מאגר סיפורי מורשת

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”.