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Out of the Sky: Heroism and Rebirth in Nazi Europe
Was it one of the war’s most memorable feats of valor or an act of desperation, even madness?
In Out of the Sky, Matti Friedman unravels one of the strangest episodes of World War In 1944, a team of young women and men who had escaped the Holocaust made the inconceivable choice to parachute back into Nazi-occupied Europe under the cover of a British military operation. Yet by the end of the mission, not a single Nazi was harmed and not a single Jew was saved, and many of the parachutists died in the process. Even so, some of their names would become legendary, especially that of twenty-three-year-old Hannah Senesh, the author of the beloved Hebrew song “Eli, Eli.” Their story would become one of the young state of Israel’s founding myths—but what exactly was the mission, and what had the parachutists actually accomplished? What made them heroes?
Using thousands of original documents from once-secret files, manuscripts, memoirs, and unpublished letters, Matti Friedman follows four of the parachutists from the spring of 1944 to the operation’s dramatic end that winter. In Out of the Sky, he tells the gripping and surprising tale of a forgotten moment, demonstrating how storytelling itself can have a power even greater than warfare. And in exploring the line between myth and reality, heroism and futility, he creates an argument that has resonance in our own time.
In Out of the Sky, Matti Friedman unravels one of the strangest episodes of World War In 1944, a team of young women and men who had escaped the Holocaust made the inconceivable choice to parachute back into Nazi-occupied Europe under the cover of a British military operation. Yet by the end of the mission, not a single Nazi was harmed and not a single Jew was saved, and many of the parachutists died in the process. Even so, some of their names would become legendary, especially that of twenty-three-year-old Hannah Senesh, the author of the beloved Hebrew song “Eli, Eli.” Their story would become one of the young state of Israel’s founding myths—but what exactly was the mission, and what had the parachutists actually accomplished? What made them heroes?
Using thousands of original documents from once-secret files, manuscripts, memoirs, and unpublished letters, Matti Friedman follows four of the parachutists from the spring of 1944 to the operation’s dramatic end that winter. In Out of the Sky, he tells the gripping and surprising tale of a forgotten moment, demonstrating how storytelling itself can have a power even greater than warfare. And in exploring the line between myth and reality, heroism and futility, he creates an argument that has resonance in our own time.
247 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 24, 2026
About the author
Matti Friedman
6 books248 followersMatti Friedman (Hebrew: מתי פרידמן) is an Israeli Canadian journalist and author.
Friedman was born in Canada and grew up in Toronto. In 1995, he made aliyah to Israel and now he lives in Jerusalem.
Between 2006 and the end of 2011, Friedman was a reporter and editor in the Jerusalem bureau of the Associated Press (AP) news agency. During his journalistic career, he also worked as a reporter in Egypt, Morocco, Lebanon, Moscow and Washington, D.C.
Following the 2014 Israel–Gaza conflict, Friedman wrote an essay criticizing what he views as the international media's bias against Israel and undue focus on the country, stating that news organizations treat it as "most important story on earth." He cited the fact that when he was a correspondent at the Associated Press (AP), "the agency had more than 40 staffers covering Israel and the Palestinian territories. That was significantly more news staff than the AP had in China, Russia, or India, or in all of the 50 countries of sub-Saharan Africa combined. It was higher than the total number of news-gathering employees in all the countries where the uprisings of the 'Arab Spring” eventually erupted... I don’t mean to pick on the AP—the agency is wholly average, which makes it useful as an example. The big players in the news business practice groupthink, and these staffing arrangements were reflected across the herd." Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that the piece went "viral" on Facebook. The Atlantic then invited Friedman to write a longer article.
Friedman's first book, The Aleppo Codex: A True Story of Obsession, Faith and the Pursuit of an Ancient Bible, was published in May 2012 by Algonquin Books. The book is an account of how the Aleppo Codex, "the oldest, most complete, most accurate text of the Hebrew Bible," came to reside in Israel. It was believed the codex had been destroyed during the 1947 Anti-Jewish riots in Aleppo when the Central Synagogue of Aleppo, where the codex was housed, was set on fire and badly damaged. In the book, Friedman also investigates how and why many of the codex's pages went missing and what their fate might be.
The book won the 2014 Sami Rohr Prize for Jewish Literature, was selected as one of Booklist's top ten religion and spirituality books of 2012, was awarded the American Library Association's 2013 Sophie Brody Medal and the 2013 Canadian Jewish Book Award for history, and received second place for the Religion Newswriters Association's 2013 nonfiction religion book of the year.
Friedman was born in Canada and grew up in Toronto. In 1995, he made aliyah to Israel and now he lives in Jerusalem.
Between 2006 and the end of 2011, Friedman was a reporter and editor in the Jerusalem bureau of the Associated Press (AP) news agency. During his journalistic career, he also worked as a reporter in Egypt, Morocco, Lebanon, Moscow and Washington, D.C.
Following the 2014 Israel–Gaza conflict, Friedman wrote an essay criticizing what he views as the international media's bias against Israel and undue focus on the country, stating that news organizations treat it as "most important story on earth." He cited the fact that when he was a correspondent at the Associated Press (AP), "the agency had more than 40 staffers covering Israel and the Palestinian territories. That was significantly more news staff than the AP had in China, Russia, or India, or in all of the 50 countries of sub-Saharan Africa combined. It was higher than the total number of news-gathering employees in all the countries where the uprisings of the 'Arab Spring” eventually erupted... I don’t mean to pick on the AP—the agency is wholly average, which makes it useful as an example. The big players in the news business practice groupthink, and these staffing arrangements were reflected across the herd." Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that the piece went "viral" on Facebook. The Atlantic then invited Friedman to write a longer article.
Friedman's first book, The Aleppo Codex: A True Story of Obsession, Faith and the Pursuit of an Ancient Bible, was published in May 2012 by Algonquin Books. The book is an account of how the Aleppo Codex, "the oldest, most complete, most accurate text of the Hebrew Bible," came to reside in Israel. It was believed the codex had been destroyed during the 1947 Anti-Jewish riots in Aleppo when the Central Synagogue of Aleppo, where the codex was housed, was set on fire and badly damaged. In the book, Friedman also investigates how and why many of the codex's pages went missing and what their fate might be.
The book won the 2014 Sami Rohr Prize for Jewish Literature, was selected as one of Booklist's top ten religion and spirituality books of 2012, was awarded the American Library Association's 2013 Sophie Brody Medal and the 2013 Canadian Jewish Book Award for history, and received second place for the Religion Newswriters Association's 2013 nonfiction religion book of the year.
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April 16, 2026
Out of the sky: An Untold Story of Heroism and Rebirth in Nazi Europe, Matti Friedman, author and narrator
Friedman focuses his research and writing on the volunteer parachutists, all Jewish, that the British sent back behind enemy lines in Europe, even though these young Jews had already been lucky enough to escape from the yoke of Nazi control. Little is known about them because their lives ended prematurely, before they even had much of a chance to succeed in their mission to rescue others. All of these largely unsung heroes had agreed to return to help others who were trapped behind enemy lines, soldiers and Jews alike. For me, that makes them all true heroes, regardless of how many or how few, if any at all, that they were able to rescue. They put the needs of others, the lives of others, before their very own. How many reading this book today would do the same then or now?
The effort to send these young Jewish underground resistance fighters back behind enemy territory, was sponsored and supported by MI 9, an intelligence arm of the British government. The campaign to drop them back into Nazi occupied Europe, began in 1944, shortly before the war’s end, but the desperation of the Germans had no effect on their success or failure. The Germans were as determined to succeed in their genocide, as the volunteers were determined to try and save those trapped behind enemy lines. The program was not well thought out or planned, however, and was perhaps conceived out of desperation, as well. The volunteers were not trained well enough. The odds were against them. They did not succeed.
At the time of The Holocaust, the British controlled the area in the Middle East that eventually became the state of Israel. The British had given the area the name of Palestine. It was not known by that name, otherwise. The author concentrates on the lives of four of the Jews who had made it to freedom in “Palestine”, four who were willing to return to Hitler’s hateful war zone to save others. One of the names stands out for me because it has been often given larger than life status in books and movies, but that status is, according to the author, largely mythical. Hannah Senesh disappeared soon after she was parachuted into Europe. Much of the information about her is gleaned largely from her own writing, and much of it is embellished by others.
I do not believe that the efforts of the parachutists, 32 in all, can be measured by ordinary standards. Whether or not they succeeded is irrelevant. They were heroes for being willing to die for their heritage, and for fellow Jews and others who had no other hope of escape to safety. They were thirty-two young Jews who were willing to parachute back into the Nazi occupied areas of Europe from which they had already perilously escaped. In the end, very few of them saved anyone else and few survived very long. They were captured quickly.
Hannah Senesh was one of the parachutists. This book sheds light on what really happened to her, and to the others, but in my mind, even as it exposes myths surrounding their efforts, they are still heroic figures. Few would have done what Hannah Senesh and the others were willing to do. They were fully aware of the fact that they would probably never return home to the relative safety of the Middle East. In actuality, even afterwards, the area, now known as Israel, has never been relatively safe. War has been continuous. Perhaps more important is the idea that the valor and bravery of the Jewish people has never diminished.
Most often, an author should never read his/her own book. Authors are either too invested in their own message or the voice is not modulated well or resonant enough. Friedman’s voice is monotonous and tends to make me zone out. Still, the story is so meaningful, that I downloaded a print copy, as well. I was hard pressed to figure out if the author supported these well-known heroes or meant to disprove their heroic status, and to what end. At times, it seemed disjointed. I decided to give the author the benefit of the doubt, however, and I interpreted his efforts as though they were trying to shed light on a subject that is dying in darkness today, as antisemitism is once again in the forefront of the news.
Friedman also reveals facts about a Jew trapped in Hitler’s world, a Jew perhaps punished unfairly and defined disastrously. Rezso Kasztner was a man who saved many Jews, and in that capacity had to wear many hats. Therefore, he was accused of being a collaborator, and essentially, he was by necessity or choice. He was tried and convicted, then the sentence was reversed, but not before he was assassinated because of his perceived crimes.
Friedman reminds us of October 7ths massacre of Jews. I am hard pressed to understand how, after such a brutal event, the villains and assassins, terrorists and fanatics are being applauded and the Jews are being denigrated. Once again, the circumstances are inconceivable and the response is undeniably necessary to most of us who believe in the right of Jews to exist and in the country of Israel’s right to exist. I think the hateful antisemitism and antizionism exists because the positive message is sparse and so the negative message takes hold. Israel’s right to exist is unclear and muddied as their people are sullied, as well, and like in this book that confuses me as to the reason the author is writing it, the world is confused as to who the guilty villains really are and does not understand or object to the truly innocent Jews and the country of Israel’s persecution.
The four that the author concentrates on are Haim Hermesh, 25 years old, Hannah Senesh, 22 years old, Enzo Seremi, 39 years old, and Haviva Reick who was 30 years old. All were Zionists and Socialists. Some of the names are aliases. I hope this book leads you to make your own decision as to the current situation that exists today by doing the research necessary to know all of the facts involved.
Friedman focuses his research and writing on the volunteer parachutists, all Jewish, that the British sent back behind enemy lines in Europe, even though these young Jews had already been lucky enough to escape from the yoke of Nazi control. Little is known about them because their lives ended prematurely, before they even had much of a chance to succeed in their mission to rescue others. All of these largely unsung heroes had agreed to return to help others who were trapped behind enemy lines, soldiers and Jews alike. For me, that makes them all true heroes, regardless of how many or how few, if any at all, that they were able to rescue. They put the needs of others, the lives of others, before their very own. How many reading this book today would do the same then or now?
The effort to send these young Jewish underground resistance fighters back behind enemy territory, was sponsored and supported by MI 9, an intelligence arm of the British government. The campaign to drop them back into Nazi occupied Europe, began in 1944, shortly before the war’s end, but the desperation of the Germans had no effect on their success or failure. The Germans were as determined to succeed in their genocide, as the volunteers were determined to try and save those trapped behind enemy lines. The program was not well thought out or planned, however, and was perhaps conceived out of desperation, as well. The volunteers were not trained well enough. The odds were against them. They did not succeed.
At the time of The Holocaust, the British controlled the area in the Middle East that eventually became the state of Israel. The British had given the area the name of Palestine. It was not known by that name, otherwise. The author concentrates on the lives of four of the Jews who had made it to freedom in “Palestine”, four who were willing to return to Hitler’s hateful war zone to save others. One of the names stands out for me because it has been often given larger than life status in books and movies, but that status is, according to the author, largely mythical. Hannah Senesh disappeared soon after she was parachuted into Europe. Much of the information about her is gleaned largely from her own writing, and much of it is embellished by others.
I do not believe that the efforts of the parachutists, 32 in all, can be measured by ordinary standards. Whether or not they succeeded is irrelevant. They were heroes for being willing to die for their heritage, and for fellow Jews and others who had no other hope of escape to safety. They were thirty-two young Jews who were willing to parachute back into the Nazi occupied areas of Europe from which they had already perilously escaped. In the end, very few of them saved anyone else and few survived very long. They were captured quickly.
Hannah Senesh was one of the parachutists. This book sheds light on what really happened to her, and to the others, but in my mind, even as it exposes myths surrounding their efforts, they are still heroic figures. Few would have done what Hannah Senesh and the others were willing to do. They were fully aware of the fact that they would probably never return home to the relative safety of the Middle East. In actuality, even afterwards, the area, now known as Israel, has never been relatively safe. War has been continuous. Perhaps more important is the idea that the valor and bravery of the Jewish people has never diminished.
Most often, an author should never read his/her own book. Authors are either too invested in their own message or the voice is not modulated well or resonant enough. Friedman’s voice is monotonous and tends to make me zone out. Still, the story is so meaningful, that I downloaded a print copy, as well. I was hard pressed to figure out if the author supported these well-known heroes or meant to disprove their heroic status, and to what end. At times, it seemed disjointed. I decided to give the author the benefit of the doubt, however, and I interpreted his efforts as though they were trying to shed light on a subject that is dying in darkness today, as antisemitism is once again in the forefront of the news.
Friedman also reveals facts about a Jew trapped in Hitler’s world, a Jew perhaps punished unfairly and defined disastrously. Rezso Kasztner was a man who saved many Jews, and in that capacity had to wear many hats. Therefore, he was accused of being a collaborator, and essentially, he was by necessity or choice. He was tried and convicted, then the sentence was reversed, but not before he was assassinated because of his perceived crimes.
Friedman reminds us of October 7ths massacre of Jews. I am hard pressed to understand how, after such a brutal event, the villains and assassins, terrorists and fanatics are being applauded and the Jews are being denigrated. Once again, the circumstances are inconceivable and the response is undeniably necessary to most of us who believe in the right of Jews to exist and in the country of Israel’s right to exist. I think the hateful antisemitism and antizionism exists because the positive message is sparse and so the negative message takes hold. Israel’s right to exist is unclear and muddied as their people are sullied, as well, and like in this book that confuses me as to the reason the author is writing it, the world is confused as to who the guilty villains really are and does not understand or object to the truly innocent Jews and the country of Israel’s persecution.
The four that the author concentrates on are Haim Hermesh, 25 years old, Hannah Senesh, 22 years old, Enzo Seremi, 39 years old, and Haviva Reick who was 30 years old. All were Zionists and Socialists. Some of the names are aliases. I hope this book leads you to make your own decision as to the current situation that exists today by doing the research necessary to know all of the facts involved.
July 13, 2026
I found the book to jump around way too much instead of telling the story in chronological order. There was too much political stuff thrown in randomly. I would have liked to hear more about the parachuters and what they actually did on their missions.
May 6, 2026
I Iistened to this on audiobook, read by the author and appreciated the nuances his delivery added.
What does it mean to be a hero? Who is a hero? What roles do heroes play in national identity?
What does it mean to be a Jew? An Israeli? Have our sacrifices been worth it, and -- what is the goal to which we are all marching?
These are some of the questions explored as we follow the life stories of the parachutists of the title.
I was familiar with the Kibbutz Netzer Sereni and must have heard the name 'Enzo' at some point. I received the biography and poetry of Chanah Senesh -- Blessed is the Match -- as a bat mitzvah gift and read it many times, but now know there was so much more to her story. I knew nothing of her fellow operatives.
Friedman's research is impeccable and his storytelling eloquent; even more, I appreciated his reflections on what these people and events mean for him today, post October 7. The past is not only reified, it's made relevant to the complexities and uncertainties of life today.
There are six million life stories to be memorialized, and those of 3.5 million survivors to listen to. Friedman gives us insight into four of them.
The messiness of real life, the loose ends that call out for resolution and tidiness, are wisely left in their tangles, waiting for the future, for further exploration, discovery, and revelation.
What does it mean to be a hero? Who is a hero? What roles do heroes play in national identity?
What does it mean to be a Jew? An Israeli? Have our sacrifices been worth it, and -- what is the goal to which we are all marching?
These are some of the questions explored as we follow the life stories of the parachutists of the title.
I was familiar with the Kibbutz Netzer Sereni and must have heard the name 'Enzo' at some point. I received the biography and poetry of Chanah Senesh -- Blessed is the Match -- as a bat mitzvah gift and read it many times, but now know there was so much more to her story. I knew nothing of her fellow operatives.
Friedman's research is impeccable and his storytelling eloquent; even more, I appreciated his reflections on what these people and events mean for him today, post October 7. The past is not only reified, it's made relevant to the complexities and uncertainties of life today.
There are six million life stories to be memorialized, and those of 3.5 million survivors to listen to. Friedman gives us insight into four of them.
The messiness of real life, the loose ends that call out for resolution and tidiness, are wisely left in their tangles, waiting for the future, for further exploration, discovery, and revelation.
May 10, 2026
I like Matti Friedman, I’ve heard him speak about Israel and Hamas and have found his arguments to be cogent and illuminating. I’m not sure I’m in love with his writing style though, and he’s not my favorite narrator. Still, it was a good book and I enjoyed it.
May 23, 2026
I have read all of Matti Friedman's books to date and this is the best by far. He likes to take specific incidents in history and delve into the research to find all the lesser known aspects of the incident he has chosen to write about.
He did pretty much the same here, researching the act of Hannah Senesh and the group of 30 or so parachutists in 1944 who volunteered to sneak into the war zone of Nazi occupied Europe. Friedman explores and explains how it became a myth in Israel's modern history. He does an excellent job.
Friedman prefaces his storytelling with an explanation "this is a true story. I've invented no characters, scenes, or dialogue, and have done my best to convey the events as they appear in my sources;…"A true story," I would like to leave it there. But the uncommon intelligence and self-awareness of these characters, the way I feel them peering critically over my shoulder right now-it all makes these three words suddenly seem glib. I'm afraid this claim wouldn't pass their judgement. It's more honest to write: this is a true account of my journey into their story." This is one of the reasons this accounting of history is so readable. Friedman traveled the path these parachutists took 80 years later relating what he saw now to what was recorded as being there then.
Friedman does a superb job in explaining why this particular incident, which in truth was a total failure, is taught in Israeli schools from the birth of the nation til today. He explains how the Jews living in Palestine, and especially those that had managed to escape Nazi Europe wanted to fight back against the Nazis exterminating all the Jews in Europe. But the Jews in Palestine did not yet have a state or an air force or an established army they could rally and so joined the British army, felt to be the lesser of two evils.
The British wanted to sneak in these under cover agents who could pass in the local populations, having come from there and speaking their languages to help rescue Allied pilots who had fallen in enemy territories. The leaders of the Yishuv wanted these undercover agents to help get Jews out from the inferno. "But the Jews don't have a state yet, the Zionist hierarchy is fluid, and people don't do as they're told."
What could a group of 30 parachutists, armed with hardly more than pistols and radios do against the Nazi war machine? And yet, they volunteered and marched in the lion's den, literally into the lion's jaws. They were "People who believe in shared fate, who respond to disaster not with evasion or paralysis but with dramatic action."
Hannah Senesh is the most well know persona in this group, not because she achieved any great goals in her actions but more likely because in the few years of her life she wrote poems which have become cultural assets. But this book also writes about the other members of this group, and specifically those that wrote memoirs both before during and after the events. Enzo Sereni who was a well known political figure in his own right and wasn't expected to actually drop behind the enemy lines but just coordinate from afar, also comes to his demise in this action. "...both of them dreamed of writing the great play or novel but never did. Instead, they enacted their dramas in the world."
In summary, I would direct anyone who is interested in this book to listen to the podcast produced by Hadassah magazine where the literary editor Lisa Hostein interviews Matti Friedman about this book. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kk0yv...
He did pretty much the same here, researching the act of Hannah Senesh and the group of 30 or so parachutists in 1944 who volunteered to sneak into the war zone of Nazi occupied Europe. Friedman explores and explains how it became a myth in Israel's modern history. He does an excellent job.
Friedman prefaces his storytelling with an explanation "this is a true story. I've invented no characters, scenes, or dialogue, and have done my best to convey the events as they appear in my sources;…"A true story," I would like to leave it there. But the uncommon intelligence and self-awareness of these characters, the way I feel them peering critically over my shoulder right now-it all makes these three words suddenly seem glib. I'm afraid this claim wouldn't pass their judgement. It's more honest to write: this is a true account of my journey into their story." This is one of the reasons this accounting of history is so readable. Friedman traveled the path these parachutists took 80 years later relating what he saw now to what was recorded as being there then.
Friedman does a superb job in explaining why this particular incident, which in truth was a total failure, is taught in Israeli schools from the birth of the nation til today. He explains how the Jews living in Palestine, and especially those that had managed to escape Nazi Europe wanted to fight back against the Nazis exterminating all the Jews in Europe. But the Jews in Palestine did not yet have a state or an air force or an established army they could rally and so joined the British army, felt to be the lesser of two evils.
The British wanted to sneak in these under cover agents who could pass in the local populations, having come from there and speaking their languages to help rescue Allied pilots who had fallen in enemy territories. The leaders of the Yishuv wanted these undercover agents to help get Jews out from the inferno. "But the Jews don't have a state yet, the Zionist hierarchy is fluid, and people don't do as they're told."
What could a group of 30 parachutists, armed with hardly more than pistols and radios do against the Nazi war machine? And yet, they volunteered and marched in the lion's den, literally into the lion's jaws. They were "People who believe in shared fate, who respond to disaster not with evasion or paralysis but with dramatic action."
Hannah Senesh is the most well know persona in this group, not because she achieved any great goals in her actions but more likely because in the few years of her life she wrote poems which have become cultural assets. But this book also writes about the other members of this group, and specifically those that wrote memoirs both before during and after the events. Enzo Sereni who was a well known political figure in his own right and wasn't expected to actually drop behind the enemy lines but just coordinate from afar, also comes to his demise in this action. "...both of them dreamed of writing the great play or novel but never did. Instead, they enacted their dramas in the world."
In summary, I would direct anyone who is interested in this book to listen to the podcast produced by Hadassah magazine where the literary editor Lisa Hostein interviews Matti Friedman about this book. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kk0yv...
August 11, 2026
I can't recommend this book.
I saw a video of a recent interview of Erik Larson. When asked what factors entered into his choice of topics for a book, he said something to the effect that the one essential ingredient was to find a subject or circumstance for which he could see a thread or a path to follow to take a story from a beginning to an end. And in doing so, his goal was not to write a "history book", but rather to write a book that gave readers an immersive "historical experience", as if they were there. In another part of the interview, he cited David McCullough as an author whose work inspired and guided his own approach. Anyone who has read one or more of McCullough's books knows that he doesn't present dry archival information as one off ingredients. Rather he too weaves tales from his findings, always adhering to facts without embellishment, to engage readers and to make the reading experience entertaining as well as informative.
This book was not written in this style. It's a history book of the kind I think a Larson or a McCullough would avoid writing. The author found a lot of previously unexplored records about a group of people who were involved in one particular unusual and not previously explored set of circumstances during WWII. The findings are presented as if they on their own were enticing enough to keep the readers' interest. In my case, they weren't.
For the story, maybe there is a "there, there". I didn't find it and I found it dry as could be. Learning details (from the author's research findings) about the lives and backgrounds of various individuals involved wasn't enlightening or entertaining because they were standalone facts. Not contributing to a story.
Maybe he wanted the book to be mostly disconnected vignettes of character studies and not an integrated story with a plot. There really is not a compelling plot so if so, he succeeded. It's not the kind of book I like, unfortunately.
I saw a video of a recent interview of Erik Larson. When asked what factors entered into his choice of topics for a book, he said something to the effect that the one essential ingredient was to find a subject or circumstance for which he could see a thread or a path to follow to take a story from a beginning to an end. And in doing so, his goal was not to write a "history book", but rather to write a book that gave readers an immersive "historical experience", as if they were there. In another part of the interview, he cited David McCullough as an author whose work inspired and guided his own approach. Anyone who has read one or more of McCullough's books knows that he doesn't present dry archival information as one off ingredients. Rather he too weaves tales from his findings, always adhering to facts without embellishment, to engage readers and to make the reading experience entertaining as well as informative.
This book was not written in this style. It's a history book of the kind I think a Larson or a McCullough would avoid writing. The author found a lot of previously unexplored records about a group of people who were involved in one particular unusual and not previously explored set of circumstances during WWII. The findings are presented as if they on their own were enticing enough to keep the readers' interest. In my case, they weren't.
For the story, maybe there is a "there, there". I didn't find it and I found it dry as could be. Learning details (from the author's research findings) about the lives and backgrounds of various individuals involved wasn't enlightening or entertaining because they were standalone facts. Not contributing to a story.
Maybe he wanted the book to be mostly disconnected vignettes of character studies and not an integrated story with a plot. There really is not a compelling plot so if so, he succeeded. It's not the kind of book I like, unfortunately.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Out of the Sky by Matti Friedman is a thoroughly-researched true account of Jewish parachutists who courageously entered Nazi-occupied Europe at immense personal risk. They all had their reasons for doing such an astonishing thing but agreed to become British agents. Their determination, rigorous training and skills got them there but their stories continued beyond their dangerous objectives which included reaching surviving Jews and Jewish refugees. Mission details vary from source to source and are conflicting but these individuals' stories are heartbreaking and gut wrenching. They encountered unimaginable horrors and setbacks. The most well-known parachutist and the one I had heard before is Hannah Senesh (Anna Szenes), a poet and diarist.
Learning more about the role of various countries during this horrendous time is important and valuable. I appreciate that the author relayed information and leaves it to us to form our own opinions. The parachutists themselves did not want to be called heroes, though some of the deeds they performed were indeed heroic. Some paid with their lives. Many stories stand out in my mind but those which are most impactful are the parachutists facing the unknown...which country would they land in? Would they be found by the Germans or the Red Party? Would they be tortured or killed? Would they reach their objectives?
The author also details travels to some of the places mentioned in the book for personal insight which does not minimize the lives and stories of the parachutists. A fascinating book!
Learning more about the role of various countries during this horrendous time is important and valuable. I appreciate that the author relayed information and leaves it to us to form our own opinions. The parachutists themselves did not want to be called heroes, though some of the deeds they performed were indeed heroic. Some paid with their lives. Many stories stand out in my mind but those which are most impactful are the parachutists facing the unknown...which country would they land in? Would they be found by the Germans or the Red Party? Would they be tortured or killed? Would they reach their objectives?
The author also details travels to some of the places mentioned in the book for personal insight which does not minimize the lives and stories of the parachutists. A fascinating book!
May 20, 2026
I've been a big fan of Matti Friedman since The Aleppo Codex. His non-fiction "reads like fiction," and his subjects center around Israel. I had heard Matti Friedman on Dan Senor's "Call Me Back" podcast, so I knew the main points of the book and, obviously, listening filled in the details.
Even though I liked it very much, I'm kind of torn on a few things. Friedman narrates the book, and I don't know if I liked the calm, even voice throughout, or I would have appreciated more energy or a change of tone during the dramatic scenes of evading capture and capture. He goes on a lot of tangents, which are sort of related because they have to do with pre-state Israel, but not directly related, so while some of the side trips were interesting, I think I would have preferred a focus on the main topic.
Part of the premise is that all those who parachuted into Europe were considered heroes, even though their mission was kind of nebulous, and the ideas of the British and the Mossad were different and often at cross purposes. Hannah Senesh gets a lot of hype, even though she did not save any Jews or kill any Nazis.
The book "busts the myth" of both the mission and the people who were involved.
Even though I liked it very much, I'm kind of torn on a few things. Friedman narrates the book, and I don't know if I liked the calm, even voice throughout, or I would have appreciated more energy or a change of tone during the dramatic scenes of evading capture and capture. He goes on a lot of tangents, which are sort of related because they have to do with pre-state Israel, but not directly related, so while some of the side trips were interesting, I think I would have preferred a focus on the main topic.
Part of the premise is that all those who parachuted into Europe were considered heroes, even though their mission was kind of nebulous, and the ideas of the British and the Mossad were different and often at cross purposes. Hannah Senesh gets a lot of hype, even though she did not save any Jews or kill any Nazis.
The book "busts the myth" of both the mission and the people who were involved.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I absolutely love this book! Matti Friedman is an author I will always read, no matter what he writes. But this is one of the most beautifully written narratives I’ve read in a long time. Friedman combines his research process with the story he tells of Jewish paratroopers during WWII who leave British Mandatory Palestine to return to Europe in hopes of alerting Jews of the Nazi atrocities. The Allied troops knew what was happening but didn’t care enough to bomb to railroad to Auschwitz. As Friedman writes, if the Allies cared more about saving Jews than the Nazis cared to wipe out Jews, the Holocaust wouldn’t have happened. And these paratroopers wouldn’t have taken what mainly ended up as suicide missions to stand up to the destruction of European Jews. Friedman’s writing provides suspense and new insights into a war that has not always been remembered for its many layers and nuances. These paratroopers have been hailed as heroes in Israel and Friedman is now bringing their stories to an even wider audience. Bravo!
May 1, 2026
Canadian born Israeli journalist Matti Friedman documents the true story of Hannah Senesh and a group of idealistic young Jews who escaped the Nazis and made it to pre-state Israel but then volunteered to risk their lives to parachute back behind enemy lines into Nazi-occupied Europe. The mission failed but the myth has lived on in both Israeli and diaspora history and culture. I read the 1985 biography Hannah Szenes: A Song of Light Hardcover by Maxine Rose Schur in elementary school and wrote a report about her so Friedman's new analysis piqued my interest. I also listened to several interesting podcast interviews where he spoke about his research. However, I found Out of the Sky disjointed and difficult to follow. Maybe it would have been better in print since Friedman narrates the audio book himself and let's just say that he's much more effective as a podcast interviewee than a narrator.
June 14, 2026
All of Matt Friedman's books are worth your time — he has a gift for pacing that keeps you turning pages even when you already know how the story ends.
I grew up singing "Eli Eli" in BBYO without ever really knowing its origin. I had a vague sense of Hannah Senesh as a Zionist hero and symbol of resistance, but the details Friedman brings to life are something else entirely. What emerges is a portrait of a mission that was, by any honest accounting, a suicide run — and yet that's almost beside the point.
The deeper story is about the refusal to be passive. These were Jews choosing to act, to push back against the Nazi machine however they could, to carry themselves with dignity in the face of annihilation. The mission failed. The people were lost. And yet their example became foundational — a declaration, passed down through generations of Israelis and Jews, that we will not be victims. We will build. We will defend. Our spirit endures.
Highly recommended.
I grew up singing "Eli Eli" in BBYO without ever really knowing its origin. I had a vague sense of Hannah Senesh as a Zionist hero and symbol of resistance, but the details Friedman brings to life are something else entirely. What emerges is a portrait of a mission that was, by any honest accounting, a suicide run — and yet that's almost beside the point.
The deeper story is about the refusal to be passive. These were Jews choosing to act, to push back against the Nazi machine however they could, to carry themselves with dignity in the face of annihilation. The mission failed. The people were lost. And yet their example became foundational — a declaration, passed down through generations of Israelis and Jews, that we will not be victims. We will build. We will defend. Our spirit endures.
Highly recommended.
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August 3, 2026Matti Friedman tells a tragic story of parachutists from Palestine that are returned to Nazi occupied Eruope. Their mission to kill Nazis and rescue Jews was doomed from the start. It was not well planned at all. I had known about Hannah Senesh but didn't really know any of the details of her mission. The author goes into great detail abaout her experiences along with 3 other parachutists. While I gained a lot of insight about their failed mission, I found the story difficult to follow. There were many characters introduced and the narrative jumps around too much. New appreciation for what went on but lots of tangents, too. It would have been helpful if the story was chronological.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
Out of the Sky explores the story of Jewish parachutists sent into Europe during WWII, a mission I had never heard of before and found historically interesting.
Unfortunately, the narrative structure didn’t work for me. While the book follows several parachutists, Hannah Senesh dominates the story so heavily that it sometimes feels like the others are overshadowed. Frequent digressions and a large cast of secondary figures also made the narrative harder to follow.
I also found the brief modern political comparison somewhat uncomfortable, as it felt emotionally charged and lacked broader context.
An interesting subject, but the structure and tonal shifts made it difficult for me to fully connect with the story.
Unfortunately, the narrative structure didn’t work for me. While the book follows several parachutists, Hannah Senesh dominates the story so heavily that it sometimes feels like the others are overshadowed. Frequent digressions and a large cast of secondary figures also made the narrative harder to follow.
I also found the brief modern political comparison somewhat uncomfortable, as it felt emotionally charged and lacked broader context.
An interesting subject, but the structure and tonal shifts made it difficult for me to fully connect with the story.
April 6, 2026
This is a compelling account of a mostly unknown story, shedding light on the failed parachutist mission and, most memorably, on the courage and fate of Jana Senesz and her mission companions. I found the book very easy to read, with a strong balance between the historical narrative and the author’s personal reflections and experiences while researching and writing it. This combination makes the story feel both grounded in facts and emotionally engaging. It is clear that the book is rooted in careful research, as well as in the author’s genuine desire to dig deeper and bring visibility to a story that risks being forgotten or oversimplified. Overall, it succeeds not only as a historical account but also as a meaningful act of remembrance.
June 24, 2026
The book recounts the experience of the Jewish parachutists from Palestine in the late stages of WWII landing in Europe to try to rescue the Jews in the concentration camps. Their mission was doomed from the start and these heroes most likely knew, yet they went ahead anyway. Most notable among these was Hannah Senesh a poet who now has
had over a 100 streets in Israel named after her.
These heroes created a story of how Jews tried to fight back in many ways. Matti Friedman creates a base for understanding how Zionism could be a positive movement for Jews and not just an escape from the horrors they have endured not only during the Holocaust but for ages beforehand. The nowadays accomplishments in Israel provide the truth to “you shall be a light unto the nations. “
had over a 100 streets in Israel named after her.
These heroes created a story of how Jews tried to fight back in many ways. Matti Friedman creates a base for understanding how Zionism could be a positive movement for Jews and not just an escape from the horrors they have endured not only during the Holocaust but for ages beforehand. The nowadays accomplishments in Israel provide the truth to “you shall be a light unto the nations. “
May 1, 2026
This book examines the team of Jewish men and women from then British Palestine who joined up with the British on a mission to parachute into Nazi-occupied Europe.
Their story becomes one of the young state of Israel’s founding myths. Friedman brilliantly reexamines the myth and reality, while also weaving in modern day Israel and concerns about antisemitism. Why did they do it? What happened to them? Why are their stories important? What does it mean to be a hero and what does it mean to be a Jewish hero?
I could go on and on about how amazing this book is. I was fully engrossed from start to finish, and I'm still thinking about some of the questions that he raised.
Their story becomes one of the young state of Israel’s founding myths. Friedman brilliantly reexamines the myth and reality, while also weaving in modern day Israel and concerns about antisemitism. Why did they do it? What happened to them? Why are their stories important? What does it mean to be a hero and what does it mean to be a Jewish hero?
I could go on and on about how amazing this book is. I was fully engrossed from start to finish, and I'm still thinking about some of the questions that he raised.
June 17, 2026
Friedman relates the story of Jews who escaped occupied Europe, came to Palestine, trained to be parachuters and jumped back into occupied Europe to try to kills Nazis and rescue Jews. A pinprick, certainly, but a big statement: Jews will fight for their lives. Friedman offers quite a bit of historical background but takes maybe a few too many side trips and inserts himself too much into the story. Yes, every historian selects a particular perspective when writing about historical events but the historian is in the background. Not so true for this book. Still, there is enough in this book to make it worth reading.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Filled with factual errors and simplifications. Almost too many to list here.
"No Jews were rescued and not a single Nazi was harmed."
Or so claims the publisher's description; and the author says virtually the same thing.
Contradicts the historical record, as documented in Yad Vashem and other archives.
Contradicts the far more rigorous and well-researched works on the same subject by Sir Martin Gilbert. See Sir Martin's account of these events, in "The Holocaust: The Jewish Tragedy" and the film "Blessed Is the Match."
"No Jews were rescued and not a single Nazi was harmed."
Or so claims the publisher's description; and the author says virtually the same thing.
Contradicts the historical record, as documented in Yad Vashem and other archives.
Contradicts the far more rigorous and well-researched works on the same subject by Sir Martin Gilbert. See Sir Martin's account of these events, in "The Holocaust: The Jewish Tragedy" and the film "Blessed Is the Match."
April 3, 2026
A beautifully written book, poetic in spirit, and dogged in trying to recreate the stories of the heroes and heroines who parachuted into Nazi Europe knowing that they were unlikely to live (only one of them did). The lead protagonist, Hannah Senesh, is the most famous in Israel, revered and venerated, and Friedman ably tries to bring her to life. Besides the written memories that he cites, the book really leaps when Friedman visit the various places that the parachutists went to, from Cairo, to Bari, to Slovakia (or Hungary). This book is quite remarkable, and one worth savoring.
April 9, 2026
I was disappointed with the book. I thought the story would be intriguing and interesting, but it did not happen. The author spent a large amount of time expressing political views and insinuating that the British deliberately sabotaged the missions because of being anti-Jewish. The remainder of the book provided some interesting stories, but overall, I felt it was dull and not worth reading. There are better stories about resistance and spy missions involving people from all nations to read.
Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Matti Friedman is a master storyteller and brings this fascinating and heroic story to life with Out of the Sky. I knew the outlines of the Hannah Senesh story, and that of her fellow paratroopers who went back to Nazi occupied Europe to save Jews. But Friedman brings a wealth of little known research to this story which reads like a thriller. There were several times I audibly gasped while reading the book. Truly worth reading!
March 23, 2026
This was my first Matti Friedman read and it won’t be my last!
Following the lives of four parachutists who fled Europe only to return to save Jews, Out of the Sky asks questions like what makes a hero a hero? How do we tell our own collective story: through victimhood or action? Who are the heroes of today?
This literary nonfiction was fast paced and took you from Palestine to the forests of Yugoslavia. It was a quick but difficult read at times. I liked Friedman’s own investigative-like journalism as he tried to follow the parachutists’ journeys. It made it seem raw and real, like he was grappling with the present and needed historical heroes to turn to in times of war.
It did jump around a bit and was hard to follow, and also made you wonder what the main point of the book was but by the end he gets you there. Also focused on Hannah Senesh a lot even though he makes the point there’s more to the group than her legacy.
For my full review coming out next week, check out TheShabbatDrop.com
Following the lives of four parachutists who fled Europe only to return to save Jews, Out of the Sky asks questions like what makes a hero a hero? How do we tell our own collective story: through victimhood or action? Who are the heroes of today?
This literary nonfiction was fast paced and took you from Palestine to the forests of Yugoslavia. It was a quick but difficult read at times. I liked Friedman’s own investigative-like journalism as he tried to follow the parachutists’ journeys. It made it seem raw and real, like he was grappling with the present and needed historical heroes to turn to in times of war.
It did jump around a bit and was hard to follow, and also made you wonder what the main point of the book was but by the end he gets you there. Also focused on Hannah Senesh a lot even though he makes the point there’s more to the group than her legacy.
For my full review coming out next week, check out TheShabbatDrop.com
April 1, 2026
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley!
Happy release week! I had never heard of Hannah Senesh before this book, and it sent me down an internet rabbit hole of her history and her poetry. The book was engaging and I think it would be particularly so for those who don't necessarily like an academic feel for their non-fiction.
I was given the opportunity to read this title by NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
Happy release week! I had never heard of Hannah Senesh before this book, and it sent me down an internet rabbit hole of her history and her poetry. The book was engaging and I think it would be particularly so for those who don't necessarily like an academic feel for their non-fiction.
I was given the opportunity to read this title by NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
April 6, 2026
This is a very interesting book about the paratroopers who escaped Europe to Palestine before WWII and returned to attempt to rescue their Jewish brothers and sisters. Chana Szenes is the most famous of all of them and her story is told with the others. This is a short and engaging book and I enjoyed Matti Friedman’s personal musings and audio narration. I found it pretty hard to focus on the content of this book but I think that’s more of a me problem.
April 24, 2026
Matti Friedman explores the story of some of the young Jewish immigrants to Palestine during WWII.
The most famous is Hannah Senesh, who was one of a group who parachuted behind Nazi lines under the direction of the British in 1944. While their goal to rescue Hungarian Jews was never met, they became the story of legend in the early years of the State of Israel. The author did a great job of unpacking their stories.
The most famous is Hannah Senesh, who was one of a group who parachuted behind Nazi lines under the direction of the British in 1944. While their goal to rescue Hungarian Jews was never met, they became the story of legend in the early years of the State of Israel. The author did a great job of unpacking their stories.
August 5, 2026
מאוד אהבתי, מצליח לגעת ולרגש ולא להיות נדוש, בנושא שנטחן עד דק.
נוגע הרבה בדילמה שאומרת שהצנחנים לא לחמו בנאצים ולא הצילו יהודים, אז מה הייתה בדיוק התרומה שלהם? לפי הספר ובעצם הדמות ההיסטורית שלהם, התרומה היא ביצירת מיתוסים מכוננים לציונות ובכך שהיוו סמל וכו׳. במונחים של היום, הם למעשה הלכו אל מותם בעיניים פקוחות. תמיד קל יותר לפאר מרטירים מתים מאנשים מורכבים שעדיין חיים. למרות כל הציניות (שלי) הספר ריגש אותי מאוד
נוגע הרבה בדילמה שאומרת שהצנחנים לא לחמו בנאצים ולא הצילו יהודים, אז מה הייתה בדיוק התרומה שלהם? לפי הספר ובעצם הדמות ההיסטורית שלהם, התרומה היא ביצירת מיתוסים מכוננים לציונות ובכך שהיוו סמל וכו׳. במונחים של היום, הם למעשה הלכו אל מותם בעיניים פקוחות. תמיד קל יותר לפאר מרטירים מתים מאנשים מורכבים שעדיין חיים. למרות כל הציניות (שלי) הספר ריגש אותי מאוד
April 19, 2026
Friedman brings us the story of the 30 plus young Palestinian paratroopers enlisted by the British to jump into Nazi territory during WWII. All had escaped Europe. These heroes parachuted into Eastern Europe in 1944. Most did not return. Friedman focuses on 4 paratroopers: Haim, Haviva, Enzo and, of course, Hannah Senesh.
May 9, 2026
I loved this book. I had not heard about this until I started reading it on the recommendation of a Facebook friend. It reads like a James Bond movie, but it's real. Gives an insight into the passion of the earliest Zionists. The author has taken meticulous care to unravel the facts. Highly recommend it.
August 16, 2026
I enjoyed the book and learning more about the people. I don't think I'd ever be strong enough to lead like that. At the beginning of the book I was a little annoyed at how he jumped from one character and one time period to the next. Once I knew the characters and their back stories it didn't bother me as much.
May 9, 2026
As I keep reading I learn more about Jews, these being from Israel, who parachuted back into Nazi held countries to try to save Jews & send pilots back to fly again. The two main ones are women who ate celebrated now in Israel.
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