Rabbi Rudolf I. Coffee nationally known for his work among Jews in prisons died here yesterday at the age of 76. At various times, Rabbi Coffee was chaplain in the major state and Federal prisons on the West Coast. He also served as head of a welfare organizations for prisoners.
A graduate of Columbia University and the Theological Seminary of America, Rabbi Coffee was the first Jewish clergyman ever to be elected chaplain of a legislative body in the United States, when he served as chaplain of the California State Assembly in 1925-26.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
