Dr. Sassoon, A Childbirth Angel
My father was a Jew from the Pardesi Jewish
Community of Cochin. He met my mother in Bombay and they were married there. My
mother’s family had fled from Iraq, during the riots and slaughter of the Jews.
My mother was widowed at the age of 19 with two daughters, my
sister was only a
few months old.
We grew up in Cochin in very difficult financial
circumstances. My mother was not working, in those days women did not work,
unless they were professionals. We received some financial support from the
synagogue. When I was a little girl, I used to tell my mother, that someday, I
will become a doctor. This was my dream and I knew that it might be practically
impossible due to our financial situation. My obsession to be a doctor was
inspired by my admiration of the Salem family who where our neighbors, both the
mother and her two daughters where gynecologists.
Ten years after father’s
demise my mother re-married a very elderly man due to financial difficulties
but unfortunately she left us forever 5 months and 5 days after the marriage.
For the rest of our lives, both my sister Rachel and I grew up with various
relatives. All Jewish girls went to school in convents I did my schooling in
St. Theresa’s Convent, Ernakulum and after that in the Maharaja’s College in
Ernakulum. My goal was to apply for a seat in a medical college and after making
a great effort in my studies I did. Now the question was how and where would I
find the finances, I decided to ask the synagogue for help, a monthly loan
which I promised to pay back once I got settled. This loan helped me to finish
my medical college.
After fulfilling my internship and house surgeons
requirements, I obtained the post of a tutor in the Obstetrics and Gynecology
Department in Calicut Medical College. In Calicut I worked my way through to be
the resident medical officer of a 640 bed hospital and also to be the warden of
the Medical College Ladies Hostel. I worked very hard and I thank my boss Dr.
Ms. Thankam for all the clinical experience I gained both in obstetrics and
gynecology surgery My next objective was to do specialization in Obstetrics and
Gynecology, I had still the loan to pay the synagogue so I decided to go for a
competitive test in Delhi, to get a scholarship to get admission in the
Institute of Obstetrics and Gynecology in Egmore, Madras and I succeeded. I did
my exams so well that my boss Dr. Krishna Menon advised me to apply immediately
for the M.D. course-because it would be the last time that the scholarship
would be awarded. I got the seat for the M.D. course thanks to my boss – during
the acceptance interview, he said (in a forum of 20 specialists I have no
questions to ask her she was my best student).
I could not afford to buy text
books; they were very expensive but, my boss allowed me to use his books from 5
pm to next day 7 am. It was compulsory for all the post graduates to stay in
the hostel and eat in the mess. There was a delay in receiving the scholarship
money, my boss very kindly requested the mess manager to give me food and I
promised to pay later. I completed my Diploma in Obstetrics & Gynecology
and my M.D. by 1967 – I managed to do my exams well and stood first in Madras
University and was awarded a gold medal. In1968, I was promoted to Assistant
Professor.
In 1973, I requested 6 months study leave to get trained in electronic
monitoring of fetus in Israel. Dr. Ms. Thankam now in her late 80s was very
kind, -this is what she said, "Essie you are going to a country where there is war so please don’t resign from
your job if you wish to stay longer take even 5 years leave without pay”. That
is what I did. Where else in the world would you find such kindness except in
India? I still visit Dr. Ms. Thankam when I am in India. In fact every 2 years
my -group in the medical college have a reunion meeting in India and they come
from all over the world. It would be appropriate to mention that in India I
never felt that I was different from the others because I was a Jewess. In
fact, The Kerala University would ask us the dates of Rosh Ha Shana (New Year)
and Yom Kippur in order to avoid holding examinations on those dates. I believe
India is the only country without anti- Semitism and the only country that
accepted the Jews as equals and gave them equal rights and freedom.
In Nov 1973
I came to Israel and worked as a volunteer in Tel Hashomer Hospital for 4
months till the end of March 1974. This was during the Yom Kippur war. We two
doctors who practically managed the delivery room, one was a French doctor and
me an Indian. The Frenchman spoke neither English nor Hebrew and me not French
or Hebrew, but we got on and managed the show. In March1974, Prof Ser Head of
the Obstetrics & Gynecology Department of Tel HaShomer Hospital sent me to
Ashkelon to help in the Department. I joined duty on 1st April 1974. I was
requested to work in Ashkelon because the two surgeons in the department where
unwell. The then, Head of Department. Dr. Vago was known as a tough task
master, but, I got on well with him and I decided to stay on in Israel.
Something made me change my mind and not to return to India but stay on in
Israel. It is Dr. Vago who convinced me to stay on and not return to India.
I
stayed on, leaving behind an opportunity for a good future in my job- I was now
already Assistant Professor. I had great respect for my boss, though he is no
more, may his soul rest in peace. I worked in the Department from April 1974 to
2001. During this time, I was awarded the best worker award twice and was
promoted to Assistant Head of Department. During this period my boss was Prof.
Segal Samuel.
Since I had not attended an Ulpan, my Hebrew was
very poor, but slowly I learned Hebrew and the doctors in the Department learnt
English. One morning I was doing rounds when I heard one
of the patients in labor crying out ("Yao anda umma”- Oh mother Help me!!!)
this is a typical Cochini expression during labor pains so I ran to her, this
is how my romance started with the Indian patients. The Indian women from north
and south of India started to come to Brazalai Medical Clinic. I enjoyed my
work and helping the women. Very soon I was promoted to
Assistant to Head of
Department in Obstetrics & Gynecology.
During the first few years I had no home, I
stayed in the nurse’s hostel in the hospital compound. I made several friends
from the Indian Community in Ashkelon, Ashdod and the moshavim around there.
Most of them became my patients. During my period of work from 1974 to 2001 I
was awarded the best worker of the year twice.
I loved my work. Being single, I had the possibility to spend
a lot of time at work helping women with very difficult deliveries and even
saving lives of mothers and babies. Sometimes I used to wonder how I managed
to work 18 hours a day & nights without sleep; times when I had to leave my
warm bed on a cold and freezing winter night. Very often I slept in the
hospital on a camp bed that I had installed in my office. Even though I have
delivered thousands of babies, every time a new baby is born I become very
emotional after the job is done and tears come into my eyes. I am grateful for
all the knowledge and ability to be a good doctor to Dr. Ms. Thankam my teacher
and boss in India, from whom I learned everything. I have performed many
emergency surgeries and more important to all that was, that I had the
opportunity to train almost a whole new generation of gynecologists-both in
obstetrics and gynecological surgery. I never said no to someone who needed
help and never closed the telephone at any time. Even though the life of a
doctor of obstetrics and gynecology is very hard, if I were ever asked what I
would like to be if given a second chance in life I without hesitation would
say "Rofath Nashim” (Women’s Doctor).
After my retirement in 2001, I continued
working in the same department with the same status till 2006 when my immediate
boss Dr. Segal retired. Apart from this I continued working in Kupat Holim
Meuhadeth, where I worked for a total of 24 years. For the past 2 yrs. I have
not practiced medicine. I miss my work very much.
I have written a book
co-authored with Bala Menon and Kenny Salem -the name of the book is "Spice and
Kosher –History, Habits and the Exotic Cuisine of the Jews of Cochin”.
"This is a magnificent story of survival, achievement, self-development, and dedicated service to fellow humans on a purely humanitarian basis. Most people believe that being a Sassoon or a Pardesi Jew automatically involves wealth and prosperity and comfort. But, the story of Dr. Esther Sassoon in plain words shows the super human effort made by all through her life to achieve her goals and be a successful person in her own rights and an angel to women in the painful throes of childbirth”. – Nissim Moses, Historian Indian Jewish Heritage Center and Bene Israel Genealogy Research, President of the Indian Jewish Heritage Center
מילון
Yao anda ummaOh mother help me! A typical Cochini expression during labor pains
ציטוטים
”Where else in the world would you find such kindness except in India?“”Kerala University would ask for the dates of holidays to avoid examinations on those dates“