Israel Story 40: "The Wall" Part I - Operation Hulda
Jul 2, 2019
Benachem A.B. Levy, a Holocaust survivor and former officer who played a role in the capture of the Temple Mount, shares his compelling journey. He reflects on the emotional challenges and triumphs of the Six-Day War, including heartwarming moments of humanity amid chaos. The discussion also weaves through personal memory and loss, as Levy searches for a woman from his past, and delves into the powerful symbolism of walls in Israeli history, highlighting the complex narratives around identity and the impact of conflict.
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Liberation of the Western Wall
- Israeli paratroopers liberated Jerusalem's old city and reached the Western Wall in 1967 during the Six-Day War.
- Soldiers rested on the stones of the Kotel, overwhelmed by a surreal moment of sober joy and historical significance.
Mid-War Birth at the Kotel
- Israeli soldiers helped a Palestinian woman give birth in the midst of the Six-Day War beside the Western Wall.
- Despite war's chaos, they provided care and named the baby Jamila, symbolizing life amidst conflict.
Judith's Complex Life Story
- Judith Schwarz, a Holocaust survivor, lived as a Muslim Palestinian woman during the Israeli-Jordanian conflict and experienced complex identity shifts.
- She was the same woman born at the Kotel whom soldiers helped delivering her baby during the war.