Activities and events 2019

More than two-hundred people followed Marcelle Ninio Boger, on 25 October 2019, on her way to everlasting rest, in Kibbutz Einat.
They included Director of the Mossad, Yossi Cohen, who was joined by the Mossad Chief Officer of Intelligence. They joined Marcelle’s family, Marcelle’s peers and colleagues during “The Affair”, Robert Dassa and Mayer Zafran, family members of the Cairo prisoners, and Tami Arad, wife of the missing Israeli Air Force officer, Lieutenant Colonel, Ron Arad, who came to pay tribute to Marcelle and bid farewell.
Mossad Chief Cohen, Marcelle’s daughter, Ronit, her granddaughter, Robert Dassa and Tami Arad eulogized her. So did other close friends.
“Marcelle Ninio-Boger was a heroine”, Cohen said, “for the way she coped with a 14-year imprisonment, which was hard and agonizing, but no less, for the way she came back to life, as a free person in her own state”.
Referring to “the Nasty Business”, Cohen described how the Cairo prisoners became part of the Mossad organization, following the transfer of Unit 131, which the Cairo prisoners belonged to, from the IDF to the Mossad.
“Marcelle and her colleagues were an inspiration to us, and to all Israelis”, he said. “Their legacy is a legacy of love to the state of Israeli, to the Jewish people, a legacy of courage and endless devotion and willingness to make sacrifices”.
Tami Arad said: “I was fortunate enough, and unlucky at the same time. I was fortunate to have met you, Marcelle. I was not lucky enough to meet you sooner. You were lucid and mentally clear until your last moments. You were witty and had a great sense of humor. Always curious, you used to follow news editions in English and French; You understood Arabic and through this language you were able to understand things we all should”. Arad also said: “Marcelle was not ‘a good girl’ and did not appreciate anything which was not completely authentic. She respected honest people and always kept her European manners”.
Marcelle’s close friend, Robert Dassa, who was her colleague in the network, and was also imprisoned for 14 years said: “Marcelle was the only woman in our network. I suggested earlier the nature of the torture Marcelle had to face and cope with. One can only imagine what Marcelle went through. But anyone who knew her saw a strong, impressive and brave person. She was a sensitive woman with a special grace. She always stood tall…”
Dassa also said: “I first met Marcelle in the court hall, during the trial. I saw a young, strong woman who kept to herself and appeared to be elegant and impressive, as you can see in the few photos, which were taken in court. It was the Egyptian Military Judge, General Digwi, who recognized the way she carried herself, with dignity. He also said so to Muslim detainees, who did not show similar resilience. He told them they should have followed the model of the young woman, who appeared in the court hall just before they did”.
Marcelle was buried next to her beloved husband, Eli Boger.
Marcelle Ninio – Link