Rabin, Benjamin J. (Benjamin Jacob), 1896-1969

Benjamin J. Rabin (June 3, 1896 – February 22, 1969) was an American lawyer, politician, and jurist. A member of the Democratic Party, he served in the U.S. House of Representatives from New York from 1945 to 1947.

Born in Rochester, New York, he attended the public schools there before enrolling at New York University. Rabin left school to join the United States Navy during World War I. He served from May 30, 1917 until January 1919, and attained the rank of ensign. Rabin remained in the Navy Reserve until 1921. He returned to school, graduating from the New York University School of Law in 1919 and being admitted to the bar. From 1934 to 1935, Rabin served as counsel to the New York State Legislature's joint committee that investigated guaranteed mortgages. He then served as counsel to the New York York State Mortgage Commission from 1935 to 1937 and chairman of the commission from 1937 to 1939. During World War II, he headed the Bronx Board of Appeals Board for the Selective Service System.

In 1944, Rabin was elected to Congress as a Democrat, having accepted support from the Liberal Party of New York State but not the American Labor Party. He served from January 3, 1945 until his nomination on August 7, 1947, by the Democratic judicial district convention for a vacancy as Justice of the New York Supreme Court. On November 4, 1947, Rabin was elected to the New York Supreme Court for a full fourteen-year term. He resigned his seat formally on December 31, 1947. In January 1955, Rabin was appointed an associate justice of the Supreme Court's appellate division for the term ending December 31, 1961. He was reelected in 1961, and served as a judge from January 5, 1948 until his death.

Rabin died in Palm Beach, Florida. He was buried at Riverside Cemetery in Saddle Brook, New Jersey.