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