Dorel & Efrat Fuhrman Talk about Jean

Dorel (Jean's second cousin, lives for many years in Geneva with his wife Efrat and their three kids (now grown-ups). He maintained a continuous close relationship with Jean.

Last Days before Jean's Death

I spoke to Jean a few weeks before he died. He told me that he has had "falling accidents" frequently and that he loses his balance. He told me that he went with Eytan to see a movie and that there were stairs there which he couldn't climb. He didn't sound optimistic as to what might happen to him. His problem was that he knew what he had. He knew what can be done and what can't be done.

I spoke to him 3 days before he died. Clarice said that he is about to enter the hospital.  She told me in Romanian – I am passing the phone to him. Wish him a happy New Year. I did. I sensed that it didn’t interest him too much. It was my last conversation with him. 

 

Memories from the Romania Days

Of my entire mother's side family, the warmest and strongest relationship I had been with Jean. I first got to know him when I was 10 years old and he was already in his second year of Medical School in Bucharest.

My parents and I arrived in Bucharest at the end of summer 1948. We came from the town of Botosan. Yonel, Jean's father was my mother's cousin. My grandmother from my mother's side was his mother's sister. When we arrived in Bucharest our only family relationship was Izu Agar and Tina & Yonel (Jean's parent).

My mother was in touch with Yonel & Tina and we were invited to their apartment at 11 Iunie #3 quite often to visit and eat. Mostly in the afternoons.

Actually, I remember that Yonel had given me as a present my first school bag. It was grey and I used to carry it on my back with two straps.

 

Coquettish Tina & Funny Guy Yonel

Yonel had a sense of humor. Although ay my young age I did not share the adult jokes but I certainly heard the laughs. I do remember one funny incident as mentioned below.

The economic situation then in Romania was not good at all. People didn't have enough money to buy clothes. Everything was purchased with vouchers. In order to get vouchers you had to be an employee. Yonel wasn't an employee. He was self- employed and had a stationary business.

Because of lack of money and lack of merchandise, people, who wanted to show that they are up to date with their wardrobe, used to go to a tailor to "reverse the clothes"! The tailor would rip the seams, turn the cloth inside out and create a new suit or dress.

Tina, Jean's mother was a very dressed up woman. In Romania it was fashionable at that time to dress with house gowns. She would wear many of those and always with a very meticulous hairdo. Even at my young age I was able to notice it.

I remember that at one time when we were there, Tina took out a fur coat which she had just bought and showed it to my mother and other friends who were visiting at the time. Everyone was inspecting the coat... suddenly Yonel said:  Wait a second! I also reversed my coat! He exited the room only to return right away, simply wearing his coat inside out... So... What do you say? He asked... and everyone started laughing...

 

I remember Jean use to do Ice Skating. Before he left Romania, he gave me his skating shoes. He had special shoes that already had the metal skater attached to the shoe. This is how I learned to ice skate.

The Cohn's apartment

They lived in 11^th of June  Street # 3. Their apartment was in back of the u shaped two story complex. As you entered the upper level, there was a corridor. On the left there was a big dining room with a huge mirror in the size of 2.5X2.5 meters, decorated with Venetian ornaments. The room had a set of a long table and chairs, suitable to dine quite a few people. It was a shiny dark color, either black or very dark brown. Against the wall was a large buffet belonging to the same set. It was very beautiful and I would say very expensive. At the right of the corridor there was a living room. It had a large sofa... apart of that I can't remember now.

 

My Renewed Relationship in Israel and How He Helped get My First Job

I arrived in Israel in 1961 (Jean had left Romania at 1949). The first time I met him in Israel, was at a party given by Erna at her Ramat Chen villa, at that time she was still married to Arye Skolnik (an EL-AL pilot that took part in the Eichmann abduction operation). Many of the cousins in Israel arrived... Jacque Agar and his wife, Izu Agar and his wife and others.  Jean arrived with Clarice and his car "Quatre Chevaux", and there on the small back yard between the cocktails we suddenly met after 12 years! And it was like having met yesterday.

From this point the relationship got closer and warmer. At one point, when I was looking for a job and didn't know what to do I came to Jean. 

The truth is that I really wanted to study medicine and the real plan was to go from Romania to Paris, where I had a relative, and study there. But things changed and here I was in Israel.

We sat at his apartment at 39 Bloch Street in Tel Aviv. He gave me a book in English and asked to see my proficiency. I didn't know much English. I had studied French in Romania all in preparation to go to Paris. Well, it seemed that without knowing English it would be hard to study Medicine in Israel.

He asked me if I would consider being an X- ray technician. I didn't know what it was. I thought it was about repairing machines. But since I needed a job I decided to go for it. Jean said: "ok. Let me see what I can do".

At that time he was an established doctor at Belinson Hospital and e spoke to the head of the X-Ray training school in the hospital, another Romanian guy called Sergiu Petri. Sergiu told Jean... but I have any availability anymore; yesterday the last slot was taken by someone.

Jean convinced him to meet me and he did. When I came to the interview, he also asked me if I wanted to be an X-Ray technician (I still didn't know yet what it was and Jean didn't tell me either) but I said yes. Actually, I had one little advantage over the other candidates. I had a baccalaureate certificate from High School and most of them didn't. Well, he asked me a few more questions and said he will get back to me.

Then, I believe under Jean's influence he convinced the last guy that enrolled that this profession is too small for him and that he deserves more... and the guy decided to withdraw. So this is how I slipped in to the course! I started as an X-Ray technician and worked in this field 3 years until I immigrated with my wife to Switzerland.

 

Efrat Fuhrmann Talks about jean

Social Circle

I knew Jean at the Belinson Hospital as Dr. Gilboa. I worked there as an X-Ray technician and he was somebody for me while I was probably another "pisher" from the staff. Later on, we became relatives. Clarice and he could not attend our wedding because they were coming back from their two year medical residency stay in the US.

However, a while later I invited them over to our home. Erna & Arye Skolnik came that evening (btw, Arye left Erna the next day!)  Izu Agar and his wife, Jacque Agar and his wife were there and so were my parents. This man, Jean, charmed me as soon as he entered. He made the night. What sense of humor, we had so many laughs... and what a talker. My father was overwhelmed. From the minute Jean started talking the night was his. He had charisma and most of all what I liked about him was, it wasn't the doctor talking, but Jean.

Medical Assistance

Later on, I asked him a few times for help in some medical issues. Not regarding myself, but regarding my parents (my mother was diabetic) and others. One day my sister comes home after seeing a doctor in the matter of a sore throat. She was in her twenties at the time and already had a daughter. It so happens that the doctor checked her and said she had a malignant tumor in her throat and that she should rush to Belinson hospital.

She came home crying, swore me to take care of her daughter if she dies… I was in complete shock. How could the doctor make this diagnosis without a biopsy or anything? Anyway, I called the hospital and they gave her an appointment for three weeks' time!  I said: by this time I will die before her. So I called Jean and told him the story. He told to come to him immediately with my sister.

We came to him, she lay on the table, and he checked her thoroughly and finally gave her a little tug and said "maidale"... You have nothing! You can go home now. I don't know who said and why they said all this but you have nothing. What a relief that was!!

 

I also came with my parents. I booked an appointment at his clinic like going to a doctor but he always refused to take money. One day my father said to him: Dr. Gilboa, give us the possibility to pay you... so we can feel comfortable to consult with you again.  It's not so pleasant like this...   Dr. Gilboa answered him determinedly: Mr. Mirzaioff, feel free to come to me any time you need. I don't take money from family! Good Bye!