A History of Firsts

As far back as the late seventies, the innovative concept of a pluralistic, independent Jewish high school in Baltimore was explored by local rabbis and lay-leaders. However, it was not until 2000 that the groundwork was laid for The Shoshana S. Cardin School, when a group of dedicated and dynamic rabbis, lay-leaders, and educators examined data gathered by THE ASSOCIATED: Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore’s 1999 Jewish Population Survey.

According to the Survey, 13,800 Jewish children in Baltimore would benefit from the presence of a dynamic Jewish high school that would offer of a rich academic and spiritual experience within a supportive environment that respected the individual and all denominational affiliations.

Recognizing the Baltimore Jewish community’s need for this pluralistic educational alternative, Rabbis Joel Zaiman, Mark Loeb, and Rex Perlmeter, representing Conservative and Reform congregations, invited Stewart Greenebaum to lead the nonprofessional drive to carry this concept to reality. Mr. Greenebaum, the driving force behind The Johns Hopkins Children’s House and the University of Maryland Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center, requested assistance from Shoshana S. Cardin, a renowned leader in Jewish communal service.

A New School is Born

This newly formed Board of Trustees crafted the mission and vision for the school, established a location for the campus, and hired a founding Head of School. The Jewish Community High School of Greater Baltimore was born. Months later, the Board of Trustees renamed the new school The Shoshana S. Cardin School.

The Shoshana S. Cardin School officially opened its doors on September 2, 2003, hosting a freshman class of 32 spirited and pioneering students representing a cross-section of the diverse Baltimore Jewish community. The school currently operates on the site of Temple Oheb Shalom, located on Park Heights Avenue in Baltimore. A large modular unit was added in 2007 to increase classroom and office space. The school’s athletic department utilizes the fields and gym facilities at The Day School at Baltimore Hebrew Congregation and the Jewish Community Center to operate a comprehensive sports program.

Who is Shoshana S. Cardin?

Renowned nationally as the First Lady of Volunteers, Shoshana Shoubin Cardin is the major force behind The Shoshana S. Cardin School. In the forefront of fundraising and advocacy for the school which bears her name, she deeply believes in its mission and purpose. Shoshana has been involved in public service for most of her adult life. She served as Chairwoman of the Maryland Commission for Women, and later went on to form and become the first chair of the Maryland Volunteer Network.

She was the first woman to assume the Chair of the Board of Associated Jewish Community of Baltimore in1983; the first female President of Council of Jewish Federations in 1984; the first female Chair of the National Council of Soviet Jewry (NCSJ) in 1988; the first female Chair of the Council of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations in 1991; the first female President of The National Center for Learning and Leadership (CLAL) in 1992; and the first woman to Chair the United Israel Appeal in 1994. Today, Shoshana serves as the immediate past chairman of the Board of Trustees of The Shoshana S. Cardin School.