No Balm in Gilead: A Personal Retrospective of Mandate Days in Palestine

303 Pages·1989·17.507 MB·English

by  Sylva M. Gelber

NO 1N
BALM
GILEAD

N O IN
BALM
GILEAD
M.
SYLVA GELBER
@ Carleton University Press Inc. 1989
ISBN 0-88629-1 04-6 (paperback)
0-88629-1 13-5 (casebound)
Printed and bound in Canada
Carleton General List
Canadian Cataloguing in Publication Data
Gelber, Sylva M., 1910-
No balm in Gilead
ISBN 0-88629- 104-6
1. Palestine-History-1929- 1948. 2. Gelber,
Sylva M., 1910- I. Title.
Distributed by: Oxford University Press Canada,
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Don Mills, Ontario,
Canada. M3C 1J9
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Cover Design: Aerographics Ottawa
Acknowledgements
Carleton University Press gratefully acknowledges the support extended
to its publishing programme by the Canada Council and the Ontario Arts
Council.
Effort has been made to locate owners of copyright of several photographs,
but due to the length of time which has elapsed since publication, it was
not successful.
Is there no balm in Gilead?
Is there no physician there?
Old Testament
Jeremiah VIII, 22
For friends and colleagues who shared these
years-though not necessarily these perceptions

C O N T E N T S
Page
Foreword ix
Introduction
Chapter 1 Genesis 1
Chapter 2 On The Land - 1932-
1933 13
Chapter 3 Meandering - 1933 29
Chapter 4 Stumbling Into A Career
- 1933-1934 41
Chapter 5 Strange Encounters -
1934-1936 53
Chapter 6 Rude Awakening - 1936 79
Chapter 7 Medical Myths In A
Modern Milieu - 1937 97
Chapter 8 A World Closing In -
1938-1939 113
Chapter 9 Mostly Music 121
Chapter 10 War's Distant Rumble -
1939-1940 137
Chapter 11 Near The Eye Of The
Hurricane - 194 1- 1943 153
Chapter 12 On His Majesty's Service -
1942 167
Chapter 13 After North Africa -
1943-1 945 185
Chapter 14 Canadian Interlude -
1946 199
Chapter 15 The Alien Virus - 1946 207
Chapter 16 Point Counterpoint -
1947 225
Chapter 17 Close Call 247
Chapter 18 Full Circle 257
Chapter 19 Exodus 27 1
Glossary 281
viii
waited for over forty years before
writing No Balm in Gilead. I had hoped that the book might
amear at a time when Deace had been achieved in the former
British dindated territory thin called Palestine. That hope still frus-
trated, coupled with the approach of my own 80th year, persuaded
me to wait no longer. To the extent that it has been possible, I have
endeavoured to sharpen my memory by keeping an eye on the public
record. Unfortunately, my own personal documents were destroyed
in the last year of my sojourn in Jerusalem in circumstances described
in the book.
For the inestimable help received from old friends and colleagues
who do not choose to be named, I wish to express my deep appre-
ciation. I also would like to acknowledge the invaluable help of a
number of individuals who examined and improved the original
text. I owe much to my congenial editor, Diane Mew, who managed
to reduce an original lengthy manuscript, without destroying the
tempo of the ongoing story. To her I extend my thanks for a job
well done, a job that will undoubtedly be appreciated by the reader.
Additional assistance came most unexpectedly when I showed
the manuscript to Gordon Robertson, former Secretary to the federal
Cabinet. Not only did he offer his enthusiastic moral support but
also took the trouble further to correct and improve the text. It was
a gesture beyond the call of friendship that was much appreciated.
For his critical analysis I was grateful for the contribution of
Professor John Sigler, former Director of the Norman Paterson
School of International Affairs, Carleton University. Professor Sigler
is well known for his expert knowledge of Middle Eastern affairs.
His support was deeply appreciated.