Veteran of Entebbe raid visits HANC

A Jewish hero graced HANC High School last week.

Sassy Reuven, a veteran of the Israeli Defense Force’s elite Red Beret paratrooper unit, shared his inspiring story with the juniors and seniors.

In July of 1976, Sassy participated in the famed Entebbe rescue mission code named Operation Thunderbolt. After fying thousands of miles over enemy territory, he was the second soldier to jump out of the Hercules C130 transport aircraft as it taxied on the Entebbe airport runway.

One-hundred Israeli commandos stormed the airport and miraculously rescued 102 people who had been taken hostage after an Air France airliner was hijacked by Arab terrorists and flown to an airport in Uganda.

It was an honor to hear the riveting personal account of Sassy’s story, which took the audience from the preparation for the mission to its completion, with the safe return of the hostages to Israel.

This program was arranged by the chairpeople of the HANC HS Israel Action Committee, ZB Weiss and Yonatan Gazal. It was made possible through the generosity of the Maryles family, Takhalov family, and Rachel and Jeff Lichtman, in honor of all IDF chayalim, and for their continued safety and well-being.