BALTIMORE, Maryland (Press Release) –Shoshana Cardin, a trailblazing leader of the American Jewish community, died May 18 in her home in Baltimore. She was 91 years old.
“Shoshana Cardin was a natural leader of the Jewish people at a critical time in our history,” said American Jewish Committee CEO David Harris. Cardin had served as an AJC Vice President and longtime Board of Governors member, and “was a committed, knowledgeable and proud Jew. Her wisdom, resolve and political skill played a critical role in the liberation of Soviet Jewry, helped shape the post-Cold War contours of the U.S.-Israel relationship, reinforced the indelible bond between American Jews and Israel, and strengthened the fabric and fiber of Jewish life in the U.S.”
She served as Chair of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, President of the Council of Jewish Federations, Chair of the National Conference on Soviet Jewry, and held significant positions in many other local and national Jewish organizations. At AJC, Cardin served on the AJC Board of Governors from 1991 – 2012, and on the global Jewish advocacy organization’s Contemporary Jewish Life steering committee.
“When Shoshana Cardin spoke, everyone in the room – presidents, prime ministers, members of Congress, fellow Jewish activists, interreligious partners – listened, and was moved,” said Harris. “Facing momentous challenges, making vital decisions, for the Jewish community, you always wanted Shoshana on your side.”
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Preceding provided by the American Jewish Committee