Ruth Jacobsen Of Southampton Dies February 19 - 27 East

Ruth Jacobsen Of Southampton Dies February 19

icon 1 Photo
Ruth Jacobsen

Ruth Jacobsen

author on Mar 11, 2019

Artist and writer Ruth Jacobsen died on February 19, 2019, in Southampton. A “hidden child” during the Holocaust, her parents fled with her from Germany to Holland, where the Dutch Resistance—to save her life—separated her from her parents and hid her in a succession of Dutch families, where she learned to adapt to fear and to uncertainty, often posing as a little cousin or sibling.

Survivors noted that it is a testimony to Ms. Jacobsen’s courage and spirit that she survived the suicides of both her parents and left Germany and emigrated to the United States. In New York she became the first female movie projectionist, working overtime for 20 years, freeing days to pursue her art.

Through her writing and collages, Ms. Jacobsen “reclaimed herself,” survivors said. She exhibited her art and published a memoir, which is illustrated with her collages, “Rescued Images: Memories of a Childhood in Hiding.” It garnered many awards, including the Parents’ Choice Gold Medal from The Parents’ Choice Foundation; and the Silver Medal in Young Adult Nonfiction from Book of the Year. The National Council for the Social Studies and the Children’s Book Council named “Rescued Images” a Notable Children’s Book in the field of Social Studies. Booklist called it “an unusual blend of memoir and image that reveals the horror of war and the transformative power of art.” The Book Report said it was unforgettable: “Jacobsen’s memoir of the Holocaust represents a unique perspective, one that should be included on school library shelves.”

Ms. Jacobsen came to this country as an immigrant. Her legacy is significant, certainly to her life, but beyond that to world history, evoking the legacy of another hidden child in Holland—Anne Frank, who gave the world the girl’s perspective of the hidden child. Ruth Jacobsen gives us both—the girl’s perspective and the woman’s perspective. She illuminated the story of the child through her collages and words.

Survivors said she reclaimed her capacity for joy through her art and through her devoted relationship with Christine Epifania, wife and partner for more than three decades.

Many of their friends celebrated their marriage with them in the garden of their house in Southampton.

A memorial service and a display of her art will be held at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the South Fork, Bridgehampton-Sag Harbor Turnpike, on Saturday, April 27, at 2 p.m.

Memorial donations may be made to Neighbors in Support of Immigrants, Box 803, Hampton Bays, New York 11946; or the Hamptons LGBT Center, 44 Union Street, Sag Harbor, NY 11963.

You May Also Like:

Scuttlehole Road Closed After Crash Friday

Scuttlehole Road in Bridgehampton has been closed following a car accident. 
 Southampton Town Police and emergency responders are on the scene. The road is expected to be closed for a significant period of time Friday afternoon. 11 Jul 2025 by Staff Writer

A Trailblazer: Professor Karl Grossman Retires, but the Work Continues

Inside The Cleveland Press newsroom of the 1960s, one word sent Karl Grossman running: “Copy!” ... by Michelle Trauring

Federal Funding for Public Media Is Close to Becoming a Thing of the Past | 27Speaks Podcast

President Donald Trump issued an executive order on May 1 instructing the Corporation for Public ... 10 Jul 2025 by 27Speaks

Developer Proposes 40 Affordable Apartments, Retail Stores in Riverside, Seeks $2.4M Grant From Southampton

An affordable housing developer who has worked with Southampton and East Hampton towns on several ... by Michael Wright

Korey Williams, Longtime Teacher and Lifetime Westhampton Beach Hurricane, Retires After 32 Years

Some teachers spend their entire career at one school. For a select few, they spend ... 9 Jul 2025 by Dan Stark

Let's Make a Deal

Since his swearing-in in January 2023, U.S. Representative Nick LaLota hasn’t faced a series of votes that rivaled the recent domestic spending package, which he played a significant role in pushing through Congress and onto President Donald Trump’s desk. It gave him a notable win: He proudly says he delivered on his promise to 1st District voters that he would get a reprieve on the federal government’s cap on the state and local tax deduction, or SALT. Ultimately, that’s true, with an asterisk. But it’s fair for voters to ask: At what price? Did a single-minded focus on this goal ... by Editorial Board

Stony Brook Medicine, UnitedHealthcare Reach New 3-Year Deal To Maintain Coverage

Stony Brook Medicine and UnitedHealthcare have inked a new three-year contract that will maintain coverage of visits to Stony Brook Southampton Hospital and Meetinghouse Lane Medical physicians for those with UnitedHealthcare or Oxford insurance plans. The agreement was announced just a day before the expiration of a temporary extension of the previous agreements announced in June, when the state’s largest insurer began notifying its customers that Stony Brook’s hospitals and doctors would be out of network coverage soon. “There will be no interruption in coverage for any of our United/Oxford patients,” Stony Brook announced in a statement this week. “We ... by Michael Wright

GOP-Backed Candidates Knock Democrats Off Working Families Party Line in Primary Shake-Up

Absentee ballots that came in after last month’s primary voting bumped Democratic Party candidate Tom Neely from the Working Families Party line for the November ballot. Even though Neely had a one-vote lead after ballots from early voting and the June 17 primary day were tallied, 11 additional absentee ballots, which all went to challengers Ieshia Galicia and Andrew Smith, put the two first-time political candidates over the top for the tiny party’s line with 23 and 21 votes, respectively. A Working Families Party challenger to the Working Families Party’s official endorsement for town clerk, Mark Bernardo, had trailed his ... by Michael Wright

PSEG 'Storm Hardening' Power Lines in East Quogue This Summer

Crews from PSEG-Long Island will be conducting “storm-hardening” work on electrical transmission lines and circuits in East Quogue throughout the remainder of the summer as part of the company’s Power On initiative to improve reliability and resiliency in the face of severe storms. Crews will be replacing and upgrading mainline circuits along Spinney Road between Lewis Road and Serenity Place, along Lewis Road between Old Country Road and Quogue-Riverhead Road and on Damascus Road. The work is expected to take about two months to complete, PSEG said. “PSEG Long Island is committed to strengthening the electric infrastructure and improving reliability ... by Staff Writer

Southampton Adopts Hampton Bays Rezoning That Kills Cannabis Biz

The Southampton Town Board unanimously approved a sweeping rezoning of a swath of Montauk Highway ... by Michael Wright