Shabbat Dinner with 1972 Munich Olympic Survivor Dan Alon

Shabbat Dinner with 1972 Munich Olympic Survivor Dan Alon

Friday, 14 November 2008

The Oxford University Chabad Society was honoured to host a Shabbat dinner and lecture at the David Slager Jewish student centre on Friday, 14 November 2008, with 1972 Munich Olympic survivor, Dan Alon. Mr Alon, who is a former Israeli fencing champion, was one of five Israeli athletes who escaped the 1972 massacre of Israel's Olympic team by Palestinian terrorists in Munich. Mr Alon, who never spoke about his experience for 35 years, addressed a distinguished audience of approximately 100, including members of the university, as well as representatives of the local media, including Mr Bill Heine of BBC Oxford. Mr Alon, who is now resident in Tel Aviv, Israel, travelled especially to the UK with his wife to speak at Oxford University Chabad Society, as well as the University of London Chabad Society. 

This was the second time that Alon has spoken at the Oxford University Chabad Society, on both occasions having been invited to speak by Rabbi Eli Brackman. After the first time he spoke at Oxford Chabad, he was invited around the world to speak at hundreds of venues across the US and Europe. He said that the first time was extremely difficulty to speak after 35 years of silence but he has now opened up about this personal tragic experience and will be even publishing a book on the subject next year.

Mr Alon recounted events at the Munich Olympics in great detail, beginning with the personal joy he had felt at his professional achievements made at the tournament. These successes were soon blackened, however, by events as they unfolded on 5 September 1972. Alon conveyed a sense of providence as told of how he and his compatriots had chosen their rooms in the accommodation block designated for the Israeli team, as this choice would be of decisive importance in terms of the athletes’ survival. Alon recalled the night of the attack when the Palestinian terrorists had attacked the accommodation block with machine guns, and had taken hostages, whom they later massacred.

Mr Alon expressed his sense of helplessness at the time in not being able to aid his colleagues and of the dismay and anger he had felt at the inadequate security provision provided at the Olympics for the Israeli time. Having witnessed the murder of one of his friends from the window of his room, Alon had escaped from the back of the building, across gardens, to the safety of the German police. Alon spoke movingly for over one hour without notes, after which he answered numerous questions from the audience.