculptural jewelry. They traveled throughout the country selling to galleries, museums, and gift shops. Aaron's designs won national awards.


Aaron was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Rachel (Zwikelski), his parents, Benyamin and Hiah, his siblings, Rivke Steiner, Shlomo and Yosef Rubinstein, and Lea Raifman.
Aaron is survived by his son, Hillel (Ellen), his daughter, Haguit Rubinstein-Towler (Vance Towler), his grandchildren, Jennifer Rubinstein Pelzer (Jason), Sara Rubinstein Harrison (Garrett), Jared, Danielle, and Jordan Rubinstein-Towler, and Great-grandchildren, Victoria and Jacob Pelzer, and Colton and Calla Harrison, and loving companion, Esther Goldstein.

AARON RUBINSTEIN

Aaron Rubinstein began life in 1928 in Poland; the youngest of seven children born into an artistic family.  Music and art were common place at home and each of the surviving five children exhibited promising talent.  At the age of eleven, Aaron lived in a geographical area plagued by unrest and turmoil.  In 1939 when the Nazis invaded Poland, the Rubinstein family was told they had to make a decision - leave everything they knew and had worked for and become Russians or be taken over by the Germans.  Their difficult and harried decision, that most certainly saved their lives, was to leave their homeland for the unknown.  They arrived by way of cattle cars to Siberia only one month prior to the Nazis removing any evidence that Jews ever existed in their village.

Siberia was a hardship and Aaron’s eldest sister had learned of a possible escape for her youngest brother.  The Polish government (in exile) and the Soviet authorities agreed to allow the emigration of close to 1,000 Jewish children; Aaron Rubinstein was allowed to join this group, known as the Tehran Children.  He left his family and was taken to Tehran where he lived in an orphanage that had been set up by adult refugees with the help of the Jewish community.  Six months later in 1943, the 861 children and 369 adults reached Palestine.  Aaron, at the age of 15, arrived in Ein Harod, a Kibbutz that was well known for producing artists.

Aaron, after the army and looking for a career, entered the teacher’s college in Tel Aviv.  He graduated and began teaching all subjects including art to the large immigrant population that was in need of education.  He also earned an administrator’s degree and became a principal in Ashkelon, Israel.  In 1960, the Rubinstein’s – Aaron and Rachel, were given the opportunity to become exchange teachers with the United States.  Aaron continued his education at the Chicago Art Institute and taught in the afternoon.  The family moved six times back and forth between countries and while living in Minneapolis, Aaron received another master’s degree at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, majoring in sculpture with a minor in jewelry.  In 1968, the Rubinsteins finally settled in Cincinnati, Ohio and Aaron left teaching to concentrate on his first love – Art and sculptural jewelry.

Aaron and Rachel created Modern Art Jewelry, Original Designs by Aaron, a company that translates sculpture into wearable art.  Aaron became a master in the “lost wax casting process” and designed thousands of molds.  His Bible wedding bands, with the unique detailed raised letters cast as a one piece ring, can be seen all over the world.  He began developing other styles, such as art deco and cubism.  Aaron does not sketch anymore, but manipulates the sterling silver and gold to achieve his sculptural designs.  His passion is to use natural or faceted stones and compliments them with intricate silver and gold designs.  After the tragic loss in 2004 of his beloved wife and partner – Rachel and Aaron’s daughter Haguit joined the company.  Modern Art Jewelry, Original Designs by Aaron has exhibited original work in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Dallas, Chicago, Atlanta, Palm Beach, New York, and most recently in Philadelphia.  Aaron now at the age of 86, enjoys creating new designs and exhibits at local art festivals with Haguit. 


HAGUIT RUBINSTEIN-TOWLER

Haguit Rubinstein-Towler, with a background in architecture, brings her own designs and new stones to Modern Art Jewelry. Celebrating Haguit's 10th year and Aaron's 65th year in creating "Art to Wear" jewelry to share today and with future generations of art appreciators.

Modern Art Jewelry is a wholesale and retail company that satisfies a wide range of jewelry tastes.  We offer art to wear in the form of unique jewelry and we specialize in custom sterling silver and 14K gold jewelry.  We also have a large selection of rings, necklaces, bracelets and religious jewelry. This year, we are expanding our business to add an internet-based service to provide our customers with a convenient ordering system.  We strive to build long-term, satisfying relationships, where the quality products we sell will bring joy to the customer.

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