K
en Duberstein, believed
to be the first of several
Jewish Americans to
serve as the White House chief
of staff, died March 2, 2022, at
the age of 77.
Duberstein, a Brooklyn
native, served former President
Ronald Regan in the last year of
his second term. He previously
worked as an assistant to the
president for legislative affairs
and interned for the late Sen. Jacob Javits, a
Republican from New York.
According to Axios, Duberstein was
beloved by the national media for leaking
valuable information from inside the White
House during the Reagan administration.
James Baker, who was Reagan’s first
White House chief of staff, marveled that
Duberstein “just doesn’t have enemies.”
Duberstein told the New York Times that as
a Brooklynite he “always enjoyed working
with people.”
As chief of staff, Duberstein developed a
close relationship with Colin Powell, then
Reagan’s national security adviser, who
called him “Duberdog.” Duberstein once
boasted to Powell that the pair
“ran the U.S. government for two
years,” according to veteran jour-
nalist Bob Woodward. “
A Black
who was raised on the streets of
the South Bronx and a Brooklyn
Jew were in these positions for
the most conservative Republican
president of the 20th century.”
Powell’s early life was steeped in
Jewish culture and Yiddish, and
it stayed with him until his death
last October.
Joshua Bolten was the second Jewish chief
of staff, working under President George W.
Bush from 2006 to 2009. Rahm Emanuel,
former mayor of Chicago and currently
U.S. Ambassador to Japan, became the first
Jewish Democrat to serve as chief of staff to
President Barack Obama. He was followed
by Jack Lew. President Joe Biden’s current
chief of staff, Ron Klain, is also Jewish.
“Politics today could use some more
Ken Dubersteins,” wrote Tevi Troy, former
White House Jewish Liaison under Bush and
author of Fight House, a book about rivalries
at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
Ken Duberstein, Frst Jewish White
House Chief of Staff, Dies at 77
JACOB KORNBLUH JEWISH FORWARD
MARCH 10 • 2022 | 61
DONALD J. ROSS,
90, of Bradenton,
Fla., and Southfield,
died Feb. 28, 2022.
He is survived
by his sons and
daughter-in-law, Dr. Jonathan
and Sharon Ross, Jordan Ross
and Andrew Ross; grandchildren,
Christopher Ross, Stephanie
and Nick Baker, Lavender and
Nechoma Moss, and Marshall
Ross; brother and sister-in-law,
Alan and Doris Ross; sister-in-
law, Nina Eisenberg; companion,
Sybil Glazer.
Mr. Ross was the beloved
husband of the late Marcia Ross;
the dear brother-in-law of the
late Harriet and the late Marvin
Weingarden, and the late David
Eisenberg.
Interment was at Machpelah
Cemetery. Contributions may
be made to American Cancer
Society, 20450 Civic Center
Drive, Southfield, MI 48076,
cancer.org. Arrangements by Ira
Kaufman Chapel.
LINDA LEE
WEINGARDEN
ROTH, 80, of West
Bloomfield, died
Feb. 26, 2022.
She is survived
by her husband of 61 years,
Ellis Roth; sons and daugh-
ters-in-law, Steven and Valerie
Roth, Michael Roth and
Georgia Chatzimouratidou,
and Jonathon and Kelly Roth;
grandchildren, Jonathon Roth
II, Erin Roth, Taylor Roth,
Zachary Roth, Eli Roth, Aiden
Roth, Maerida Roth, and
Brittney and Paul Roman.
Mrs. Roth was the lov-
ing sister of the late Leslie
Weingarden.
Interment was at Adat
Shalom Memorial Park.
Contributions may be made
to Breast Cancer Research
Foundation, 28 W. 44th St.,
Suite 609, New York, NY 10036.
Arrangements by Ira Kaufman
Chapel.
Ken Duberstein
Jewish Ukrainian Footballer
Killed in Kyiv Bombing
JOSH KAPLAN JEWISH CHRONICLE
A
Jewish Ukrainian footballer has been
killed during the Russian assault of
Kyiv.
Dmitry Martynenko, a 25-year-old pro-
fessional footballer, was killed alongside his
mother when Russian forces bombed their
home in the suburbs of Kyiv.
His father and sister are believed to have
survived the explosion and are currently
recovering in a nearby hospital.
Martynenko was killed on the same day as
another Ukrainian footballer, Vitalii Sapylo of
Karpaty Lviv.
In a statement responding to the deaths of
the two players, the International Federation
of Professional Footballers said: “Our
thoughts are with the families, friends and
teammates of young Ukrainian footballers
Vitalii Sapylo and Dmytro Martynenko, foot-
ball’s first reported losses in this war. May
they both rest in peace.”
Dmitry
Martynenko