His father, Rebbe Yoel, served as a synagogue cantor and beadle, and his mother Faige, a rabbi's daughter, was married in an arranged match at the age of 15.Some of his paintings, sent in by his brother's friend, were published in a children's magazine, but his interest in art received no encouragement at home.After creating a mizrah plaque for a synagogue in his hometown, he began to attraction attention and won a government prize.In New York City, the two met artist Alfred Stieglitz, who was instrumental in organizing their first American show at the Anderson Gallery.Rubin met his wife, Esther, in 1928, aboard a passenger ship to Palestine on his return from a show in New York City.Recurring themes in his work were the biblical landscape, folklore and people, including Yemenite, Hasidic Jews and Arabs.