Ohan Tabakian M.D. and the Dreamy Haleb

Vahe H. Apelian

Ohan Tabakian, M.D

Ohan Tabakian was a teacher of mine when I graduated from Sourp Nshan in 1962. From kindergarten to the 9th-grade graduating class, I was a student there.  I had noted that our graduating senior class had an unusual array of teachers who were part-timers because they were continuing their education. Naturally we looked upon them as sources of high authority and senior figures but in reality and hindsight, we students and they as teachers were contemporaries. Naturally, they were older than us by a few years but in all probability less than a decade

After my graduation, we parted ways. I have no recollection of having met them in person since. But lately thanks to the social medium I have connected with two of them. Most of the rest have passed away. 

Ohan Tabakian taught us chemistry while he was pursuing his medical education in the Université Saint-Joseph. Recently he published two books. One book is a collection of stories and anecdotes about his medical practice. Each story ends with a thoughtful conclusion about aspects of the life his patients lived. The other is a collection of stories about his formative years living in Aleppo. He graciously gifted me a copy of his books.

The following is noted in the short biography stated in his books.

Ohan Tabakian, M.D. received his primary education in Haigazian School in Aleppo and his secondary education in the Lycée français d'Alep Mission laïque Française in Aleppo as well.

He received his medical school diploma in 1964 from the Saint Joseph University in Lebanon and a few years later he immigrated to Canada where he continued his specialty training in Hotel Dieu hospital in Montreal, Canada. He authored and co-authored research articles in French and general health-related articles in Armenian periodicals.

He has been a member of the Hamazkayin Armenian Cultural and Educational Association from his youth and over the years he has assumed responsible roles in the same. He continues to be active in the Montreal Armenian communal life.

It would be worthwhile to note that his book about his life in Aleppo in his formative years will be the third book I will be reading about Haleb, the Armenian Aleppo. The first is Antranig Zarougian’s book whose title “Dreamy Haleb” (Yerazayin Haleb – Երազային Հալէպ) has become a commonplace expression about the post-genocide Armenian experience in Aleppo. The second book I read is Zaven Khanjian’s book titled “Aleppo First Station” (Haleb Arachin Gayaran – Հալէպ Առաջին Կայարան). Ohan Tabakian’s book is titled  “Memories and Reminiscences From Dreamy Aleppo” (Housher yev Abroumner Yerazayin Haleben – Յուշեր եւ Ապրումներ Երազային Հալէպէն)

No doubt that the Armenian experience in Aleppo has left an indelible favorable impression on those who grew up amid the vibrant Armenian community in the city. Otherwise we would not have encountered such books about it. Viken L. Attarian succinctly noted the following about Aleppo. “Haleb is undoubtedly a milestone in the evolution of our Armenian Diasporan identity of the post-Genocide period.  I believe that it is there that the future community of Beirut was forged, and from then on to the different realities of our existence in the West.  In the great migration of our people, Haleb was the first place of a Great Gathering after the initial murderous big bang of the Great Dispersion. The above applies to all aspects of community life, whether they be historical, cultural, political, artistic, literary and so on.  This is not to minimize the roles of other places.  Far from it, but if there are temporal and geographic points of reference around which our existence coalesced after 1915, Haleb was surely the first.”

We all know that the Armenian community in Aleppo, along with the rest of the inhabitants of the city, faced lately an existential experience because of the raging civil war in Syria. It is claimed that the overwhelming majority of the Armenians living in the city have left it and dispersed all over the globe.

In his book about Aleppo, Antranig Dzarougian noted the following. “I have had numerous occasions to write and speak about Haleb Armenians in large halls, in front of hundreds of people. Let me say my real thoughts from the heart. However the number of Haleb Armenians dwindles, the root remains. I remain with a deep conviction that the Haleb Armenian is the rose of the Diaspora. If we liken the Armenian Diaspora to a tasty fruit, its seed has come from Haleb.” 

The war-torn city of Aleppo endures so do the remaining Armenian inhabitants of the city and Haleb, the Armenian Aleppo, remains indelibly entrenched in the memories of those who lived in city once, including Ohan Tabakian’s.

“Memories and Reminiscences From Dreamy Aleppo” by Ohan Tabakian M.D.

"Anecdotes From A Physician's Life" By Ohan Tabakian  M.D.