In 1977, Israel s Mossad spy agency was given an assignment far different from its usual cloak and dagger activities. It was ordered by then Prime Minister Menachem Begin to rescue thousands of Ethiopian Jewish refugees in Sudan and deliver them to me in the Jewish state. No stranger to action in enemy countries, the agency established a covert forward base in a deserted holiday village in Sudan, and deployed a handful of operatives to launch and oversee the exodus of the refugees to the Promised Land, by sea and by air, in the early 1980s. Gad Shimron, the author of this book, was one of their number. First published in Hebrew in 1998, this updated English version of the book offers a thrilling firsthand account of how the operation was put in place, and how the Mossad team in Sudan brought it off, despite great personal risk, running a partying vacation spot for wealthy tourists by day as they stole through the Sudanese desert to rescue desperate refugees by night. The book sheds light on American involvement in the latter stages of the operation, when the White House facilitated an airlift of Ethiopian Jews and the CIA station in Khartoum sheltered the last Mossad operatives, on the run from Libyan secret service agents, and spirited them out of Sudan in special boxes labeled Diplomatic Mail. Enhanced by Gad Shimron s wide-ranging historical observations and his crisp, incisive prose, this is at once an entertaining read and a powerful tale of idealistic heroism.
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0
Better than a spy novel and its all true:
Gad Shimron, a key participant in the Mossad operation that led to Operation Moses, weaves a brilliant tale that combines the elements of a spy novel with the elements of the best tear jerking story regarding the rescue of Ethiopian Jewry from the clutches of famine and Islamism. This book is a quick read, one that keeps the readers on the edge of their seats from start to finish as one sits beside Shimron in the desert, waiting for the moment to give the signal for refugees to board boats on the Sudanese... more info
Fun read, not history textbook:
This was a fun and light read. The chapters are short, making for frequent stopping places. Although the basic story line of the rescue of the Ethiopian Jews from Sudan is threaded through the book, much of the content consists of anecdotes from this period of the author's life. These were often fun stories that made me laugh out loud at times. There are also a few poignant moments related to the core narrative. It is clear that the author is fond of the people he helped rescue from Sudan and proud of... more info
Rollicking good fun, a great adventure!:
Great good fun: heartwarming, occasionally terrifying, often hilarious. This true story of how a few intrepid Mossad agents began the rescue of Ethiopian Jewry from the refugee camps of Sudan, proves truth is stranger than fiction. The story: a small band of motivated smart-allecks buy a defunct dive resort as a cover and then, accidentally, make a success of it, bringing all kinds of characters into their midst, while drawing the ire of those in Mossad headquarters who become convinced they're just goofing... more info
Unique and Fascinating Story:
Don't miss this exciting journey with Gad Shimron. The adventurous, true story about the Ethiopian lost Jewish tribe, and the daring act of rescue is brought to us by one of the rescue-team members in a fluent and fascinating style.
