Israeli Commando of Entebbe to give first hand account of the Greatest Hostage Rescue in History

Chabad at Lake Tahoe will be hosting a historic evening with Major Rami Sherman, a veteran of the Israel Defense Special Operation Forces, on Sunday, November 27.

During the terror-filled years of 1972-1980, Rami served in the Israel Defense Forces’ most elite commando unit. He participated in several covert operations in Israel’s mighty struggle against Arab terrorism.

In July of 1976, Rami partook in the famed Entebbe counter-terrorist hostage rescue mission code-named “Operation Thunderbolt,” flying thousands of miles over enemy territory to rescue Jewish hostages being held by terrorists in Uganda.

A week earlier, on June 27, an Air France plane was hijacked by members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and the German Revolutionary Cells, and flown to Entebbe, the main airport of Uganda. More than 100 Israeli and Jewish passengers remained as hostages and were threatened with death.

Israeli transport planes carried 100 commandos over 2,500 miles to Uganda for the rescue operation which took place at night. The operation lasted less than 60 minutes. 102 hostages were rescued. Five Israeli commandos were wounded and one, the unit commander, Lt. Col. Yonatan Netanyahu, was killed. All the hijackers, three hostages, and 45 Ugandan soldiers were killed. In 1976, Rami was the operations officer of the elite commando unit, under the command of Yoni Netanyahu. In that capacity, he was involved throughout the week in preparing the unit for the Operation.

Rami arrived with the first Hercules that landed in the airport; he was in the car that drove behind the famous Mercedes, up to the terminal. He was part of the 33 officers and soldiers who comprised the first assault group who freed the hostages at the old terminal in Entebbe.

Rami will share his riveting personal account of the greatest hostage rescue in history and its relevant message in 2022. He’ll relate his experience step-by-step from his call to duty, preparation for the mission, landing in Uganda, and completing the operation behind enemy lines.

“More and more I realize how Entebbe has influenced and shaped the ties between Jewish communities around the world and the State of Israel,” says Rami. “We rescued 104 Jews without regard to whether they carried an Israeli passport or another one.”

“I flew to the Entebbe operation as an Israeli and landed back in Israel as a Jew. It took me 40 years to realize that meaning,” he added.

“His story is Israel’s story: of courage, endurance, defiance, and a willingness to sacrifice it all for the safety and security of Jews around the globe,” said Rabbi Mordey Richler, director of Chabad at Lake Tahoe and host of the event. “Many have expressed their anticipation and eagerness to meet this remarkable hero and hear his first-hand account of the greatest hostage rescue in modern history.”

The event will be held on Sunday, November 27 at 7:30 p.m., at the Chabad Jewish Center, 255 Kingsbury Grade, Stateline, Nev. Online Tickets are $18 and can be purchased at www.JewishTahoe.com/Entebbe. For more information call 530.539.4363 or email Info@JewishTahoe.com

In anticipation of this event, there will be hosting a complimentary showing of the movie ‘Raid on Entebbe’ at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, November 22 at the Chabad Jewish Center. RSVP Required.