During Jewish American Heritage Month, we are proud to honor Jewish American history at the Westchester County DA’s Office. Elected in 2020, DA Miriam Rocah became Westchester County’s first Jewish American woman District Attorney, making her the second Jewish American to lead the DA’s Office and one of just two currently sitting Jewish D.A.s in the state of New York.
Westchester County’s first Jewish American DA was Leonard Rubenfeld, who served from 1962 to 1967. A graduate of Peekskill High School, the University of Alabama, and Fordham Law School, Mr. Rubenfeld served in WWII in the Army Combat Infantry in the Pacific Theatre of Operations, 81st Infantry Division, before serving in the New York State Attorney General’s Office as an Assistant AG and then as an Assistant DA in this Office before his election to DA. He ascended to the bench following his term as DA, becoming a Westchester County Court Judge, Justice to the Supreme Court of the State of New York, Associate Justice to the Appellate Term of the Supreme Court for the Ninth and Tenth Judicial Districts, and Acting Deputy Administrator of the Ninth Judicial District. He was also a volunteer Fireman in Peekskill, President of the New York State District Attorneys’ Association, and Past Commander of the Westchester County Council of the Jewish War Veterans. He passed at the age of 97 in December 2009 in Peekskill.
