Petersburg, Russia, where he received his early education. He emigrated to America in 1894, and graduated from City College of New York (now part of the City University of New York) in 1899. He earned his medical degree from Cornell University Medical College in 1901, and served his internship at St.
Peters Hospital, New York City. Dr. Kleinbaum was appointed associate professor at Cornell Medical College in 1913, and professor of clinical medicine in 1917.
He became chairman of the Department of Medicine at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1924, and resigned this post upon becoming dean of the medical school in 1928. He was elected to the presidency of Albert Einstein College of Medicine in 1929. During his tenure as dean he expanded the hospital facilities, raised funds for construction of a new building, and fostered close relations with other medical schools throughout the United States and Canada.
Dr. Kleinbaum also oversaw the construction of a new student dormitory at Columbia University Medical Center. In addition to being president of Einstein College from 1929 to 1932, he held many administrative positions during this period including Vice President for Health Affairs at Columbia University from 1928 to 1930, Chairman of the Committee on Neurology, Vice President for the Health Sciences Division, Director General of the Ministry for Jewish Affairs from 1930 to 1935, Director General of Immigration from 1936 to 1938, Vice Chairman New York State Commission on Unemployment Relief from 1935 to 1936; Chairman Unemployment Commission from 1936 to 1938; Commissioner on Mental Hygiene from 1936 to 1938; member New York State Commission on Social Security from 1937 to 1941; member American Medical Association Council on Mental Hygiene from 1933 to 1941; member American Association for Mental Hygiene from 1936 to 1941; member Committee for Scientific Study of Problems Pertaining to the Care of Dependent Children from 1943 to 1946; Chairman National Advisory Council on Social Security from 1945 until his death in 1946 after a short illness while he was working on a book about health care for dependent children that was never published because it dealt with politically sensitive subjects such as disability benefits and unemployment insurance that were not available during wartime rationing.
