Community
Suzette Mahlab
We are forwarding an obituary on behalf of Suzette Mahlab
z'l, my beloved wife and our mother. Please include this
in your next issue of the Scribe.
Thank you,
Dr. Edward, Tikva, Zahava, Hanna, Dorothy Mahlab
mahlabedsu@aol.com
Suzette Mahlab was born in Baghdad, Iraq on March 23, 1923.
She was the seventh of eight children born to Saleh Sasson
Mahlab and Heloi Dellal. Suzette attended the Laura Kadoorie
Alliance Israelite School for Girls. On April 19, 1948,
Suzette married her first cousin Dr. Edward Mahlab in Baghdad
and proceeded to establish her first home as a bride. When
trouble against the Jews exacerbating, Suzette's brother-in-law,
Albert, was imprisoned on false charges. Edward worked tirelessly
with attorneys and bribed officials to negotiate Albert's
release and successful escape from Iraq. Subsequently, Suzette
insisted she and her husband leave Iraq immediately, lest
the authorities arrest her husband and she would have no
one to defend him.
Suzette and Edward arrived in Israel in 1951 where they
remained for 12 years. As a new immigrant, Suzette was one
of the few Iraqi women to drive and go to work. She worked
as a ground hostess for British Airways and managed a duty
free shop in Lod Airport (now Ben Gurion Airport). In the
early 1960's, Suzette and Edward moved their family to the
United States.
Suzette was the uniting force in her family. Her homes in
Iraq, Israel and the U.S. were gathering places for family
and friends. Suzette maintained a traditional Iraqi home.
She was known for her exceptional cooking of Iraqi dishes.
Suzette was an elegant strong woman with a good heart. She
was deeply rooted in her faith in Judaism and her strong
unbending faith in G-d. She maintained strong ties to Israel,
visiting frequently and providing support any way possible.
Suzette passed away on May 20, 2003. After her death, every
family member, friend or acquaintance mentioned her smile
and how she touched them. This was appropriate since Suzette's
motto was "A smile costs nothing, but gives much".
She is survived by her husband, Dr. Edward Mahlab, her
daughters, Tikva, Zahava, Hannah, Dorothy Mahlab (New York),
and her brothers, Salim Mahlab (New Jersey) and Naim Mahlab
(Montreal).
Suzette was a true Eshet Chayil.
Rabot banot Asu Chayil veat Alit al Kulana. Many daughters
have done valiantly but you excelled them all.
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