metro

South African Oriaihb

Infectious disease expert takes reins at WSU med school.

Philip Van Hulle
Special to the Jewish News

He served for six years
as a general practioner
in Karmiel, a town of
ack D. Sobel, M.D., has
about 3,000 in north-
traveled extensively on
ern Israel, and taught
the road to being named
at Rambam Hospital
interim dean of the Wayne State
and the Technion-Israel
University School of Medicine.
Institute of Technology,
That road began in a mining
the same institution that
town in South Africa, led to Israel
the WSU medical school
and America twice, and has seen
partners with in a student
Sobel become world-renowned as an
exchange program today.
expert in infectious diseases.
The U.S. National
Sobel, 72, of West Bloomfield,
Institutes of Health
was named interim dean of the
offered Sobel an infec-
nation's largest single-campus medi- Dr. Jack Sobel, interim dean of WSU's School of Medicine,
tious diseases fellowship
cal school in November. Considered grew up in South Africa and lived in Israel and America.
and, in 1976, the family
the world's foremost authority on
moved to Philadelphia
bacterial vaginosis, he established
He attended the University of the
for that opportunity.
the first clinic in America to study and
Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, travel-
After he completed the fellowship, the
treat the condition. Most of the doctors
ing one hour by train each way to and
family returned to Israel in 1979, and
who have opened similar centers in the
from college daily, and graduated with
Sobel set about establishing the first infec-
nation studied under him.
his medical degree in 1965. After resi-
tious disease program in northern Israel.
"The people of Michigan should know dency, he was drafted into the South
"I chose infectious disease because
that the Wayne State School of Medicine
African army and served one year as a
it demands a broad and continuing
is a crucial center of medical research:'
medical officer.
knowledge base," Sobel said. "We are the
Sobel said. "I intend to further our
Upon mustering out of the military,
`why?' doctors. Why did I get this dis-
research initiatives and successes,
Sobel became a physician in a hospital
ease? Why did I get this infection? There
along with the excellence of the clinical
in Soweto, the segregated black town-
is no border to this work. One must
services of the Wayne State University
ship. It was there that he further saw
constantly increase one's knowledge
Physician Group."
the degradation and the "absolutely
base in this field."
The family returned to Philadelphia
Sobel was born and raised in a min-
soul-crushing" poverty and conditions
ing town of nearly 50,000 about 20
created by the country's apartheid sys-
in 1981, Sobel said, because officials at
miles from Johannesburg. His parents
tem, which further convinced him and
his medical center in Israel were not
and grandparents were native South
his wife that they needed to leave South
supportive of infectious disease study.
Africa with their two young children.
The family's final move was to Michigan
Africans. The son of a local soft drink
manufacturer, Sobel said his uncle was a
"There was no way we were going to
in 1985 when Sobel was named chief of
general practioner in the town. Despite
raise our children under apartheid," he
the WSU Division of Infectious Diseases.
The chairman of the Division of
the connection, he was never pressured
said. "It was so entrenched that if you
to become a doctor.
told me in the late 1968 or 1969 that
Research in the Department of Internal
"I just knew, nearly from the time
apartheid would end, I never would
Medicine, Sobel also is a professor of
immunology and microbiology, and
I could walk, that I wanted to be a
have believed you.
physician," said Sobel, who, in addi-
"It was terrible, just terrible," he
of obstetrics and gynecology. He was
named chairman of Internal Medicine
tion to speaking English speaks fluent
added, shaking his head at the memo-
Afrikaans, one of South Africa's official
in June 2014, and subsequently interim
ries. "You lacked the medicines, the
languages, developed from the dialects
infrastructure, to care for the people. In
dean when the former dean stepped
of the country's Dutch settlers.
some ways, it was worse than the Deep
down to accept a position at a medical
The Jewish community in his home-
school in Florida.
South here (in the 'separate but equal'
town was comprised mainly of 300 fam-
period after the Civil War). There were
Sobel and his wife, Audrey, a former
ilies that had emigrated from Lithuania
no black physicians because blacks
member of Hadassah's national board,
are members of Congregation Beth Ahm
in the early 1900s to escape prejudice
were not allowed to attend university in
South Africa."
and violence, and to find work. That
in West Bloomfield. They have three
was easier to do in South Africa than in
children, Lauren, a corporate attorney
America because of the lack of competi-
Career Moves
who practices law in Jerusalem; Ryan,
tion for jobs that Jewish immigrants
Harvard offered Sobel a fellowship, and
an obstetrician-gynecologist practic-
encountered in the United States.
he was certified to practice medicine
ing at Jefferson Medical College in
Philadelphia; and Adam, an artist and a
Jewish families of the town helped
in England and Australia, so he had
support their new American relatives
several options for relocation. But his
graduate of WSU. ❑
financially. "It was quite common then
membership in the Zionist youth group
for my grandfather and other families to Habonim Dror influenced their deci-
Philip Van Hulle works in the public affairs
office of the Wayne State University School
send money orders to family members
sion to move to Israel in 1970, just a
of Medicine.
in Boston and New York:' Sobel said.
few short years after the Six Day War.

j

12

February 26 • 2015

■ mr

Temple Israel
To Host Event On
Gender Identity

I

t seems 2014 was the year of talk-
ing about transgender issues in the
media from the cover of Time to
the Golden Globes. Temple Israel in
West Bloomfield will open its doors
for an informal, informative event on
Tuesday, March 10, that will answer
key questions, including, "How do
I know if I/my child is transgender?
What is social transitioning and is hor-
mone treatment safe?"
Dr. Antonia Caretto, Ph.D., and Dr.
Jacalyn Bishop, M.D., pediatric endo-
crinologist, will share their experiences,
discuss gender (what it is, how/when
it develops) and talk about treatment
guidelines.
"We are strengthened as a people
when Jewish youth and teens feel sup-
ported by each other, their families and
their community as they wrestle with
these crucial questions of identiy said
Rabbi Jen Lader of Temple Israel. "It is
our responsibility to create avenues for
conversation and understanding so that
each person feels valued and uplifted by
their uniqueness:"
Caretto is a clinical psychologist
who specializes in treating obsessive-
compulsive disorders and gender vari-
ance. She is a member of the American
Psychological Association and the
World Professional Association for
Transgender Health (WPATH). She has
worked with more than 100 adults and
60 children with gender dysphoria.
Bishop founded Endocrine Kids
in Novi and is one of the few private
physicians in Michigan who is board-
certified in pediatric endocrinology.
She is an expert in treating transgender
children.
Statistics regarding transgender
youth are evolving. Currently, this is
what it looks like when teens do not
have the support from family, friends
and community:
• 78 percent of transgender youth in
K-12 had experienced harassment.
• 80 percent of transgender students
felt unsafe at school.
• Parental support matters: Only 15
percent of transgender youth without
parental support described their mental
health as "very good" or "excellent,"
compared to 70 percent with parental
support.
• 55 percent of transgender youth
have been physically attacked.
The 7 p.m. event is free and open
to the community. Transgender youth
(teens and young adults) and their fam-
ilies, educators, school social workers,
therapists and allies are welcome.

❑