____ Subscribe to Ark News Daily ____ What do we owe the stories of people who sacrificed everything, even when they did not succeed? As Israel approaches Yom Hazikaron after two and a half years of war, Dan speaks with author and journalist Matti Friedman about one of the most iconic and least understood stories in Israeli history: the parachutists of 1944. At the center is Hannah Senesh, whose name became synonymous with courage, even though the mission itself failed in military terms. In this episode: 02:40 – The real story behind Hannah Senesh and the parachutists of 1944 06:20 – The 1944 parachutist mission 08:40 – How Israel turned this mission into a national myth 14:10 – Why the mission had no clear or achievable objective 17:00 – How the parachutists understood their role as shaping a future story 27:20 – What Hannah Senesh’s life and death reveal about sacrifice 29:00 – Why the parachutists chose to act despite knowing they would likely fail 32:10 – What this story offers Israelis after October 7 This episode is sponsored by the IDF Widows and Orphans Organization. Learn more and support their work at idfwo.org. More Ark Media: Want to join Ark Media?