Israeli Munich Olympic survivor Dan Alon speaks at Oxford University Chabad Society
Oxford University Chabad Society will be hosting Israeli Munich Olympic survivor Dan Alon for Shabbat dinner on Friday, 14 Nov at the David Slager Chabad centre. As former Israeli fencing champion, Dan Alon was one of the five Israeli athletes who escaped the 1972 massacre of Israel's Olympic team by Palestinian terrorists.
Mr. Alon didn't speake about his experience for 35 years until he was invited by Rabbi Eli Brackman, director of the OU Chabad Society, in 2005. It was a very emotional event for Mr. Alon to speak publicly about the massacre that still impacts him, and in which he lost a very close friend, Israeli fencing coach, Andre Spitzer, who was killed in the attack.
As the focus of the massacre was on the victims, little ackowledgement was given to the traumatic experience of those who survived. It was after his son, while touring the UK after his army service, attended the Oxford Chabad House for Friday night Shabbat dinner, Rabbi Eli Brackman discovered that there is an important untold story that needs to be publicised and should not be forgotten.
Dan Alon has since become an internationally renowned speaker speaking at dozens of university campuses every year across the US and Europe. As hundreds of Jewish students come out to hear him wherever he speaks, he decided to dedicate his life to speaking about this historic and tragic event, across the world.
As Oxford is a transient place and due to the recent Olympics ferver and the upcoming London 2012 Olympics, the Oxford Chabad Society will be hosting Dan Alon again this weekend to speak in Oxford at the popular Chabad Society Shabbat dinner at the David Slager Chabad Centre on George St.
He will spend the Shabbat with Oxford Chabad Society and feature as one of the key events this term, alongside other distinguished speakers and Head's of Colleges on a range of interesting subjects
OU Chabad Society has also arranged for Mr Alon to speak Thurs night, 13 Nov, at UCL for Chabad at the University of London in Bloomsbury.
If you wish to have Mr. Alon speak at a university, school or community, you can contact the Oxford Chabad House on 01865 200 158.