Alexandra Belkind: The Story of a Pioneering Jewish Woman Doctor

This scholarly work presents the first systematic study of the life and professional legacy of Dr. Alexandra (Sonya) Belkind, widely recognized as the first woman physician in Jaffa and a pioneer of women’s healthcare in Ottoman Palestine. Viewing medicine as a lifelong calling, Dr. Belkind practiced for thirty-seven years under difficult sanitary and social conditions.
The book examines her work at the Jewish Sha’ar Zion Hospital, the gynecological clinic she established in her own home, and her medical care for both Jewish and Arab women. Particular attention is given to her leadership in preventive medicine, hygiene education, maternal care, and public health initiatives that helped reshape attitudes toward women’s healthcare in the early twentieth century.
Set against the backdrop of Jaffa’s urban history, the biography offers insight into everyday life, healthcare systems, and Jewish–Arab relations during the Ottoman period. Including 29 rare historical documents and photographs, the volume serves as an essential reference for scholars of medical history, gender studies, and social history.

Prof. Zipora Shehory-Rubin – Linguist and historian, senior lecturer at Kay Academic College of Education. She specializes in Hadassah’s health and education initiatives and the history of medicine in Palestine. She is a member of both Israeli and international medical history societies (ISHM).

Prof. Shifra Shvarts – Historian of medicine and Israel’s healthcare system, faculty member at Ben-Gurion University and researcher at the Gertner Institute. She is the author of foundational works on Israel’s health system and serves on the board of the ISHM.