Monday, 4th of July, is not only American Independence Day. It also marks the 40th Anniversary of the incredible Rescue at Entebbe by Israeli Special Forces commandos of over 100 Jewish hostages taken captive by Arab terrorists at Entebbe Airport in Uganda. ‘Operation Thunderbolt,’ was later renamed ‘Operation Yonatan’ in memory of Yoni Netanyahu (brother of PM Binyamin Netanyahu) who was the only Israeli soldier to lose his life in the operation.
In honour of this milestone occasion, Sydenham Shul in Johannesburg, South Africa produced a short video synopsis of the raid, one of the most daring hostage rescues of all time.
The video, Miracle at Entebbe, premiered at the Shul’s recent Benny Friedman concerts in Johannesburg.
For the IDF to mount such a complicated and dangerous mission, over 2000 miles away from Israel, flying over mainly hostile countries, and to bring the hostages back to Israel safely required not only Jewish brains and chutzpah but the unmistakable protective hand of Hashem.
Rabbi Yossy Goldman, Senior Rav of Sydenham Shul, felt it was very important for the younger generation to know about such a historic event. He directed the video which was professionally produced by the well-known David Fleminger and narrated by one of the top radio voices in South Africa, Anthony Fridjhon.
Just as a point of interest, the Satmar Rebbe at that time was furious that the IDF put their soldiers at risk (not that he cared, but because this would fly in the face of his SHIT'ah that G-d does not perform miracles for Zionists).
The Rebbe was against the rescue even after the fact ....he reasoned that the terrorists would have released the hostages eventually, even though the terrorists at the time released the non-Jews and selected Jews just like the Nazis ....
In addition, the fact that the Zionists were ready to put their lives on the line to save Jews that lived outside of Israel, made the Rebbe look foolish since he called the IDF and it's leaders, Apikorsim and Meenim and Tamai!
This rescue was an embarrassment to the Rebbe and put him in a very difficult position, because he couldn't explain to his naive sheep that Zionists would with mesiras nefesh put their lives on the line for Jews in Entebbe!
In addition, the fact that the Zionists were ready to put their lives on the line to save Jews that lived outside of Israel, made the Rebbe look foolish since he called the IDF and it's leaders, Apikorsim and Meenim and Tamai!
This rescue was an embarrassment to the Rebbe and put him in a very difficult position, because he couldn't explain to his naive sheep that Zionists would with mesiras nefesh put their lives on the line for Jews in Entebbe!
The Rebbe got his info from his Gabbai, Yossel Ashkanazi, who also couldn't read English.....
In fact today's President of Uganda, Yoweri Museveni, declared today that "Israel was right to carry out the Entebbe Raid"
Looking back in history, only the Satmar Rebbe and Idi Amin, were against the rescue!


