In 2025, Global Jewry launched its first ever Global Jewry Prizes initiative, designed to honor and reward collaborative efforts that strengthen Jewish life by bringing organizations together across geography, ideology, and mission.
The Shoshana Shoubin Cardin Prize for Exemplary Collaboration recognized established partnerships with measurable impact, while the Global Jewry Prize for Emerging Collaborations supported new and first-time partnerships with bold ideas and long-term promise.
In January 2026, the winning collaborations of the first annual Global Jewry Prizes cohort were announced:
Mem Global’s Jewish Learning Collaborative received the Shoshana Shoubin Cardin Prize for Exemplary Collaboration for their leadership in building meaningful partnerships that strengthen Jewish education and professional development across communities.
Jewtina y Co. received the Global Jewry Prize for Emerging Collaborations in recognition of its innovative and growing partnership model that supports Jews of Latin American heritage.
Each winning collaboration received a $10,000 cash prize in recognition of its commitment to shared success, innovation, and collective impact.
Applications for the next GJ Prize cohort are expected to open in late 2026.
Nomination Period: 2025 nominations are closed.
At Global Jewry, we believe the strength of the Jewish people lies in our ability to come together — across borders, movements, and missions. The Global Jewry Prizes celebrate exemplary partnerships and catalyze bold new collaborations among members of our network.
Global Jewry prizes will be awarded annually to celebrate both ongoing collaborations and ambitious new efforts within the Global Jewry network and, ideally, to inspire greater communication and cooperation all across the Jewish world. We are looking to promote harmony, not uniformity, and our experience teaches that even the smallest of collaborations can make a big difference.
Hon. Stuart E. Eizenstat (USA)
Avital Sharansky (Israel)
Natan Sharansky (Israel)
David Hatchwell Altaras (Spain)
Jill Smith (US)
Rabbi Menachem Bombach (Israel)
Rabbi Silvina Chemen (Argentina)
David Cygielman (US)
Gennady Gazin (Ukraine)
Wendy Kahn (SA)
Naama Klar (Israel)
Stuart Kurlander (US)
Lee Liberman (Australia)
Erica Lyons (Hong Kong)
Adam Schonberger (Hungary)
Mandie Winston (UK)
Wayne Firestone
Lisa Hofheimer
Lee Liberman
Rafi Musher and Lara Seligman
Kimberly Miller Rubenfeld
Jeffrey Solomon and Audrey Weiner
Provides a $10,000 award paid upon presentation of the prize to an outstanding cooperative project between two or more members of the Global Jewry network who are already working together in impactful ways.
Shoshana Shoubin Cardin (1926–2018) was a pioneering civic leader and one of the most influential Jewish women of the 20th century. Born in Tel Aviv and raised in Baltimore, Cardin began her professional life as a public school teacher but quickly emerged as a dynamic force in public affairs and Jewish communal leadership. She broke multiple glass ceilings, becoming the first woman to chair a number of nonprofit groups, including the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations.
Cardin was a powerful advocate for religious pluralism, social justice, and human rights, and played a central role in persuading Mikhail Gorbachev to publicly denounce antisemitism during the Soviet Union’s final years. She also led the fight against Israel’s proposed “Who Is a Jew?” amendment, preserving broader access to Jewish identity and immigration.
In Maryland, she chaired the Governor’s Commission on the Status of Women and was instrumental in passing landmark legislation that gave women the right to establish credit in their own names—helping to remove a major financial barrier to women’s independence.
In 1991, Cardin famously clashed with President George H.W. Bush over his opposition to loan guarantees for Israel. When Bush referred to himself as “one lonely guy” facing down “a thousand lobbyists on the Hill,” Cardin publicly and privately rebuked him, calling the language “shameful” and warning of the dangerous stereotype it invoked. Her sharp and immediate response helped galvanize the Jewish community. Faced with backlash, Bush tried to walk back his comments—but the moment underscored Cardin’s fearless commitment to standing up for the Jewish people and holding even the most powerful leaders to account.
Through it all, she remained deeply committed to empowering others, often saying that true leadership is not about exerting power, but about unlocking the potential of a community.
Provides $10,000 in seed funding (paid 50% at time of award and 50% upon submission of 6-month progress report) and visibility to promising new partnerships among members of the Global Jewry network. This prize is designed to incentivize and catalyze fresh initiatives with the potential for lasting impact.
Collaborations must include at least two organizations. At least one must be a member of the Global Jewry network, and the collaboration must either be a new one or have started within the past 24 months. If more than two organizations are involved, at least 2/3 of all participating organizations must be members of Global Jewry. Preference will be given to new collaborations.
