Feb 23 2014
Offie Soldin: A True Sabra
Wikipedia: Sabra (Hebrew: צבר, pronounced “tzabar”) is the term for Jewish people born in Israel. The term began in 1930’s, and refers to a Jew who had been born in Mandatory Palestine. Since the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, however, Israelis have used the word to refer to a Jew born anywhere in the historical region, which today comprises Israel and the Palestinian territories.[1][2]
The term also alludes to a tenacious, thorny desert plant, known in English as Prickly Pear, with a thick skin that conceals a sweet, softer interior. The cactus is compared to Israeli Jews, who are supposedly tough on the outside but delicate and sweet on the inside.
Offie Soldin was a Sabra through and through. She was smart and tenacious, and was interested in science, medicine, art, and her work. Offie’s research interests were eclectic and spanned a startling range that included thyroid disease and tobacco control. So, how ironic it was that she faced a startling diagnosis of lung cancer, even though she did not smoke? Yet, how typical of this strong, tenacious battler that she confronted her disease forthrightly and courageously, with clear-eyed understanding of the battle she faced and without a shred of self-pity?
I will never forget how she rose to the challenge a few months ago when she received an award from Georgetown Women in Medicine, an organization of which she was a champion. Despite her illness and the accompanying fatigue, she literally held court in the Lombardi Atrium, accepting accolades, hugs, and well wishes from so many people who cared for her. I had the chance to visit with her last week in the hospital. Even though her body had weakened, her spirit was undiminished. We talked about her work and her lab, and her eyes lit up as she talked about a future she knew she would never see. What strength and grace!
Rest in peace, Offie, and know that we will not rest until we conquer this disease.
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