The unforgettable Louis Rubenstein

Rubenstein was born in Montreal on Sept. 23, 1861, the son of Max and Leah Rubenstein. He had many siblings, both male and female. His parents had emigrated from Poland in the early 1850s and had established themselves in a Montreal community where all the men worked in the silver and brass plating business on Craig Street. In point of fact, the Rubensteins were one of the oldest Jewish families in the city.

While Louis was also apprenticed in the plating trade, he was probably best known for his passion for sport, particularly figure skating. He had triumphed in several North American competitions in the 1880s, but it was his victory in the figure skating championship in St. Petersburg, Russia, in 1890 that drew the most attention and recognition to him.

Rubenstein was also an avid curler and hockey player. Extolled one Montreal daily at the time of his death, “He was indeed the pioneer of winter sports in Canada.” It is also worth noting that, as a young man, wherever he went representing Canada at the amateur level, he always paid his own expenses.

Later in life, Rubenstein, who never married, also pursued a political career, elected by acclamation in 1914 at the age of 43 to the Montreal City Council. There, he steadfastly represented St. Lawrence Ward until the day he died, using his prestigious position unabashedly to champion the rights of the working class. The colourful councillor had no political enemies as such and was consider by all to be a good and decent man.

Whenever a celebrated visitor came to Montreal, it was frequently Alderman Rubenstein who would take charge and make the individual feel right at home. His charm and

acute sense of humour made him always the gracious host.

Rubenstein’s life was a true litany of achievement and duty. He was president of the Canadian Wheelmen’s Association for 18 years and also retained, for a period of time, the presidency of the Royal Life Saving Society. He held similar executive positions with the Montreal Amateur Athletics Association, the Y.M.H.A., St. Andrew’s Curling Club, the Bowling Association, the International Skating Union, along with being a life governor of the Montreal General Hospital. He also found time to oversee the construction of the Rubenstein Public Bath on Jeanne Mance Street (today where stands Complexe Desjardins). In addition to all this, Rubenstein, a devoted traveller, had journeyed about the world several times. “As second senior alderman of the City of Montreal, he was beloved and respected by all his colleagues. No one ever heard a bitter word from him in the council. A good sport and pleasant fellow, he was linked with the past and it will be impossible to fill his shoes.” So spoke alderman W. H. Biggar, leader of the City Council at the time of Rubenstein’s death.