Cecile Henrietta Arnold (nee Russotto) died on February 9, 2026, in Hingham, Massachusetts, just shy of her 89th birthday. Born and raised in Cincinnati to a very musical family, Cecile grew up surrounded by music, with frequent gatherings of her father and other relatives playing together. Her childhood was also filled with synagogue and Jewish life. Her mother was the first woman to serve on the board of their Conservative synagogue; Cecile, following in her footsteps, was president of her synagogue’s USY youth group. Accomplished on both the piano and guitar, she loved to sing, especially around the Shabbat table and in services, and she passed all these gifts and passions on to her children and grandchildren.
Among her earliest jobs, in high school, was working as a pianist at a local ballet school. She also served as a camp counselor at the Cincinnati Jewish Community Center, where her mother supervised the kosher kitchen. After college, she held various roles at the JCC, including teaching middle schoolers how to play pool! As a young mother, Cecile served as an aide at a daycare for children with severe disabilities. In her later professional life, Cecile worked in nonprofit administration, including roles with the Dutchess County Girl Scout Council—inspired in part by formative experiences as a Girl Scout herself—and the Dutchess County chapter of the American Heart Association. She completed studies toward her undergraduate degree at the University of Michigan and earned a BA in English from the University of Cincinnati.
Like many of her peers in Cincinnati, Cecile married a Reform rabbinical student from Hebrew Union College. A true old-school rebbetzin, she faithfully accompanied her husband to worship services over many decades, led music sessions on her guitar, taught in the Sunday School, and was active in the Temple Sisterhood. She helped plan, promote, cook, and bake for countless synagogue events—alongside her own professional work. In her early years in Poughkeepsie, she led music at the Dutchess County Hebrew Day School as well as the Vassar Temple Sunday School. A wonderful cook, baker, hostess and eishet chayil (woman of valor), she frequently welcomed guests to Arnold family Shabbat and holiday meals.
Cecile spent many summers at Olin Sang Ruby Union Institute Camp (OSRUI) in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, including in the summer of 1959 alongside her then-fiancé. She formed deep, lasting friendships with fellow rabbis’ wives she met at OSRUI and throughout her life.
Her greatest joy was her grandchildren, Alison and Brianna. She especially loved teaching them how to make traditional Jewish foods—blintzes, hamantaschen, latkes, matzo balls, tzimmes and more—as well as her favorite sweets, including jelly squares and lemon squares.
She is survived by her beloved husband of 66 years, Rabbi Stephen Arnold; her children, Leah, Ben and his wife Marlene, and Deb; her granddaughters, Alison and Brianna; her brother and sister-in-law Irving and Myrna Russotto; sister-in-law Jane Arnold; and nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews. She was predeceased by her parents, Daniel and Bea Russotto, and her brother-in-law, Daniel Arnold, all of blessed memory.
The funeral service will be held on Wednesday, February 11, at 12pm at Temple Sinai, 25 Canton St., Sharon MA. Interment will be at Sharon Memorial Park, 40 Dedham Street, Sharon, MA.
Memorial observance will be held:
Temple Sinai
25 Canton Street, Sharon, MA
Immediately following interment through 4PM
Home of Ben & Marlene Arnold
Wednesday, 7-9PM (Minyan, 7:30PM)
Linden Ponds Senior Living
203 Linden Ponds Way
Seasons Catering Room, Derby Clubhouse
Thursday, 7-8PM (Minyan, 7PM)
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Cecile’s memory to The American Friends of Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam (oasisofpeace.org/donate).
Cecile H. Arnold Funeral Service
Zoom Link (see below)
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/5288320605?pwd=dVFjQlUzWmVDYmFhVGwwZkNVSXBLQT09&omn=89942170382
will be activated at 11:45AM
(15 minutes prior to the start of the service)
As a courtesy to the Arnold family, it is imperative that upon entry into Zoom, kindly ensure that your microphone is properly muted, so as to not affect the audio or video stream.
~ Thank You ~
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