Denise Amon: From Aleppo to Chicago Through Beirut

Originally published May 29, 2013

Denise Amnon was born in Aleppo, Syria, on November 16, 1926, to Hillel Nahmad, a banker, and Matilde Safra. Her parents married at a young age after being introduced by an aunt. Her mother was just 16 when they married, and Denise was born four years later.

Denise remembers a happy childhood growing up in Aleppo's Jewish neighborhood, where she lived in a large apartment building with her grandparents. Her grandfather was a rabbi, while her grandmother enjoyed playing cards. Family life and Jewish traditions were central to her upbringing.

At age 12, Denise's education was interrupted by the outbreak of World War II. Her family subsequently moved to Beirut, Lebanon, where her younger brother and sister were born.

Denise recalls growing up in a religious household that strictly observed Jewish dietary laws, including keeping meat and dairy separate. As she grew older, she adopted a more modern lifestyle and became less observant of certain religious practices.

At home, her family spoke Arabic and French, reflecting the multilingual environment of Beirut. Denise attended the Lycée Français, an American girls' school, and nursing school in Beirut. She developed friendships with Lebanese people of different religious backgrounds and attended services at several synagogues. Her grandfather, a rabbi, continued his religious studies at home.

Shabbat dinners were particularly meaningful occasions in the Nahmad household. Denise fondly remembers Friday night meals featuring salmon with parsley, kibbeh, and ajine, traditional dishes associated with Syrian and Lebanese Jewish cuisine.

Jewish holidays were also important family gatherings. While Denise sometimes spent holidays at resorts, others would come to her family's home to celebrate with her grandfather. Guests frequently brought a Sefer Torah for holiday services and readings. Her grandfather was especially respected among Iraqi and Iranian Jews who had settled in Beirut.

Friendships across religious communities were an important part of Denise's family life. Muslim and Christian friends regularly visited their home, and her father maintained business relationships with people of different faiths. Denise recalls that one of her father's Jewish friends purchased a business from a Muslim in Aleppo. She also remembers a Muslim neighbor whose grandmother was Jewish.

As a young woman, Denise participated in the Maccabi Jewish youth movement. Her family identified as Zionist and supported the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948.

By the late 1950s and early 1960s, growing tensions surrounding Israel and its Arab neighbors had made life increasingly uncertain for Beirut's Jewish community. Fears of another war with Israel contributed to a sense of insecurity among Lebanese Jews.

Denise had already left Beirut in 1952, traveling to Istanbul, Turkey, where her uncle worked as a banker. She spent approximately six to eight months there and met her future husband at a wedding.

Unlike many Jewish families who fled other countries in the Middle East and North Africa, Denise recalls that her family was permitted to leave Lebanon with its possessions.

Among the items her family left behind was a beautiful chandelier donated to a local synagogue in memory of her brother. Denise later learned that the chandelier had disappeared. She believes it may have been stolen, although its fate remains unknown.

Her last visit to Lebanon was in 1957.

In the late 1960s, Denise's family relocated to Milan, Italy, where her brother was studying in 1968. She remembers her father bringing the family's Oriental rugs, silver, and other valuable possessions with them, preserving tangible connections to their former lives.

Denise eventually settled in Chicago, where she began working in the designer clothing department at Marshall Field's flagship store on State Street.

Although she had no previous experience in designer fashion, she was hired because she spoke five languages. Her linguistic abilities and international background proved valuable in her new career.

Denise remembers her employers as generous and accommodating. They allowed her to leave work at 3 p.m. to care for her children and granted her Saturdays off in observance of Shabbat.

During her years at Marshall Field's, Denise encountered numerous celebrities, including Elizabeth Taylor, Audrey Hepburn, and John Travolta.

Reflecting on her life in the United States, Denise says she never experienced the discrimination or fear that shaped the lives of many other Jewish refugees from the Middle East. In Chicago, she found independence, professional opportunities, and a sense of belonging.

Despite settling in the United States, Denise maintained a strong connection to her Lebanese heritage, particularly through food and friendships. She continues to enjoy traditional Lebanese dishes and admits that she never developed a taste for Ashkenazi foods such as gefilte fish.

She also remains close to many Muslim Lebanese friends in Chicago and considers herself part of the broader Lebanese community.

Looking back, Denise considers her family's decision not to purchase a home in Beirut fortunate, as it spared them the potential loss of substantial property and assets when they eventually left Lebanon.

Denise also maintains close ties to Israel, which she visits occasionally. Her parents, brother, and uncle are buried in Jerusalem, connecting her to another important part of her family's history.

From her childhood in Aleppo to her years in Beirut, Istanbul, Milan, and Chicago, Denise's story reflects the diverse experiences of Middle Eastern Jews whose lives unfolded across multiple countries and cultures. Her memories illuminate the richness of Jewish communal life in Syria and Lebanon, the importance of relationships across religious boundaries, and the ways Jewish refugees and migrants carried their traditions and identities into new societies.