My blind date turned out to be a spy

Shoshana Levy is 87-years-old. She is blind, and I have had a date with her once a week for the past 10 years. I do not visit her out of altruism, but out of selfishness. I always want to hear more about her fascinating life. She met the Emperor of Ethiopia, she built an orphanage in Iran, she received Hebrew lessons from Lea Goldberg who later became Israel’s national poetess, and more.

Shoshana recently published a small Hebrew autobiography. When I read it…my jaw dropped. She revealed that when she was 18-years-old, living in Washington, DC in 1947, she stole three American military maps produced by the Pentagon. The maps showed Arab military strength in the Middle East and she had been asked by pre-State Israeli representatives to steal them.

In 2016, Shoshana was awarded a military medal and badge by the State of Israel in recognition of her contribution to the security of the State of Israel. I think her story will be a productive catalyst to discuss the definition and limitations of loyalty and to ponder if one is more loyal to his or her nation, religion, country or values.

This is the first time this story has been revealed to the public.