National Reuben Day – November 17, 2024

History of National Reuben Day

Reuben is a Hebrew, biblical, masculine name meaning ‘behold, a son.’ In the Bible, it is the name of Jacob and Leah’s eldest son, who was born in 1569 B.C. and died in 1445 B.C. One of Israel’s twelve tribes can be traced back to him. In some reports, Jacob cursed him for sleeping with Bilhah, his stepmother’s maid, and father’s concubine. Other accounts argued that he never had sex with Bilhah but had simply supported his mother’s mischiefs against Bilhah, who Jacob had preferred over his mother. That angered Jacob, who transferred Reuben’s birthright to Joseph.

Variations of the name ‘Reuben’ include Reuven in Hebrew, Rúben in Portuguese, Rubén in Spanish, Rubens in Brazilian Portuguese, and Rupen/Roupen in Western Armenia. Robin is another form of Ruben — a variation of the Germanic name ‘Robert’ in various Celtic languages.

Some of the famous Reubens around the world include Reuben C. Fine, born in 1914. He was an American chess player, university professor, psychologist, and an accomplished writer on both chess and psychology. In 1950, he was awarded the title of International Grandmaster by FIDE when the title was introduced. Reuben Hersh was born in 1927 and died in 2020. He was a mathematician who is best known as the co-author of “The Mathematical Experience,” published in 1981 — a book that won a National Book Award in science. Reuben Timothy Morgan, born on August 9, 1975, was an Austrian pastor at Hillsong Church U.K. He was also a songwriter with songs like ‘My Redeemer Lives,’ which at the 40th G.M.A. Dove Awards, won the Worship Song of the Year. Reuben Singh was born on September 20, 1976. He is a British entrepreneur, who, in 2003, was honored by The World Economic Forum as one of the “Global Leaders of Tomorrow” in Davos.