Entebbe Survivor: The Prayer That Saved His Life

On Sunday, the 29th of Sivan, 5736, Rabbi Nahum Dahan boarded a flight from Israel to Paris. What was meant to be a routine journey soon turned into one of the most dramatic moments in modern history. Instead of landing in Paris, the plane was hijacked, and Rabbi Dahan found himself, together with the other passengers, held hostage in Entebbe, Uganda, more than 6,000 kilometers from home.

Years later, in a conversation with the newspaper Yated Ne’eman, Rabbi Dahan shared a deeply personal reflection about that terrifying experience. He explained that he believes a verse from Parashat Nitzavim accompanied him at that critical moment and ultimately saved his life.

“Every time I read the verse, ‘And Hashem your God will restore your captivity and have mercy on you, and He will return and gather you from all the nations to which Hashem your God scattered you’ (Deuteronomy 30:3), tears fill my eyes,” he said.

A Verse in the Singular

Rabbi Dahan explained that he had always wondered about the wording of this verse. Although it speaks about the gathering of the Jewish people from exile, the verse is written in the singular form.

“For years I asked myself why the verse is written in the singular,” he said. “But during those moments in Entebbe, I suddenly understood that it speaks to every single Jew, wherever he may be.”

A Harsh Interrogation

At the time of the hijacking, Rabbi Dahan was traveling with a French passport. However, the terrorists suspected that he was hiding an Israeli passport.

“They took me to an interrogation room,” he recalled. “Standing in front of me was a huge man, almost two meters tall and weighing about 150 kilos, who questioned me and beat me.”

When the terrorists discovered photographs connected to the army among his belongings, the interrogation intensified.

“They demanded again and again that I reveal secrets,” Rabbi Dahan said. “But I had no secrets to give them. They beat me severely, and I sat there broken and crushed.”

A Moment of Prayer

At one point, Rabbi Dahan noticed a small patch of sky visible through the window in front of him. In that moment, he turned directly to Hashem in prayer.

“I do not remember whether I spoke in French or Hebrew,” he said. “But I said, ‘Master of the Universe, if You want to save me, please do it now. I cannot go on like this.’”

He lowered his head into his hands and began to cry.

“Hot tears streamed down my face,” he recalled.

The Rescue Begins

Moments later, the terrorists unexpectedly sent him back to the terminal where the other hostages were being held.

Only a few minutes later, the dramatic rescue operation began. Israeli commandos stormed the airport in the famous Entebbe rescue mission, during which Yonatan Netanyahu, the commander of the operation, fell in battle.

Yoni Netanyahu was killed during the Entebbe rescue mission

A Personal Miracle

Rabbi Dahan later reflected on how narrowly he had escaped death.

“The miracle was twofold,” he explained. “If I had remained in the interrogation room at the moment of the rescue, I might have remained there forever, either at the hands of the terrorists or in the crossfire of the battle.”

He described how deeply shaken and emotional he felt afterward.

“I was amazed by how quickly my prayer was answered,” he said.

Hashem Hears Every Individual

For Rabbi Dahan, the experience gave new meaning to the verse that had always puzzled him.

“I now understand why the verse is written in the singular,” he explained. “It teaches that Hashem listens to the cry of every individual person, wherever he may be, even if he is at the far end of the world.”

“And Hashem your God will restore your captivity and have mercy on you, and He will return and gather you from all the nations to which Hashem your God scattered you.”