We dedicate this year's festival to the memory of Carol Rubin, z"l and Gloria Evans, z"l:
Carol Rubin
1953-2024
Carol Ann Rubin, beloved wife for 50 years of Jay Rubin, passed away on November 15, 2024, in Houston, Texas following a long hospitalization. Carol was born in Brooklyn, NY, and graduated from Binghamton University where she met Jay when they both worked on the student newspaper. After graduation they moved to St. Louis, where Carol received her nursing degree. A three-year stint working in Central Texas, where two of their three children were born, first introduced them to Jewish Austin. Jay’s career change from teaching to Jewish community leadership would bring the family to Augusta, GA; Canton, OH; New Haven, CT; and Washington, DC before returning to Austin in 2006, where Carol continued to balance work as an RN with her passion for teaching Hebrew and music in numerous synagogues, schools and JCCs.
In Austin, Carol quickly became a rock star to children and their families, teaching music at Shalom Austin’s Early Childhood Program, Congregation Beth Israel’s Child Development Center, the Austin Jewish Academy, the Shabbat youth programming at Congregation Tiferet Israel, and the Congregation Agudas Achim Religious School. Carol also led Shalom Austin’s Shabbat n’Play program and CAA’s Tot Shabbat for over a decade.
Her musical gifts live on at www.MsCarolSings.com.
The Rubin family is grateful to the Austin Jewish Film Festival for recognizing Carol, along with Gloria Evans, at this year’s festival. May their memories both be for a blessing.
Gloria Evans
1935-2025
Gloria was born on August 19, 1935, in Brooklyn. She earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting and a master’s in education. Her husband Harvey’s service in the Army first brought them to Texas. Afterwards, they returned to New York where she worked as a math teacher and Harvey as a dentist. They relocated permanently to Austin in 1980 where they became founding members of the Austin Opera, the Long Center, and the JCC’s arts series. They have been involved extensively with Ballet Austin and in the expansion of many local arts organizations, including the Austin Jewish Film Festival.
AJFF was honored to have Gloria and her son Mitch present at the inauguration of the Gloria and Harvey Evans Performance Center at Shalom Austin for the opening night of AJFF’s 2023 festival.
Gloria lived a long and blessed life filled with a passion for Judaism, travel, opera, real estate, playing bridge, the arts, and mentoring the next generation of leadership. She traveled extensively around the world with family.
She is survived by son Mitchell Evans and wife Liz, daughter Debbie Tello and husband Tony, granddaughter Rebecca Evans and husband Westin, and numerous other family members and friends. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband Harvey Evans.
Gloria Evans died peacefully on August 16, 2025, at her home in Austin, Texas.