by Gidon Schwartz, Education & Outreach Executive
Israel’s deep-rooted connection to scientific excellence and innovation dates to its very beginnings as a modern society, well before its formal establishment in 1948, when its first president was none other than the renowned British biochemist Chaim Weizmann, hailed as the “father of industrial fermentation.” Since then, Israel has continued to shine as a global leader in medical and technological innovation, producing breakthroughs like the PillCam, a revolutionary device in gastrointestinal diagnostics.
Beyond the well-known names, Israel’s scientific legacy is also shaped by lesser known but no less important pioneers, such as Sophia Getzowa. An accomplished biologist active during the formative years prior to the state, Getzowa made groundbreaking contributions to the field while embodying the spirit of a true chalutz—a scientific trailblazer that helped lay the foundations of a nation built on innovation.
Sophia Getzowa’s early life was fairly ordinary for a nineteenth-century Eastern European Jew. She was born in a small shtetl in Belarus in the 1870s—although some records suggest she may have been born in Lithuania, and even her exact year of birth remains unclear. Her early childhood was marked by frequent moves across Eastern Europe before she eventually settled in Gomel, where she began her Jewish education. After the death of her mother, young Sophia was sent to live with her cousin in the Lithuanian city of Švenčionys. There she learned Russian, which opened the door to greater educational opportunities, eventually leading her to the University of Bern in Switzerland to study medicine.
Perhaps it was her experience as a ‘wandering Jew’—having lived in at least five different places during her youth—that inspired her involvement in the early Zionist movement and the belief that the Jewish people needed a homeland of their own. Indeed, challenging the stereotype of the ‘wandering Jew’ was a major driver of early Zionism. In this spirit, she attended both the second World Zionist Congress in 1898 and the fifth in 1903, representing the Democratic Zionist group.
The World Zionist Congress was another important strand of Getzowa’s life. The World Zionist Congress, founded in 1897 by Theodor Herzl, brought together delegates from around the world to raise funds, lobby for support, and establish the institutions that would one day become the State of Israel. It continues today, now held quinquennially (every five years) rather than annually – the next elections are taking place this month. The congress included a wide range of political factions and Sophia represented the Democratic Faction group – an early political movement founded by Chaim Weizmann that advocated for a democratic state for the Jewish people.
During this time, Sophia became engaged to Chaim Weizmann, the man who would later become Israel’s first president, and even spent summers with his family. However, their engagement ended in scandal. While still engaged, Weizmann began a relationship with another woman whom he would later marry. He broke off his engagement to Sophia—but failed to inform his family for nearly two years. The incident outraged members of their Zionist faction, who held a mock trial, underscoring their commitment to justice and the rule of law in their envisioned utopian society. They concluded that Weizmann should honour his engagement to Sophia. He did not.
Despite this personal setback, Sophia graduated and began working at the University of Bern, where she made a significant discovery: solid cell nests in the thyroid gland—clusters of cells found only in infants, which help us understand embryonic development.
As with many women in science at the time, Sophia faced systemic discrimination. In 1915, she was dismissed from her position simply because she was both a woman and a foreigner. She spent nearly a decade afterward working across Europe in various roles, mostly as a pathologist—a field in which she excelled throughout her career.
In 1924, she learned that the precursor to Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem was looking for someone to lead its pathology department—a dream job that combined her professional expertise with her Zionist ideals. However, funding for the position was uncertain. Seeking guidance, she turned to none other than Albert Einstein. He responded by sending letters of recommendation and ensuring that her living conditions would be acceptable. In 1925, she made the journey to Palestine to take up the role—despite the small challenge that the pathology institute didn’t yet exist.
In 1927, as the true pioneer she was, Sophia Getzowa became the first female professor in what would become Israel, taking a post at the Hebrew University. She also worked in hospitals in Tel Aviv, performing abdominal examinations, which in some cases led to the early detection of tumours requiring removal. Her long-awaited pathology centre finally opened in 1939, following fundraising trips she made across Europe.
Sophia Getzowa passed away on July 11 or 12, 1946, in Jerusalem. She was a true chalutz (a pioneer) not only in science, but also in the political and social arenas. So, this year on Yom Ha’atzmaut, as we celebrate the achievements of the State of Israel over the past 77 years, let us also remember what was accomplished before its founding, and the individuals who helped lay the groundwork for its future. Their legacy inspires us to imagine what Israel can achieve in the next 77 years.
