A Jewish Journey of Identity and Courage

Chapter 5 David

“I’m going to read something to you, and then we’ll discuss it. Ready?” Shelly asked, as if we really had a choice. She pulled out a photo of a young woman and passed it around while she spoke. “Hannah Szenes was just twenty-two when she made the brave decision to take on a daring mission. Concerned for her mother and sister who remained in Hungary, haunted by news of the persecution of Jews in Europe, and driven by a desire to help, she and her friends parachuted into various locations across Europe in 1943 to assist the British army in their fight against the Germans. In their spare time, they aimed to rescue Jews. Unfortunately, Hannah was captured while crossing the border into Hungary.” I remembered seeing a TV show about Hannah Szenes, and her story had left a lasting impression. I hadn’t realized she was so young. “Hannah was put on trial, and throughout it, she displayed remarkable courage,” Shelly continued. “Before her execution, she said, ‘I take responsibility for my actions. I have been a Zionist since my youth, even though my parents did not raise me that way. In Israel, I was a person in the fullest sense of the word.’ She was executed at just twenty-three.” Even after Shelly finished speaking, the room was silent. Emma tried to wipe away a tear that had fallen on her cheek, and I averted my gaze, not wanting to embarrass her. “What do you think of Hannah Szenes’s words?” Shelly asked, looking around at us. “Yes, Danielle?” “I wouldn’t have fought for the British army. They were terrible to Jews during the British Mandate,” Danielle replied.

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