Chapter 1
This story is about a manhunt operation launched by Mossad, the secret service of Israel. A young boy abducted from the country resulted in the launching of an astounding manhunt operation across the world.
At the beginning of 1960s, people in Israel was worried about mysterious disappearance Yossele Schumacher. Leading newspapers carried this story on the front page of their journal. People gathered on the streets were talking about the sudden disappearance of Yossele Schumacher by some conservative Jews organization.
Yossele Schumacher, an eight-year-old boy lived in Holon, a city of Israel along with his grandpa Nahman Starkes. His grandpa was a leader of this conservative Jews organization. The sudden disappearance of this boy was no longer a personal issue but had become a national issue.
Clashes used to erupt regularly between conservative and secular Jews. These clashes were spreading thick and fast. Police had to use force to prevent such clashes that were turning violent with each passing day and spreading fast to colleges, markets and other public places.
The government kept a close eye on these clashes. The way it was spreading to different parts of the country a possibility of a civil war was looming large on Israel. A civil war would be catastrophic for Israel and its people.
Chapter 2
On a rainy day of March 1962, Prime Minister of Israel, Ben Gurion invites Mossad’s chief Isser Harel to his office and requests his help to trace the boy so that the clashes can be stopped once and for all.
Yossele Schumacher’s grandpa Nahman Starkes was an old and conservative Jew. He was a very stubborn and courageous person. He had stayed in Siberia for a few years where he lost an eye and three fingers of his leg. Her daughter Idah was married to a tailor named Alter Schumacher.
Idah and Alter Schumacher were a happy couple, their son Yossele born in Poland where they used to reside. Nahman always thought that his grandson was not provided with the correct religious teachings by their parents. He was of the view that Idah and Alter were planning to take their son to Russia and convert him to a Christian.
Idah and Alter visited Alter’s family in Holon during holidays, Nahman requests them to send his grandson to Jerusalem where he was staying, so that he can spend some time with his grandson.
A few days later, Idah and Alter went to Nahman’s house to bring back their son, but they were not able to find him. Nahman told them that their son went missing from last day and he didn’t have any clue to their missing son.
They filed a police complaint, but the police too were not able to trace their missing son and were clueless. Police thought that Nahman had hidden the child at some safe location. They interrogated him but nothing was revealed.
The complaint went to court and was proved that Nahman feared his grandson would be taken to Russia and converted to Christian. Court ordered to arrest Nahman, but there was no clue regarding the missing child.
Police were trying their best to locate the missing child but remained clueless thus making a mockery of themselves in the eyes of the public.
Communal tensions between secular and conservative Jews and was spreading fast to different parts of the country. Due to these ongoing communal tensions, clashes between communities were getting frequently violent.
Chapter 3
Isser Harel the super-spy collects all the documents related to missing child Yossele Schumacher and names the operation as ‘Tiger Cub’. Initially, he thought finding a missing child would be relatively simple, later it turned out to be one of the toughest operations of his entire carrier.
He would have never thought in his rarest dream, finding the missing kid would span through different countries and would prove to be such a difficult task. Harel prepares a team of secret agents and orders them to find this missing child.
After studying the collected documents and received information he concludes that the missing child Yossele Schumacher was no longer residing in Israel. The question still loomed extensively, if not in Israel then where in the world was this missing child. Finding the missing child would be like finding a needle in a haystack.
Isser Harel sets up a temporary office in Paris and sends his agents to France, Italy, Belgium, Switzerland, South America, England, USA and North Africa to investigate and provide information about the missing child. These agents were dressed as conservative Jews and infiltrated the conservative Jewish community residing abroad for information.
On April 1962 vital information was provided by an agent infiltrating conservative Jewish diamond merchant’s community in Belgium. One of the diamond merchants discloses information about a very beautiful blue-eyed French Christian woman who came in contact with their spiritual priest.
She was so inspired by the speeches of the priest that she converted into a Jew. She was very courageous and master of disguise. Mother of a son, she used to handle various high profile cases of the priest.
Chapter 4
There was no information related to missing child, but the thought of such a lady leaves an impact on Isser Harel’s mind. He believed, this lady commands great respect amongst conservative Jews and if the disappearance of the child was related to the community of conservative Jews, then she might be the person knowing about the child’s disappearance.
Harel orders his agents to obtain information related to this mysterious lady and her son. A few days later all the information related to the lady was with Harel. Madeleine Ferraile was the real name of the lady, in Israel she was known as Ruth Ben David. Her son was residing in Israel and his name was Ariel. She was residing in a French town of Eslava.
Harel sends two of his agents to Eslaba to confront her. After trying for many days these agents return empty-handed and they were not able to obtain any clue related to Madeleine. Agents were searching for Madeleine but were unsuccessful.
One day crucial information related to Madeleine was received from French Intelligence agency that was shared with Harel. Madeleine had recently posted an advertisement in a leading newspaper for selling her house in Orleans in France.
Agents disguised as Austrian businessman replied to the advertisement displaying interest and offered her more than the quoted price. They eagerly waited for a reply, after a few days the reply from Madeleine was received where she revealed the location of the house that she intends to sell.
Agents reply to her back that they love the property and are eager to buy the same. They request her to meet them at a hotel in Paris to finalize the deal. On June 1962, agents prepare a safe house and hire vehicles. They check the escape routes and also implant electronic surveillance device in the safe house.
Harel knew that capturing Madeleine would not be an issue but to extract out information about Yossele Schumacher would be a difficult part so he especially summons the chief interrogator to Paris to interrogate her. Madeleine’s son Ariel was also arrested in Tel Aviv.
Chapter 5
On 21st June 1962, Madeleine Ferraile meets these agents disguised as Austrian Businessman at a hotel lobby and settles the deal. After finalizing the deal agents request Madeleine to wait for few more minutes as they were expecting their lawyer to be present for legalities of the deal.
One agent went out to call their lawyer and returns stating that the lawyer was stuck in some work and was unable to come. The lawyer wanted them to reach his house along with all land documents so that deal could be settled fully.
Madeleine agrees to accompany those agents disguised as Austrian Businessman to lawyer’s house as she was in much need of money. On reaching the lawyer’s house (safe house) they accompany her to the lawyer’s office.
Moments later a burly man appears and informs her politely in French that she was not brought here for any land deal but to answer some other questions. The burly man appearing as a lawyer was the interrogation agent of Mossad. She looks back to find that the accompanying two Austrian businessmen were no longer there.
Madeleine cries out “What is this happening, who are you”? The burly man asks her about the whereabouts of Yossele Schumacher. Hearing this Madeleine knew that she was confronted with Mossad. She was also informed that her son studying in Jerusalem has already been arrested.
There was no reaction on her face, and she continued to insist that she knew nothing about the named person. Agents were facing a tough time as she was stubborn and kept on insisting that she is innocent and had no knowledge of the person. Meanwhile, her son Ariel was being interrogated in Israel.
After many days of interrogation, her son’s patience runs out. He discloses that it was her mother Madeleine, who helped in disguising Yossele as a girl and took her out of Israel by preparing fake documents under a fake name. He reveals that Yossele name was changed to Claudine and was taken to Switzerland.
Chapter 6
In France, interrogation of Madeleine continued. She was informed that her son had disclosed all the details and would be headed for long term sentence. If she wants her son to be released, she should co-operate and disclose the place of Yossele’s hiding in Switzerland.
Madeleine looks calmly at the interrogator without any expression in her face and says that Ariel was no longer her son he was dead for her. All the agents were surprised by Madeleine reaction.
Harel knew that Madeleine was not the kind of person who would disclose any information through such interrogation. A person, who can disown her son, would not buckle under any fear or pressure. So Harel decides to meet Madeleine personally.
Harel was sitting on a chair his face not visible due to the lights situated above, in a dark room. Madeleine was brought to the room and made to sit in front of him.
Harel told Madeleine politely that she is a woman and a mother and a follower of Judaism which is the most followed religion in Israel. If she does not disclose the whereabouts of Yossele, the country would be torn apart in a civil war.
Civil war meant many people of her religion would be losing their precious life. Being a mother yourself, if someone takes your child away how does it feels. We are trying to unite the lost child with his mother. He further assures releasing Madeleine and Ariel on disclosure of the child’s whereabouts.
Chapter 7
Long silence prevails; Madeleine looks up towards Harel, chewing her lower lips replies, what is the proof that she is talking to an Israeli diplomat and not to any of the interrogators. Regardless of all the protocols, Harel takes out his diplomatic passport and places it in the table.
Madeleine watches the Israel emblem in the passport and discloses that child is safe and residing in 26th Penn street in Brookline America. Harel orders agents to rush to America to get Yossele back.
On 4th July 1962, a chartered plane lands at Israel. Media and thousands of people were waiting outside. On getting a glimpse of Yossele, entire atmosphere fills up with joy and pleasure. Agents hand over the boy to Idah and Alter they were relieved to get their son back.
After 12 years, Yossele joins the Israel armed forces. He was fortunate to meet Isser Harel who hugs the boy he had rescued from America. Yossele politely gives credit to Isser Harel. It was because of operation “Tiger Cub”, he was able to return to his motherland.
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