Arnie Ribnick: WWII, Israel and Building a Better World

As many of his generation, Arnie Ribnick was born to immigrant parents, lived through the Great Depression and came of age during World War II, leaving an indelible impact on Temple Israel as we know it today. 

Born in 1920, Arnie graduated from North High School where his yearbook describes him as “a friendly lad known to all.” He was a star sprinter on the track team, honor student and member of the Menorah Society. At a time when Minneapolis’ Jewish community dominated the near North Side, many of his friends were Jewish–including fellow classmate, renowned sports journalist and Temple member Sid Hartman. 

Then, on December 8, 1941, the U.S. declared war against Japan following the attack on Pearl Harbor. “I was so angry at the Japanese–I wanted to get even,” Arnie recalls. So, to his mother’s dismay, Arnie enlisted in the Marine Corps along with a group of Jewish friends. “We were all pretty vengeful but also eager to make a difference.” Before they set off to basic training, they received a congregational blessing. 

Stationed in the Philippines, and achieving the rank of master sergeant, Arnie was part of the elite Marine Fighting Squadron where he was in charge of maintenance and parts for the F4U Corsair, a formidable U.S. Marine Corps fighter used extensively during World War II. 

At the conclusion of the war, Arnie returned to Minnesota with grit, pride and ambition. He recalls conversations not long after his return about the recent formation of Israel among his Jewish friends, including those that served in the war. “We were all very bitter about what we had seen. We fought for a better world where a country like Israel could succeed,” Arnie said. 

The men and women who came back from a devastating war were determined to build a better life for themselves and the next generation. Israel was an important part of that. After graduating with honors from the University of Minnesota, Arnie married the love of his life, Janice, launched the Arnold W. Ribnick Insurance Agency (in business 57 years). Together, they raised three sons, with Temple Israel as a centerpiece for their family’s spiritual and community life.