Chiae Herzig, a former school administrator active in Baltimore's Jewish community and the local Democratic Party, died of a heart attack Friday at her home in Cheswolde. She was 82.
Since moving to Baltimore in 1966, Mrs. Herzig performed extensive volunteer work for various Jewish organizations. She was the first female president of Temple Emanuel of Baltimore synagogue and former co-president of the National Women's Division of the American Jewish Council.
Born Chiae Wolpaw in Cleveland, she graduated with a bachelor's degree in psychology from Case Western Reserve University in 1942.
She then went to the University of Chicago, where she earned a master's degree in child development in 1943. Around the same time, she married Howard Herzig.
In Cleveland, Mrs. Herzig headed several Jewish religious schools until she and her husband moved to Baltimore. Once in Baltimore, she worked as the social director at Levindale Hebrew Geriatric Center & Hospital, a position she held until her retirement in 1977.
After her husband's death that year, Mrs. Herzig immersed herself in various Jewish organizations and the day-to-day functions of her synagogue, Temple Emanuel.
In 1980, she represented the American Jewish Congress at a United Nations conference on women in Copenhagen, Denmark. Mrs. Herzig was also a member of the American Jewish Congress' national executive committee and served on the executive board of Baltimore's Jewish Council.
Mrs. Herzig, who kept a kosher home, belonged to Temple Emanuel for more than 30 years. She joined Temple Oheb Shalom in Northwest Baltimore three years ago when the rabbi of Temple Emanuel died.
"She was exceedingly loyal to her rabbis and every organization to which she belonged," said Rabbi Steven Fink of Temple Oheb Shalom.
Rabbi Fink said Mrs. Herzig was a key figure in Baltimore's Black Jewish Forum, an organization that seeks to bridge the divide between African-Americans and Jews.
At the time of her death, Mrs. Herzig was working with St. Gregory the Great Roman Catholic Church in West Baltimore to create a garden at Temple Oheb Shalom so the two congregations could donate fresh produce to local food banks.
"She really, really was very liberal and that was a role she loved," said her daughter, Rena Casser, of Livingston, N.J.
Mrs. Herzig had a passion for social justice since she was a young adult. In 1963, she attended the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s march on Washington. Since then, she attended dozens of other marches and demonstrations for a variety of causes, including abortion rights and the anti-apartheid movement.
"She was always willing to put a busload of people together to Washington for a case that affected people," said Jo-Anne Orlinsky, a friend. "She was a person who really cared about humanity. "
Mrs. Herzig had been involved in Democratic politics for more than two decades. She served as treasurer of the New Democratic Club Northwest and for Del. Samuel I. Rosenberg's campaign committee.
Mrs. Herzig - who drove around with a "Proud to Be a Democrat" bumper sticker on her car - also worked on more than a half-dozen other Democratic political campaigns.
"She was part of a group of people who did the grunt work, but essential work in a campaign," said Mr. Rosenberg, a Baltimore Democrat.
Services were held Monday at Sol Levinson & Bros. in Pikesville. Burial was Tuesday in Cleveland.
In addition to her daughter, Mrs. Herzig is survived by a son, Chayim Herzig-Marx of Newton, Mass., and six grandchildren.
Memorial donations may be made to the Maryland Chapter of the American Jewish Congress, 7504 Seven Mile Lane, Baltimore 21208.