Leonard P. Zakim, fought for diversity, dead at 46

By Tom Kirchofer, Associated Press writer

BOSTON -- Leonard P. Zakim, the crusading head of the New England office of the Anti-Defamation League, died Thursday after a long battle with cancer. He was 46.

Since taking over the regional ADL in 1983, Zakim traveled with Cardinal Bernard Law to Cold War Poland to promote better relations between Catholics and Jews, and he more recently joined with Boston sports heroes in an effort to push harmony between races and ethnic groups.

"Lenny was a master bridge builder -- an architect for justice and equality," said U.S. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass. "Lenny recognized that America's diversity makes us a stronger and better nation, and our differences should bring us together, not drive us apart."

Zakim, who had a lengthy battle with multiple myeloma, a malignancy of the bone marrow, checked himself in to Brigham and Women's Hospital on Tuesday.

"Up until literally a couple days before he was admitted to the hospital, he maintained a very full schedule," said his physician, Dr. Ken Anderson. "He continued to live life to the fullest."

As head of the New England ADL, Zakim traveled to the Middle East to promote peace, and he met with leaders from Egypt and Israel. He joined then-Rep. Joseph Kennedy in a 1992 fact-finding trip to Germany to probe neo-Nazi violence, and he received the order of St. Gregory -- a knighthood conferred by the Vatican -- in honor of his work to improve relations between Catholics and Jews.

Zakim also worked to improve relations between blacks and Jews, and he accompanied black leaders such as Martin Luther King III and former U.S. Attorney Wayne Budd on trips to Israel. Zakim was a member of Harvard University's black-Jewish working group.

"Lenny Zakim had a special mission while he was on this earth and he fulfilled that mission as fully as anyone twice his years could have," said Donna Harris-Lewis, widow of the late Celtics star Reggie Lewis. "The mission he shared with my late husband, Reggie Lewis, was to eradicate intolerance, anti-Semitism and bigotry."

Reggie Lewis was involved in the early days of Team Harmony, an ADL program that has sports stars promote ethnic and racial understanding to youth.

Last month, Zakim celebrated his 46th birthday with 12,000 young people at a Team Harmony event at the FleetCenter. Baseball slugger Mo Vaughn joined stars from all five big league teams in the Boston area, as well as the pop group 'N Sync in presenting Zakim with a birthday cake. The crowd of kids sang "Happy Birthday."

Zakim, of Newton, leaves a wife, Joyce, twin 13-year-old daughters and a 16-year-old son.