WORLD

A Big
IMPACT

ily,

Israeli radiation oncologists get
extensive training in Ann Arbor.

SHELLI LIEBMAN DORFMAN

Staff Writer

Ann Arbor

W

Dr. Theodore Lawrence speaks with Marvin Novick while Dr.
Merav Ben-David listens in.

Peggy Novick, with her son Stuart Novick of
Southfield and Dr. Merav Ben-David at the find-
raising event at the home of Peggy Novick's sister
and brother-in-law Bev and Merton Segal.

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6/30
2005

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hat began as an encounter
between an American doctor
and an Israeli doctor has
turned into 10 years' worth of invita-
tions for Israeli physicians to conduct
research and obtain specialized training
in radiation oncology therapy in Ann
Arbor.
"Dr. Allen Lichter — now dean of
the University of Michigan Medical
School — went on sabbatical to
Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem in
1994," said Dr. Theodore S. Lawrence,
Isadore Lampe professor and chair of
the U-M Health Care System's
Department of Radiation Oncology.
"Dr. Marc Wygoda, who is now head
of radiation oncology at Hadassah, was
a faculty member there. After observing
[what was lacking in] radiation oncolo-
gy in Israel Dr. Lichter offered Dr.
Wygoda and his wife, Annette, a med-
ical physicist, the opportunity to work
at U-M."
And that was the start of the depart-
ment's Israeli Fellowship Program, a
two-year clinical and laboratory research
'agenda. Five fellows have been trained
in the program thus far. The first four
returned to Israel to work; but a fifth,
Dr. Merav Ben-David, a medical and
radiation oncologist from Eilat who
completed the program this year, will
remain in Ann Arbor conducting
research until next summer.
When she and her husband, Dr.
Zachi Ben-David, a veterinarian, and
their two children Inbar, 5, and Nadav,
5 months, who was born in Ann Arbor,
finally do return to Israel, it will be with
a personal connection to Michigan as
well as a professional one.
The family has become very close
with members of the Ann Arbor Jewish
community, including Marc and Jill
Halman. "They hosted me in their
home when I came here before my fam-

helped us rent a house and get furni-
ture, get tickets for synagogue for Rosh
Hashanah and with the stress that can
be part of your life when you come to a
foreign country," Dr. Ben-David said.
"They are like grandparents for our
kids and our son's bris was at their
house. And they helped each of the
other fellows who have been here in the
past in the same way. I am also very
grateful to Ted Lawrence and the
donors and the other people of the
Jewish community here. Without their
help, it would be very hard to establish
our goal, to be trained and go back to
Israel."

Sharing Information

Eager to speak on her specialty, treat-
ment of breast cancer, Dr. Ben-David
has given several talks while in the
United States, including one at
Congregation Shan rey Zedek in
Southfield and another at the Palm
Beach, Fla., home of West Bloomfield
residents Jeanette and Seymour
Weissman, fellowship volunteers and
supporters.
Most recently, Dr. Ben-David spoke
on "Breast Cancer and the Jewish
Perspective" at a June 8 fund-raising
event held at the Bloomfield Hills home
of longtime U-M supporters Merton
and Bev Segal.
"Dr. Ben-David is very concerned
with the rise of breast cancer in the
Jewish community and the genetic link
that runs through families," said Judith
Minton, the department's manager of
development.
"In the Jewish population, we have a
high incidence of breast cancer at a
young age because of a high percentage
of those who carry a gene mutation
called BRCA 1/2," Dr. Ben-David said.
While in Ann Arbor, Dr. Ben-David
is working under the mentorship of
radiation oncologist and U-M Medical
Center professor Dr. Lori Pierce. "I am
grateful for her time and teaching skills