Role-Playing Make believe you are the people in the story of Hannah Szenes. Make up conversations and act them out:

1) A conversation between Hannah and Mrs. Szenes in the living room of her house in Budapest before she went to Israel.
2) A conversation between the Gestapo officer and Hannah in jail.
3) A conversation between Hannah and her mother in jail.

Descriptive Narration 1. Describe Hannah's life as a young girl in Budapest
a. her home
b. her school
c. her friends
d. her feelings

2. Describe Hannah's life in Israel.
a. her work
b. her ideas
C. her feelings

3. Describe Mrs. Szenes's feelings after reading Hannah's letters.
4. Describe the conditions of the Jews in Europe during the war.
5. Describe Hannah's training to be a soldier. What did she learn to do?


Questions for Discussion 1. Why didn't Hannah feel at home in Hungary?
2. Why did her mother have to pay more than the others for Hannah's education?
3. Why did Hannah learn to be a farmer in the Land of Israel?
4. Was Hannah wrong to leave her mother?
5. Why did Hannah tell her mother that money was not important in Hungary?
6. Was Hannah wrong not to give the Gestapo the information they wanted?
7. Why did Hannah believe that only in the Land of Israel Jews could live a normal life?



Things to think about 1. The parachutists' mission was very unsuccess-ful, yet their heroism has been remembered and com-memorated. Is a person a hero only if he is successful? Was Chana Senesh a heroine? Why? What qualities did she have and what actions did she take which made her a heroine whether or not she was successful in her mission?

2. Even though the mission was unsuccessful, many Jews suffering under the Nazi oppression gained hope from the legend of the Israelis who had come to help. Do you think that the parachutists were afraid? What does the word "courage" mean? Can we give courage to others through being courageous ourselves?

3. Enzo Sereni was an Italian Jew and a member of the Jewish underground in Palestine. He trained Hannah and the other parachutes. He was also captred by the Germans and was tortured and murdered. His daughter was once asked, "Why did your father volunteer at his age"? She answered, "How could he look me in the face if he sent others to their death, but did not volunteer himself"? Do you think that her statement was right? How would you answer if your father had been Enzo Sereni? If you were Enzo Sereni?