Chaim Sheba
Encyclopedia
Chaim Sheba was an Israeli physician.
, near Gurahumora, Bukovina
, then in Austria-Hungary
(now in Suceava County
, Romania
), to the well known Scheiber Hasidic
family, a descendant of the Hasidic house of Roujin. He was enrolled as a young child in a school for religious studies only. He transferred from there directly to the eighth grade in a secular school, which he successfully completed. Influenced by his grandfather, he began medical studies in Chernovitch and completed such studies in Vienna
in December 1932.
In the beginning of 1933, Sheba emigrated to Mandate Palestine. Until 1936, he served as rural doctor and later in Beilinson Hospital.
In 1942, Sheba joined the Jewish Brigade
as a doctor, joining the Haganah
in 1947. From 1948 to 1950, he commanded the Medical Corps of the Israel Defense Forces
(IDF), and became Director General of the Ministry of Health after leaving the IDF. He fulfilled this position until 1953, when he moved on to become the director of the Tel HaShomer Hospital (today Chaim Sheba Medical Center, named in his honor).
In addition, from 1949 Sheba served as Professor of Medicine at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
. He was one of the founders of the Tel Aviv University
Medical School and served as a Vice-President of that University. He also helped to establish medical schools in Jerusalem and in Haifa.
During his tenure as Director General, Sheba was responsible for managing the tinea capitis
outbreak. The standard treatment at the time involved X-raying the head area. This treatment was eventually discovered to be harmful, and the event became a source of controversy
.
Sheba died in 1971 from a heart attack.
Biography
Sheba was born as Chaim Scheiber in 1908 in FrasinFrasin
Frasin is a town located in Suceava County, Romania. It administers three villages: Bucşoaia, Doroteia and Plutoniţa.-References:...
, near Gurahumora, Bukovina
Bukovina
Bukovina is a historical region on the northern slopes of the northeastern Carpathian Mountains and the adjoining plains.-Name:The name Bukovina came into official use in 1775 with the region's annexation from the Principality of Moldavia to the possessions of the Habsburg Monarchy, which became...
, then in Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
(now in Suceava County
Suceava County
Suceava is a county of Romania, in the historical region of Moldavia and few villages in Transylvania, with the capital city at Suceava.- Demographics :...
, Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
), to the well known Scheiber Hasidic
Hasidic Judaism
Hasidic Judaism or Hasidism, from the Hebrew —Ḥasidut in Sephardi, Chasidus in Ashkenazi, meaning "piety" , is a branch of Orthodox Judaism that promotes spirituality and joy through the popularisation and internalisation of Jewish mysticism as the fundamental aspects of the Jewish faith...
family, a descendant of the Hasidic house of Roujin. He was enrolled as a young child in a school for religious studies only. He transferred from there directly to the eighth grade in a secular school, which he successfully completed. Influenced by his grandfather, he began medical studies in Chernovitch and completed such studies in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
in December 1932.
In the beginning of 1933, Sheba emigrated to Mandate Palestine. Until 1936, he served as rural doctor and later in Beilinson Hospital.
In 1942, Sheba joined the Jewish Brigade
Jewish Brigade
The Jewish Infantry Brigade Group was a military formation of the British Army that served in Europe during the Second World War. The brigade was formed in late 1944, and its personnel fought the Germans in Italy...
as a doctor, joining the Haganah
Haganah
Haganah was a Jewish paramilitary organization in what was then the British Mandate of Palestine from 1920 to 1948, which later became the core of the Israel Defense Forces.- Origins :...
in 1947. From 1948 to 1950, he commanded the Medical Corps of the Israel Defense Forces
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
(IDF), and became Director General of the Ministry of Health after leaving the IDF. He fulfilled this position until 1953, when he moved on to become the director of the Tel HaShomer Hospital (today Chaim Sheba Medical Center, named in his honor).
In addition, from 1949 Sheba served as Professor of Medicine at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Hebrew University of Jerusalem
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem ; ; abbreviated HUJI) is Israel's second-oldest university, after the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. The Hebrew University has three campuses in Jerusalem and one in Rehovot. The world's largest Jewish studies library is located on its Edmond J...
. He was one of the founders of the Tel Aviv University
Tel Aviv University
Tel Aviv University is a public university located in Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv, Israel. With nearly 30,000 students, TAU is Israel's largest university.-History:...
Medical School and served as a Vice-President of that University. He also helped to establish medical schools in Jerusalem and in Haifa.
During his tenure as Director General, Sheba was responsible for managing the tinea capitis
Tinea capitis
Tinea capitis is a superficial fungal infection of the scalp. The disease is primarily caused by dermatophytes in the Trichophyton and Microsporum genera that invade the hair shaft...
outbreak. The standard treatment at the time involved X-raying the head area. This treatment was eventually discovered to be harmful, and the event became a source of controversy
Ringworm affair
The ringworm affair refers to circumstances involving at least 20,000 Israeli individuals, particularly children, who were treated between 1948 and 1960 for tinea capitis with ionizing radiation to the head area. This population was composed mostly of newly arrived immigrants from North Africa...
.
Sheba died in 1971 from a heart attack.
See also
- List of Israel Prize recipients