Rabbi Arthur L. Fine, a respected military chaplain and spiritual leader of Zera Israel from 1979-2000, passed away Sept. 1, 2013.
Rabbi Tzvi Steinberg officiated at the Sept. 2 service at Zera Abraham. Interment followed at Rose Hill Cemetery. Feldman Mortuary made the arrangements.
Rabbi Fine was born Sept. 28, 1933, in Sioux City, Iowa, to the late Frank and Leah Fine. He remained in Sioux City until 1950, when he went to the Hebrew Theological College in Chicago.
He was ordained and earned a bachelor of Hebrew letters in 1960, and received a BA in English from DePaul University.
Rabbi Fine entered the US Army in 1961 at Ft. Jackson, SC, and completed the chaplain training course at Ft. Slocum.
He also attended the US Army Chaplain School of Advanced Course, Command and General Staff College; and the US Air Force War College.
After serving on active duty for two years, Rabbi Fine remained in the US Army Reserves for 30 years.
He was a Jewish chaplain in Ft. Jackson, Indian Town Gap, Pa., Site Support Chapel Reserve Officer Training Command in Ft. Riley, Kansas, Health Services Command in Ft. Sam Houston, Texas, and Fitzsimons Army Medical Center in Aurora.
Awards and decorations included the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal, Army Reserve Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal with Bronze Star, and the Army Service Ribbon.
He was honored with a military parade at his retirement ceremony at Fitzsimons in 1993, the year he retired from the military.
Rabbi Fines civilian career was equally remarkable.
In Denver, he served as the original Hillel director at DU, spiritual leader of Zera Israel, the Litvishe shul, 1979-2000, principal of education at the HEA. He also taught courses at CAJE and the Denver Institute of Jewish Studies.
At the end of his career he was the kosher food supervisor at Shalom Park.
Rabbi Fine is survived by his wife of 46 years, Barbara Fine; children Rochel (Rabbi Yisroel) Einhorn of Lakewood, NJ, and Peninah (Dovid) Rosengard of Boston, Mass.; many grandchildren; and brother-in-law Dr. Frank (Hedy) Gold.
Copyright © 2013 by the Intermountain Jewish News
