Ruth Goldman (centre) with Moshe and Marjorie Ziff
In June 1948, after serving at Les Grandes Arénas, a displaced persons camp near Marseilles in France, I sailed to Israel on the “Mala.” The “Mala” carried a large number of displaced persons from Hitler’s death camps, and my buddy, Marjorie Ziff and I, were the entire medical staff. We had the enormous task of caring for hundreds of men, women, and children, many sick and infirm before they came aboard, and now rendered even sicker by the less than nourishing food, a lack of drinkable water, and horrible, unsanitary conditions.
After arriving in Haifa, the Machal volunteers on board were transferred to the transit camp at Tel Litvinsky for briefing and re-assignment.
From there, Marjorie and I were sent to the Djani Hospital in Jaffa. After a short stay, we were given our permanent assignments, Marjorie to a psychiatric clinic in Tel Aviv while I was assigned to the Ramat David Air Force Base in the Emek.
My job was to run the infirmary and assist the medical officer. My first medical officer was Dr. Friedman, an Israeli, and he was succeeded by Dr. Harry Feldman, a South African.
Eventually I had to return to my home in Connecticut due to a family emergency. Regretfully, and all too soon, my Machal service was over.
Source: Reproduced with permission from Dr. Jason Fenton’s book ”Strength and Courage.”
Ruth Goldman (centre) with Moshe and Marjorie Ziff
In June 1948, after serving at Les Grandes Arénas, a displaced persons camp near Marseilles in France, I sailed to Israel on the “Mala.” The “Mala” carried a large number of displaced persons from Hitler’s death camps, and my buddy, Marjorie Ziff and I, were the entire medical staff. We had the enormous task of caring for hundreds of men, women, and children, many sick and infirm before they came aboard, and now rendered even sicker by the less than nourishing food, a lack of drinkable water, and horrible, unsanitary conditions.
After arriving in Haifa, the Machal volunteers on board were transferred to the transit camp at Tel Litvinsky for briefing and re-assignment.
From there, Marjorie and I were sent to the Djani Hospital in Jaffa. After a short stay, we were given our permanent assignments, Marjorie to a psychiatric clinic in Tel Aviv while I was assigned to the Ramat David Air Force Base in the Emek.
My job was to run the infirmary and assist the medical officer. My first medical officer was Dr. Friedman, an Israeli, and he was succeeded by Dr. Harry Feldman, a South African.
Eventually I had to return to my home in Connecticut due to a family emergency. Regretfully, and all too soon, my Machal service was over.
Source: Reproduced with permission from Dr. Jason Fenton’s book ”Strength and Courage.”