What do you think?
Rate this book
AUSA Books – Foreign Military Studies
Sylvia Rafael. Mossad Agentin
Das Leben der Agentin Sylvia Rafael, die ihr Leben in den Dienst des Mossad stellte, um Israel zu schützen - und dabei zu einem Instrument fehlgeleiteter Rache wurde.
Als bei den Olympischen Spielen in München im September 1972 elf israelische Sportler von einer palästinensischen Terrorgruppe überfallen wurden, endete der dilettantische Befreiungsversuch der deutschen Behörden in einem Desaster, das insgesamt siebzehn Menschen, darunter allen Geiseln, das Leben kostete. Israel reagierte mit der Operation "Zorn Gottes". Ein Tötungskommando des Mossad wurde auf Ali Hassan Salameh, den Drahtzieher des Attentats, angesetzt. Zu diesem Kommando gehörte auch eine Frau: Sylvia Rafael. Sie jagte Salameh und geriet dabei selbst ins Fadenkreuz des flüchtigen Attentäters. Schließlich glaubte ihr Team, Salameh im norwegischen Lillehammer aufgespürt zu haben - eine Verwechslung, die dazu führte, dass ein unschuldiger Kellner auf offener Straße vor den Augen seiner Frau hingerichtet wurde.
Der ehemalige Mossad-Mitarbeiter Moti Kfir und der israelische Bestsellerautor Ram Oren erzählen vom Leben und Sterben einer Mossad-Agentin: eine ungeheuerliche, wahre Geschichte.
Als bei den Olympischen Spielen in München im September 1972 elf israelische Sportler von einer palästinensischen Terrorgruppe überfallen wurden, endete der dilettantische Befreiungsversuch der deutschen Behörden in einem Desaster, das insgesamt siebzehn Menschen, darunter allen Geiseln, das Leben kostete. Israel reagierte mit der Operation "Zorn Gottes". Ein Tötungskommando des Mossad wurde auf Ali Hassan Salameh, den Drahtzieher des Attentats, angesetzt. Zu diesem Kommando gehörte auch eine Frau: Sylvia Rafael. Sie jagte Salameh und geriet dabei selbst ins Fadenkreuz des flüchtigen Attentäters. Schließlich glaubte ihr Team, Salameh im norwegischen Lillehammer aufgespürt zu haben - eine Verwechslung, die dazu führte, dass ein unschuldiger Kellner auf offener Straße vor den Augen seiner Frau hingerichtet wurde.
Der ehemalige Mossad-Mitarbeiter Moti Kfir und der israelische Bestsellerautor Ram Oren erzählen vom Leben und Sterben einer Mossad-Agentin: eine ungeheuerliche, wahre Geschichte.
256 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2010
27 people are currently reading
531 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
March 19, 2024
it is not well writen but...it is quite intetesting. it is a portrait of a female Mossad agent and a unique woman. there are gaps as not all been open about her and there are jumps to side stories but still intetesting.
March 16, 2015
What I found interesting? Delving into the lives of two agents, or two terrorists, whichever way. Personally, I couldn't agree less with any school of thought that can tag one as an agent and the other as a terrorist. The process of self justification was interesting to follow in both cases, because unlike most media representation, it was quite undramatic, and rather matter of fact. The real brand of self justification, if you will.
What I did not like? The writing. I was warned, and yet, here I am, making a point of it. The reason I could feel engaged had everything to do with the story, rather than the story telling. I wish it could have been better, but I suppose non fictional narratives are not exactly expected to be superlative that way.
Better prose could have added nuance; on the other hand, it could have taken from the sheer, bland, candour, imperative to such narratives. It's a tough debate.
I give it a 3, because while it kept me intrigued enough, there were only rare occasions I found it flattering.
Do I recommend it? The world we live in is making history for the world in the making, like any world past. Sylvia Rafael is a story of many stories, that are important links in that history. If that interests you, this is a book for you.
What I did not like? The writing. I was warned, and yet, here I am, making a point of it. The reason I could feel engaged had everything to do with the story, rather than the story telling. I wish it could have been better, but I suppose non fictional narratives are not exactly expected to be superlative that way.
Better prose could have added nuance; on the other hand, it could have taken from the sheer, bland, candour, imperative to such narratives. It's a tough debate.
I give it a 3, because while it kept me intrigued enough, there were only rare occasions I found it flattering.
Do I recommend it? The world we live in is making history for the world in the making, like any world past. Sylvia Rafael is a story of many stories, that are important links in that history. If that interests you, this is a book for you.
December 26, 2024
Breathtaking true story declassified from the Israeli intelligence archives. One of my favorite books on the Mossad I’ve read to date. The book follows the lives of two rising stars in completely different worlds: Sylvia Rafael (her real name) a Mossad clandestine combatant and Ali Salemeh the arch terrorist and leader of Black September. Sylvia underwent extensive training and meticulous international maneuvering before being propelled into spy work as a Mossad agent, and her skills were top-of-the-line. Salemeh, on the other hand, inherited his status from his father, who had championed violent struggle on behalf of the Palestinian people. Each chapter jumps between their two lives and contrasts their simultaneous journeys in a compelling way. They were both hunting each other down at different points, which is pretty wild.
This book makes me ponder the claim put forth by Ehud Barak, commander of Sayeret Matkal and later Israeli defense minister and prime minister who said, “If I were a Palestinian I would have joined a terrorist organization.” In the case of Sylvia Rafael, I don’t think this holds true. She made decisions against what everyone expected of her (like leaving her fiancé in South Africa to live in Israel) to do what she considered her mission in life. She was driven by strong morals and not afraid to break the mold. The authors state, “She hadn’t joined the Mossad to find adventure or to escape from personal problems. She had done so because of her identification with the Jewish people and her belief in a path she considered to be righteous” (198). She sacrificed everything for that calling.
This account also contains much important historical information about the organizations and players in the terrorist waves of the 60’s-70’s in Israel. That background is important to understand if the career of Sylvia Rafael is going to make any sense. The book is excellently researched and written, easy to read and follow, and hard to put down. My heart sinks every time I read about the incident at Lillehammer. The only part of the book I was uncomfortable reading about is her love story after she was released from Norway.
Reading this book really gives a window into the life of an Israeli operative—the sophisticated cover-stories, crazy feats of bravery, loneliness, and ambition to rise to the constant challenges. One of the most inspiring parts for me was the poem “If” by Rudyard Kipling which was given to Sylvia by her Mossad superiors (81-82).
Sylvia Rafael will go down as one of the greatest Mossad agents in Israeli history, along with Eli Cohen (“the spy”) and Ashraf Marwan (“the angel”). These people are true heroes in my opinion.
This book makes me ponder the claim put forth by Ehud Barak, commander of Sayeret Matkal and later Israeli defense minister and prime minister who said, “If I were a Palestinian I would have joined a terrorist organization.” In the case of Sylvia Rafael, I don’t think this holds true. She made decisions against what everyone expected of her (like leaving her fiancé in South Africa to live in Israel) to do what she considered her mission in life. She was driven by strong morals and not afraid to break the mold. The authors state, “She hadn’t joined the Mossad to find adventure or to escape from personal problems. She had done so because of her identification with the Jewish people and her belief in a path she considered to be righteous” (198). She sacrificed everything for that calling.
This account also contains much important historical information about the organizations and players in the terrorist waves of the 60’s-70’s in Israel. That background is important to understand if the career of Sylvia Rafael is going to make any sense. The book is excellently researched and written, easy to read and follow, and hard to put down. My heart sinks every time I read about the incident at Lillehammer. The only part of the book I was uncomfortable reading about is her love story after she was released from Norway.
Reading this book really gives a window into the life of an Israeli operative—the sophisticated cover-stories, crazy feats of bravery, loneliness, and ambition to rise to the constant challenges. One of the most inspiring parts for me was the poem “If” by Rudyard Kipling which was given to Sylvia by her Mossad superiors (81-82).
Sylvia Rafael will go down as one of the greatest Mossad agents in Israeli history, along with Eli Cohen (“the spy”) and Ashraf Marwan (“the angel”). These people are true heroes in my opinion.
February 3, 2015
Sylvia Rafael's story is indeed fascinating and Ram Oren's book transports us back to an era that seems so distant; even while the issues continue to be relevant today. In the post 9/11 world the scope and nature of international terrorism has changed so much. The PLO, The East block, the Internationalist left - have slipped from relevance, while Islamic extremism has taken centre-stage.
First it must be clear that Oren is no professional writer. The book does suffer from an awkward, amateur style that gives the book a more superficial and simplistic feel. For that it is certainly not a great book, but not a bad one either. I did, however, enjoy how he wove Sylvia and Ali Salameh's two stories together.
Second - this book is clearly written for an Israeli or sympathetic audience. Mossad actions are minimized and euphemisms like "eliminated/neutralized/ended" abound. Whether you agree or disagree - Israel, not unlike other countries, routinely practices extraterritorial and extrajudicial killings.
It was an interesting glimpse into a riveting life story of a women whose commitment was all encompassing.
First it must be clear that Oren is no professional writer. The book does suffer from an awkward, amateur style that gives the book a more superficial and simplistic feel. For that it is certainly not a great book, but not a bad one either. I did, however, enjoy how he wove Sylvia and Ali Salameh's two stories together.
Second - this book is clearly written for an Israeli or sympathetic audience. Mossad actions are minimized and euphemisms like "eliminated/neutralized/ended" abound. Whether you agree or disagree - Israel, not unlike other countries, routinely practices extraterritorial and extrajudicial killings.
It was an interesting glimpse into a riveting life story of a women whose commitment was all encompassing.
October 5, 2021
This is a book to savor because there is so much history of mid-20th century Middle East conflicts, namely those that involved Israel and the PLO, Black September, Fatah, and the PFLP. For today’s social media freedom fighters, there are so many choices here: George Habash, Yasser Arafat, or Ali Hassan Salameh. Sylvia Rafael was a South African woman who made Aliyah and joined the Mossad to help fight terrorism after growing up hearing stories of how her father’s relatives were wiped out in the Holocaust. By the mid-1960s flights were being hijacked, bombs were detonated, and people were shot up—all in the name of destabilizing Israel. During Sylvia’s years with the Mossad, there was international empathy for what Israel was dealing with when it came to the terrorism directed against it. Now the narrative has changed and someone like Sylvia Rafael would no longer find empathy from the international community. Now there’s the PA and Hamas, but perhaps if Instagram freedom fighters read this book they may wax poetic for the days of Ali Salameh and his far-reaching network of hijackers and assassins. Read it and see for yourself!
December 21, 2015
This is a biography of a Mossad spy, written by a retired high ranking offical in Mossad, therefore, making some of the information more interesting. This is a biased book, despite the efforts of the author to sometimes portray the Black September group, Yasser Arafat, and other terrorists in a postitive light. Rafael dedicated most of her life to serving Israel. There is a lot of overstatement and far too much landscape description to keep this book interesting. Despite their errors and arrogance, many Israeli flaws are detailed. There was not much new in this book. I received a review copy from Goodreads.
October 9, 2014
I really enjoyed this biography, and enjoyed learning about the secret world of the Mossad. However, the story was set up in the beginning to be about these two people on a collision course with destiny: Sylvia Raphael and Ali Salameh. That is not what happened. I found that a disappointment with the book. Even though the Mossad finally eliminated Salameh, Sylvia had nothing to do with that operation. And she did not die while on a clandestine assignment. She died of cancer after she had left Mossad. Those are the reasons why I only gave the book three stars. It is an interesting read, though.
April 26, 2014
Książka opowiada o prawdziwej historii agentki Mossadu działającej w latach 70-tych, przedstawiając jej życie prywatne, proces rekrutacji i operacje, w których brała udział. Temat jest więc niezwykle interesujący. Podczas czytania nie mogłem jednak oprzeć się wrażeniu, jakbym miał do czynienia z hagiografią. Na stronach roi się od patetycznych opisów cnot Sylvii i niesamowitego zachwytu jej opiekunów. Całość narracji jest strasznie miałka, a wiele scen po prostu żenujących. Niestety.
July 13, 2020
Bardzo ciekawa książka. Podzielona jest na dwa główne równoległe wątki. Pierwszy, główny wątek dotyczy tytułowej postaci, Sylvii, agentki wywiadu. Drugi, poboczny wątek dotyczy przywódcy Czarnego Września na którego przez wiele lat polowało Moassad oraz główna bohaterka Sylvia.
Sylvia była Żydówką pochodzącą z Południowej Afryki. Tam się wychowała oraz tam spędziła młodość. Jednak chęć pracy dla Izraela spowodowały iż najpierw jako młoda kobieta podjęła pracę w izraelskim kibucu. Następnie zbiegiem okoliczności zwróciła na siebie uwagę pracownikom Mossadu. Została zrekrutowana i stopniowo wkręciła się w różne tajne operacje tej tajnej służby specjalnej.
Czarny Wrzesień to oranigacja powiązana w Yasirem Arafatem która była odpowiedzialna za wiele zamachów terrorystycznych, między innymi z porwaniem i zabójstwem podczas igrzysk olimpijskich w Monachium sportowców reprezentujących Izrael. Tych zamachów było więcej, ale chyba ten monachijski jest najbardziej znany. Izrael z wielką determinacją ścigał terrorystów. Popełnił też kilka błędów. Jednym z największych błędów Mossadu była egzekucja niewinnego człowieka w Norwegii w Lillehammer. Sylvia brała udział w tym zamachu w efekcie została aresztowana przez policję noerweską i spędziła kilka lat w norweskim więzieniu.
Dzięwki książce można się sporo dowiedzieć na temat tego jak Mossad funkcjonował, rekrutował, szkolił agentów oraz tworzył fikcyjne tożsamości dla swoich agentów. Z książki sporo dowiemy się również na temat organizacji Czarny Wrzesień.
Sylvia była Żydówką pochodzącą z Południowej Afryki. Tam się wychowała oraz tam spędziła młodość. Jednak chęć pracy dla Izraela spowodowały iż najpierw jako młoda kobieta podjęła pracę w izraelskim kibucu. Następnie zbiegiem okoliczności zwróciła na siebie uwagę pracownikom Mossadu. Została zrekrutowana i stopniowo wkręciła się w różne tajne operacje tej tajnej służby specjalnej.
Czarny Wrzesień to oranigacja powiązana w Yasirem Arafatem która była odpowiedzialna za wiele zamachów terrorystycznych, między innymi z porwaniem i zabójstwem podczas igrzysk olimpijskich w Monachium sportowców reprezentujących Izrael. Tych zamachów było więcej, ale chyba ten monachijski jest najbardziej znany. Izrael z wielką determinacją ścigał terrorystów. Popełnił też kilka błędów. Jednym z największych błędów Mossadu była egzekucja niewinnego człowieka w Norwegii w Lillehammer. Sylvia brała udział w tym zamachu w efekcie została aresztowana przez policję noerweską i spędziła kilka lat w norweskim więzieniu.
Dzięwki książce można się sporo dowiedzieć na temat tego jak Mossad funkcjonował, rekrutował, szkolił agentów oraz tworzył fikcyjne tożsamości dla swoich agentów. Z książki sporo dowiemy się również na temat organizacji Czarny Wrzesień.
August 25, 2021
Any time mossad is mentioned, I get a mental picture of tough, intelligent, highly qualified and achiever spies. This, of course, is informed by the many movies and documentaries showing how lethal the mossad are. When the book was recommended in our book club, I was sincerely excited to have a chance to delve into more of mossad operations considering I had just read another book detailing Mossad's failed attempt to assassinate Khalid.
This book brings out key issues ranging from the individualized nature of mossad training, patriotism as a key factor in the successes of mossad operations, the process of planning their operations and causes of failures among others.
The practical and individualized nature of combatants training ensures the training is tailor made for each combatant thereby allowing them to fit in their operational environment whenever called upon to do a task.
The motivation of Sylvia was based not only on her capability but also on her trust in her superiors and their ability to make informed decisions. When this trust is broken, Sylvia decides to quit her job with the mossad even when given executive position after her boss's blunder led to the death of an innocent man and subsequent arrest of the entire team she was working with.
This book brings out key issues ranging from the individualized nature of mossad training, patriotism as a key factor in the successes of mossad operations, the process of planning their operations and causes of failures among others.
The practical and individualized nature of combatants training ensures the training is tailor made for each combatant thereby allowing them to fit in their operational environment whenever called upon to do a task.
The motivation of Sylvia was based not only on her capability but also on her trust in her superiors and their ability to make informed decisions. When this trust is broken, Sylvia decides to quit her job with the mossad even when given executive position after her boss's blunder led to the death of an innocent man and subsequent arrest of the entire team she was working with.
February 3, 2021
#readHarderchallenge2021 - task 12: A work of investigative nonfiction by author of color
Not sure that Israeli author is falling under the definition of author of color, but I couldn't find another book to read, I had a few options in audio books but I'm not really into audio books.
The book is a non-fiction book about a Mossad spy that was active in the 70's when Israel country was still trying to be with it's head above water. I usually love spy stories, but what they don't tell us in fictional books is that its not as exciting as it is in fictional books. There are a lot of sacrifices these people need to make to be a spy. Its exciting, but more than that it's dangerous and it takes its toll even from the best of women.
Not sure that Israeli author is falling under the definition of author of color, but I couldn't find another book to read, I had a few options in audio books but I'm not really into audio books.
The book is a non-fiction book about a Mossad spy that was active in the 70's when Israel country was still trying to be with it's head above water. I usually love spy stories, but what they don't tell us in fictional books is that its not as exciting as it is in fictional books. There are a lot of sacrifices these people need to make to be a spy. Its exciting, but more than that it's dangerous and it takes its toll even from the best of women.
May 2, 2019
Very interesting she lived and how and why why she did it.
April 24, 2021
South Africa's own Mossad spy.
June 25, 2021
Patriotism at its best, what combatants do for the love of the country cannot be repaid.
September 29, 2020
Read this for book club. It took me a while to get into, but finally did around halfway. I wish there were more details about Sylvia’s missions!
November 22, 2013
Graaff-Reinetből egy kibucba. Tavaly óta szemeztem ezzel a könyvvel; végül, idén szeptemberben rendeltem meg. Már a fülszöveg is megfogott, hogy nem egy kitalált sztoriról van szó, hanem egy valós személy életét igyekeznek bemutatni, történelmi hitelességgel. folyt.köv.
November 25, 2019
A very enjoyable book dealing with the life of a Mossad agent fighting against ideologies that embrace terrorism. Read for personal interests and research. I found this work captivating.
This work is one of my resources for ghost authoring novels.
I found this book's contents helpful and inspiring. Overall, this work is also a good resource for the researcher and enthusiast.
This work is one of my resources for ghost authoring novels.
I found this book's contents helpful and inspiring. Overall, this work is also a good resource for the researcher and enthusiast.
November 19, 2010
הביקורת שלי ב http://foxbookreviews.com/2010/11/03/...
כנסו :-)
כנסו :-)
December 15, 2013
True story..
March 30, 2015
Great story of an unsung female Mossad agent. Loved living vicariously through her exciting life and passionate connection to Israel.
May 20, 2015
Life story of an Israeli clandestine operative. Written simplistically, almost at a young-adult level, so it was a quick read.
January 26, 2017
It took me a while to get into, but overall it was good.
July 24, 2022
J’ai bien aimé lire l’histoire de cet femme qui a su faire sa place parmis tant d’homme
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews