The Barbara Rabin Library

The Barbara Rabin Library located within the Ackerman Center provides access to many of the core texts and videos from the Arnold A. Jaffe Holocaust Collection relating to the study of the Holocaust. Because this is a non-lending library, the materials are always available for the students to reference.

Barbara Lynn Benjamin Rabin was an extraordinary individual, wife, mother, grandmother, mother-in-law, daughter, sister, aunt, cousin and friend. Being any of these is something, being all is amazing. Nannaw B, as she was affectionately known, was very loving and very beloved.

Barbara grew up in the Texas Panhandle in the town of Borger, where her parents Benny and Neita Benjamin had settled. She subsequently attended The University of Texas at Austin for two years, after which she transferred to the University of California at Berkeley where she graduated. Barbara remained in the Bay Area after college. There she met Stan Rabin, a transplanted New Yorker. Other than both being Jewish, they grew up in extremely different environments. They were married in San Francisco at Congregation Emanu-El on February 20, 1965.

Barbara and Stan moved to Dallas in 1970 when Stan accepted a position with Commercial Metals Company. Stan ultimately became the CEO for 28 years, and Barbara was a very active First Lady for CMC. This led to many friendships, in the U.S. and around the globe. She also worked part-time at a pediatrician’s office for 38 years. Her impact on people was profound.

Barbara and Stan had two children, Andy and Nancy. Stan’s extensive travel schedule put added family responsibility on the very caring Barbara, which she handled with consummate skill, wisdom and grace. She was the nucleus and heart of the Rabin family.

The Rabins in turn were blessed with five grandchildren: Reece, Alex and Cooper Rabin and Max and Grant Rothfeder. Nannaw B was especially loved by all of them. Because they have grown up in Dallas and Houston, she was an integral part of their lives and interacted with them frequently.

Barbara was a wonderful friend to so many, dating back to her time in Borger, Austin and California.

Barbara still found time to give back to our community. Among the organizations that benefited from her compassion, talents, generosity and efforts were Temple Emanu-El Dallas, Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas, Jewish Family Service, the Ackerman Center for Holocaust Studies at The University of Texas at Dallas, the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum, Vogel Alcove, United Way, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Texas Health Resources Foundation, American Jewish Committee and the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee.