Reuben was born on 28 August 1920 in Bethnal Green to Russian born parents Max and Rosa née Zachin and had two sisters Kitty and Hetty. Their father Max was a cabinet maker and died in 1926.

Reuben was the navigator of Halifax DT490 which departed from RAF Riccall on a training exercise. The aircraft was flying near Pickering and was seen to dive twice and recover from the dives. For some reason the starboard engine broke off the aircraft causing it to go into a near vertical dive and crash two miles west of Pickering, on Aislaby Carr at 19.55hrs.

The crew of seven were killed.
Pilot, Sgt Thomas Eric Jones, 1483420, aged 22
Nav, Sgt Robert Fletcher, 1322503, aged 22
F/E, Sgt Leslie Lee, 1623490, aged 20
Nav, Sgt Reuben Ginsberg,
W/Op, A/G, Sgt Leslie Seaborn Jenkins, 1600405, aged 33
A/G, Sgt Frank Septimus Quine, 1113656, aged 29
A/G, Sgt John Francis Megranahan, 1819478, aged 19. Served as Megran.