The Untold Story of Hannah Senesh - with Matti Friedman

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What do we owe the stories of people who sacrificed everything, even when they did not succeed?

As Israel approaches Yom Hazikaron after two and a half years of war, Dan speaks with author and journalist Matti Friedman about one of the most iconic and least understood stories in Israeli history: the parachutists of 1944. At the center is Hannah Senesh, whose name became synonymous with courage, even though the mission itself failed in military terms.

Purchase Matti’s book here.

In this episode:

02:40 – The real story behind Hannah Senesh and the parachutists of 1944

06:20 – The 1944 parachutist mission

08:40 – How Israel turned this mission into a national myth

14:10 – Why the mission had no clear or achievable objective

17:00 – How the parachutists understood their role as shaping a future story

27:20 – What Hannah Senesh’s life and death reveal about sacrifice

29:00 – Why the parachutists chose to act despite knowing they would likely fail

32:10 – What this story offers Israelis after October 7

This episode is sponsored by the IDF Widows and Orphans Organization. Learn more and support their work at idfwo.org.

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Credits: Ilan Benatar, Adaam James Levin-Areddy, Brittany Cohen, Ava Weiner, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Yuval Semo