Fifty years ago, in the summer of 1976, Israel shocked the world when 100 elite fighters flew more than 2,500 miles to Uganda and, in just 90 minutes, rescued 102 Jews who had been held hostage by Palestinian hijackers.
While Israel and the world celebrated, mourned, and debated for months afterward, in Brooklyn, the Rebbe illuminated the unmistakable hand of G‑d running through the entire story, from the hijacking, through the planning of the rescue, and the miraculous nature of the operation itself. In the months that followed, the Rebbe focused, with his characteristic clarity, on the deeper lessons to be drawn from it.
On a quiet Sunday afternoon in the summer of 1976, the world was jolted by news that an international passenger flight carrying hundreds of travelers, including more than a hundred Jews, had fallen into the hands of Palestinian terrorists.
After a series of dramatic developments, the passengers were brought to Entebbe Airport in Uganda, where the terrorists, aided by the Ugandan regime, held them captive. The Jewish passengers were separated from the others, who were eventually released, while the Jews were held hostage and threatened with death unless Israel met the hijackers’ demands.
As word spread, anxiety gripped the Jewish world. Communities everywhere gathered for heartfelt prayers, while families waited desperately for news. With the hostages’ fate hanging in the balance, an entire nation held its breath as the crisis unfolded.
From the Mouths of Babes
A few months earlier, the Rebbe held a special gathering marking the launch of a new campaign, Shnas Hachinuch, a Year of Jewish Education, in which he said:
One of the most powerful ways to tip the scale, for oneself and for the entire world, to the side of merit, is through the principle of “From the mouths of babes and sucklings You have founded strength.”1 In this way, the enemy and the avenger will be destroyed while they still exist only in potential, before they can emerge into actual reality.2
As part of the Year of Education, the Rebbe introduced 12 Torah passages (“pesukim”) that summarize the essence of Judaism, and suggested that every child learn them by heart.
Several days after the miraculous rescue in Entebbe, the Rebbe dedicated almost an entire talk to the operation, highlighting the power of Jewish children’s prayers and again encouraging them to memorize the recently introduced 12 passages.3 The Rebbe went on to elaborate on each of the passages, explaining the unique power each one carries to help us overcome our enemies.
This was far from the only time the Rebbe spoke about the rescue. To understand the full picture, it’s worth rewinding to how the hijacking itself unfolded.
The Hijacking
The story began on June 27, 1976.
Air France Flight 139 was a long-haul passenger flight from Tel Aviv to Paris, with a scheduled stopover in Athens. Families and tourists took their seats for what was meant to be a standard international flight. After Athens, more passengers boarded, and the plane took off again into the Mediterranean sky.
Shortly after departure, once the aircraft was cruising normally, four passengers revealed themselves as armed hijackers. Two were Palestinians linked to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, and two were German militants from a radical leftist group. They moved quickly through the cabin, forcing their way toward the cockpit, announcing that the plane was now under their control.
At gunpoint, the pilot was ordered to change course. The plane turned south, away from Europe, toward Libya.
Hours later, it landed in Benghazi. Libyan authorities did not interfere, and fuel trucks were brought in to refuel.
Inside the plane, the hijackers moved through the aisle checking passports, conversing quietly amongst themselves, and beginning to sort people into groups.
A woman among the passengers became (or feigned being) seriously ill during the stop and was eventually allowed to leave the aircraft for medical treatment in Benghazi, the only passenger released at that stage.
Meanwhile, the hijackers began laying out their demands more clearly: the release of dozens of imprisoned Palestinian militants held in Israel and several European countries.
After several hours on the ground, the plane took off again. No one on board knew where it was headed next.
It flew southeast across Africa for hours, far beyond the point of easy return. Eventually, it landed again, this time in Entebbe, Uganda.
As the plane rolled to a stop, it became clear this was not a temporary landing. Ugandan soldiers were present, and the aircraft was treated not as an emergency landing but as a controlled and expected arrival. The hijackers had the backing of dictator Idi Amin, who would later personally appear at the airport and involve himself in the situation.
The passengers were ordered off the plane and marched into an old, unused terminal building. It was dark, hot, and poorly maintained, with little ventilation for the growing number of people inside. Families were kept together at first, but confusion spread quickly as armed men moved through the group, separating passengers based on nationality and identity.
Israeli passengers and those identified as Jewish were pulled aside. The non-Jewish passengers were eventually released in stages over the following days. Around a hundred Jewish hostages remained behind, held under heavy guard.
Outside that terminal, Israel was beginning to formulate a response.
Beyond the Natural Order
In a series of talks that followed, the Rebbe demonstrated how each detail of the story was clearly outside the regular rules of nature.
The very fact that the hijacking succeeded in the first place was completely beyond the natural order. Typically, the hijackers would have failed at some point. They should have been caught at the airport, since even a cursory check would have found their weapons. Yet although they were checked, like everyone else, their weapons went undiscovered. They were also conspicuous, standing out from the crowd because of their manner of dress, language, and baggage, the kind of thing that should have prompted security to search them further.
“In fact,” the Rebbe said, “the extent to which this was completely against the natural order can be seen from the fact that one of the passengers, who was later held hostage, told those sitting near her that these people [the hijackers] looked suspicious, and that she was scared to board the plane … ”
Yet no one stopped them. Even once they were on the flight, they could easily have been stopped. They were greatly outnumbered—a mere four hijackers against more than 200 passengers—and some of the passengers even had the training to overpower them! But no one did.
By every natural calculation, the hijackers should have been stopped at some point along the way. Yet against all odds, the hijacking went off without a hitch. All of this, the Rebbe explained, was G‑d showing us, step by step, that this was all orchestrated by Him and meant to serve as a lesson.
The Decision to Act
In Israel, the crisis quickly became a national obsession. Newspapers carried constant updates, and families of the hostages pleaded for action. Military leaders, intelligence officials, and government ministers met around the clock.
For years, Israel had maintained a firm policy against giving in to terrorist demands. The fear was that every concession would invite another hijacking, another kidnapping, and another round of blackmail. But now, more than 100 Jewish and Israeli hostages were being held in Uganda, with the threat of execution hanging over them.
Reluctantly, Israel entered negotiations.
While publicly, officials appeared willing to discuss the hijackers’ demands and requested additional time, behind the scenes, something very different was taking shape.
Information began pouring in from released hostages, intelligence sources, and airport experts: the layout of the terminal, the positions of guards, the number of terrorists, and the routines inside the building. Officers studied maps, built models, and began developing a rescue mission that many considered almost unimaginable.
Uganda was more than 2,500 miles from Israel, deep inside hostile territory. The proposed operation seemed so risky that even some of its planners doubted it could succeed.
Dan Shomron, one of the generals who helped lead the operation, later recalled the atmosphere in those meetings:
“After I presented the plan, [Defense Minister Shimon] Peres asked everyone present: ‘What chance do you give this? How many casualties do you think there will be? Do you recommend the execution of this plan?’ Most of them didn’t want to answer … ”
If the rescue failed, dozens of hostages could be killed. Israeli soldiers could be stranded in Uganda. The country could face a military and political disaster unlike anything in its history.
Even as the plans became more detailed, a final decision hadn’t been made. The operation was only one option among several.
Even as the aircraft crossed Africa on their way to Uganda, members of the Israeli cabinet were still discussing whether the mission should proceed. The risk of heavy casualties weighed heavily on everyone involved.
There were political concerns as well. Much of the equipment being used, including the transport aircraft, had been supplied by the United States. American policy held that such equipment was intended for defensive purposes. Some officials worried that a long-range raid into Uganda could create a diplomatic crisis, potentially affecting future military cooperation and arms sales.
Finally, after intense debate, the vote was unanimous: Operation Entebbe was on.
A Decision Beyond Calculation
The decision to launch the operation, the Rebbe later highlighted, was itself a miracle.
From a practical standpoint, Operation Entebbe made little sense. The hostages were being held thousands of miles away, the risks were enormous, and the chances of success appeared slim. According to military calculations and the advice of Israel’s allies, there was every reason not to proceed.
“According to all calculations and according to the advice of their ‘good friends,’ there was no place at all that they should go ahead with such a thing. But once G‑d gave the idea that they should not consider all the calculations, they went ahead with this.”
The same was true of the soldiers themselves. The Rebbe explained that volunteering for such a mission ran contrary to the body’s most basic instinct, the desire to preserve one’s own life. Yet these soldiers willingly chose to fly thousands of miles into enemy territory to rescue fellow Jews. Their readiness to do so reflected something deeper than physical calculations. It was a victory of the spiritual over the physical.
“This shows us clearly, first and foremost, that there is a ‘Master to this palace’,” the Rebbe said.
Ninety Minutes at Entebbe
Shortly before midnight on July 3, 1976, four Israeli Air Force planes disappeared into the darkness over Africa.
In New York, it was Shabbat afternoon, and many chassidim witnessed something unusual: in the middle of afternoon services, the Rebbe suddenly took a Book of Psalms and began reciting several chapters.
Inside the aircraft were hundreds of soldiers from elite IDF units, flying more than 2,500 miles away from Israel toward a mission many believed could not succeed.
The entire operation depended on surprise.
The soldiers knew they had only minutes. They needed to land, reach the terminal, eliminate the terrorists, free the hostages, and escape before Ugandan forces could respond. They were also taking an enormous risk, flying across several countries where they could be detected by enemy radar and intercepted.
They knew that if the mission went wrong, they could find themselves facing not only the terrorists, but potentially the entire Ugandan military.
As the planes approached Entebbe, the pilots flew extremely low to avoid detection. They landed in darkness, and the rescue force immediately moved toward the terminal.
Leading the first vehicles was a black Mercedes meant to resemble the official car of Uganda’s president. The plan was to pass the guards before they realized anything was wrong.
For a moment, it worked. Then, Ugandan soldiers noticed the deception and opened fire.
The commandos immediately accelerated toward the building. As they stormed inside, they shouted to the hostages: “Everybody down! We are Israeli soldiers!”
The hostages dropped to the floor as the soldiers moved quickly through the terminal. The terrorists were caught off guard, and within moments, the commandos had eliminated the threat.
The soldiers continued searching every room, calling out: “Israeli soldiers are here! You are safe!”
One of the greatest challenges was making sure the hostages understood that the rescue force had truly arrived. Some were afraid it was another trick by the terrorists.
The commandos gathered the hostages and began moving them at lightning speed toward the waiting aircraft, all while Ugandan soldiers continued firing from the surrounding area.
Outside, the battle continued. Israeli forces destroyed Ugandan fighter jets on the runway to prevent them from pursuing the planes after takeoff.
The entire rescue was completed in roughly 90 minutes. When the final aircraft left Entebbe, the impossible mission had succeeded: 102 hostages had been saved.
The World Reacts
The news spread across the world quickly. Governments, military leaders, and ordinary people were stunned that such a daring operation, carried out thousands of miles from Israel and deep inside a hostile country, had succeeded.
In Israel, the fear and uncertainty that had gripped the country turned into scenes of celebration. Families who had waited anxiously for days finally saw their loved ones return home. At the airport, thousands gathered to welcome the rescued hostages, cheering and crying as they stepped off the plane.
Across the Jewish world, communities followed the news with emotion and relief. Beyond a military victory, it became a symbol of courage and the determination to protect Jewish lives wherever they may be.
Military experts later described the Entebbe raid as “the most daring hostage rescue mission in history.” The operation became a case study for special forces around the world and remains remembered decades later as one of the most remarkable rescue missions ever carried out.
Stacked Odds
At the gathering, the Rebbe explained that the greatest miracle of the Entebbe rescuewas not only the daring operation itself, but the fact that the entire mission succeeded despite the overwhelming challenges against it.
Under normal circumstances, a military operation relies on overwhelming strength. A large force arrives, using superior numbers and firepower to intimidate and defeat the enemy. The Entebbe mission, however, had to be carried out in complete secrecy.
The odds were stacked heavily against them. The Ugandan military forces at the airport outnumbered them and had more weapons and ammunition.
The fact that the planes reached Entebbe unnoticed was itself a miracle. Such a long journey over so many countries should have been impossible to hide. Hundreds of people, including soldiers’ families and others involved in the preparations, were aware that something was taking place. Yet the terrorists had no idea that a rescue mission was coming.
This, said the Rebbe, demonstrated to the entire world that G‑d guides the world, and that when Jewish lives are at stake, the usual rules of nature do not stand in the way. The spiritual power of protecting Jewish life can overcome even the strongest physical obstacles.
The Rebbe added that the lesson from Entebbe applies to every individual. Just as the spiritual overcame the physical in that operation, we all must work to allow our soul to lead our physical side. This means incorporating more holiness into everyday life by doing physical mitzvahs.
A Painful Lesson
A sad element of the Entebbe rescue came during the final moments of the operation. When the Israeli commandos stormed the terminal, they called out to the hostages in Hebrew and English, instructing them to get down on the floor. Tragically, several hostages stood up, and in the confusion, the soldiers mistook them for terrorists. The result was that three Jews were killed during the rescue.
The Rebbe explained that this too was an indication of G‑d’s involvement in the entire operation.
These deaths were not simply a natural or unavoidable consequence of a military mission. Had the hostages remained on the ground as instructed, they would have survived. Similarly, the loss of the commander of the operation, Yonatan Netanyahu, was not because casualties were inevitable; his death came from a random bullet.
“If the purpose of this entire episode was only to reveal G‑d’s miracles, why did it have to come through so much pain and suffering?” the Rebbe asked. “Why did people have to spend a week terrified in captivity? Why did anyone have to lose their life? There must be a deeper message from G‑d.”
The Rebbe explained that the rescue was not only a miracle, it was also a warning. Just as the world responded by strengthening airport security so that such a tragedy would not happen again, the Jewish people must strengthen their own spiritual security, through increasing Torah and mitzvahs.
The Call for Mezuzah
The Rebbe, quoting the Talmud,4 compared a Jew without Torah to a fish removed from water. No matter how many people decide that the fish belongs on dry land, it cannot survive there. A Jew’s true existence is Torah, and there is no substitute.
The Rebbe then urged everyone to strengthen the mitzvah of mezuzah, explaining that it has a special connection to security.
The mezuzah guards the home and the person. The Rebbe emphasized that every additional kosher mezuzah adds protection for the entire Jewish nation. Therefore, everyone should immediately check their mezuzahs, regardless of when they were last examined, especially the soldiers involved in the operation and the freed hostages.
“The security of the Jewish nation is at stake,” the Rebbe said, “every person must do everything in their power to ensure that every single Jewish home has a mezuzah.”
A Startling Discovery
In the days that followed, chassidim in Israel launched a major initiative, going from house to house to check mezuzahs, with special attention given to the homes of the freed hostages. To their shock and amazement, in every one of the hostages’ homes that was checked, a problem or deficiency was found in one of the mezuahs.
Three days later, the Rebbe held another gathering and shared the startling report he had received regarding the hostages’ mezuzahs, explaining that these results added even greater urgency to the call.5 He called upon every hostage to publicize the findings, not to point out a mistake, but to awaken others to the importance of having kosher mezuzahs.
At a subsequent gathering, the Rebbe again emphasized that everyone involved in Entebbe, both the hostages and the soldiers, should ensure that they had kosher mezuzahs, and that the soldiers should work to ensure that every soldier in the army has access to a mezuzah wherever they are stationed.6
Was It a Miracle?
After a week of fear and uncertainty, the miraculous rescue of the hostages left Jews around the world in awe, thanking G‑d for the incredible salvation and the open miracles that had taken place.
There were some, however, who argued that the operation was not a miracle. Their reasoning was that G‑d would not perform miracles through people who were not Torah-observant.
The Rebbe spoke out sharply against these claims.7 He used the example of King Hezekiah, whom G‑d did not make Moshiach because after the miracle of the defeat of Sannacherib’s army, he did not properly thank G‑d.
The Rebbe explained that this teaches the tremendous importance of recognizing and thanking G‑d for miracles. When a miracle of the magnitude of Entebbe occurs, the Jewish people must acknowledge G‑d’s kindness. To deny that such a rescue was a miracle is therefore a very serious matter.
Fifty years later, Entebbe remains a powerful reminder that behind every event stands the guiding hand of G‑d. The Rebbe taught that the true lesson of the rescue is not only to recognize the miracle, but to respond by strengthening our connection to G‑d with Torah and mitzvahs.
Adapted with permission from Anash.org, based on articles published in the Derher magazine
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