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Sam Gejdenson

(1948 - )

Sam Gejdenson is a Jewish American politician and former member of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Gejdenson (born May 20, 1948) was born in a displaced persons camp in Germany following World War II. He grew up in Connecticut on a dairy farm and later received an A.S. degree from Mitchell College in 1968 and a B.A. from the University of Connecticut in 1970.

In 1974, Gejdenson was elected to the Connecticut House of Representatives serving two terms before accepting a post in the administration of Connecticut Governor Ella Grasso.

From 1981 to 2000, Gejdenson served in the U.S. House of Representatives and distinguished himself as a passionate advocate for children, senior citizens and working families. He was the first child of Holocaust survivors ever elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.

Gejdenson served as the senior Democrat on the House International Relations Committee and was a leader on human rights and democracy, ensuring that U.S. foreign policy reflected the values and compassion of the American people. He is known throughout the world for his efforts to curb international trafficking of women and children and promote self-help programs for the poor through micro-credit assistance.

He is married to Betsy Henley-Cohn and has four children.


Sources: Sam Gejdenson International; Wikipedia