Posted on 05/14/25
Rawan Osman grew up in the Hezbollah-controlled Beqaa Valley of Lebanon, raised in a world steeped in antisemitism. From school to home, everything taught her that Jews were heartless enemies. Though she had never met a Jew, the hatred felt justified—until it quietly unraveled in a small grocery store in Strasbourg, France.
After fleeing the Syrian war to study winemaking in France, Rawan stumbled upon a neighborhood shop filled with familiar Middle Eastern foods. But during her first visit, something startled her. A group of Orthodox Jewish men entered, speaking Hebrew. Terrified by their appearance—long coats, side curls, black hats—Rawan panicked. She dropped her groceries, left her wallet, and ran.
No one had looked at her. No one had spoken to her. But the fear, planted long ago, was overwhelming.
A few minutes later, embarrassed but calmer, she returned to the store. The Jewish men were gone. She apologized to the shopkeeper and explained she had forgotten her wallet. He smiled gently, asked no questions, and treated her with quiet dignity.
That smile shattered a lifetime of hate.
Curious and unsettled, Rawan began reading about Jews and Judaism. She met Jews. She traveled to Israel. Slowly, her heart and mind changed. “The monsters,” she later said, “were not the Jews I had been taught to fear—but the people who filled my heart with hate.”
When Hamas launched its brutal attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023, Rawan spoke out forcefully. “You’re either with Israel or with the terrorists,” she said. She became an outspoken advocate for truth, peace, and Jewish dignity—despite being cut off by many in her community.
In 2025, Rawan began formally converting to Judaism. Some warned her to keep it private. But she refused. “Converting to Judaism is not my dirty secret,” she said. “It’s something I’m proud of.”
Now, she travels the world confronting antisemitism and encouraging simple acts of menschlichkeit. “Personal encounters are the best way to break down walls,” she says. “All the shopkeeper did was smile. That smile changed my life.”
No matter how different someone may seem, let’s not be afraid to reach out with a warm, kind smile. It can break down even the strongest barriers.
(This story was drawn from interviews with Rawan Osman and various articles.)
Rabbi Shraga Freedman is the author of Sefer Mekadshei Shemecha, Living Kiddush Hashem, and A Life Worth Living.
Email LivingKiddushHashem@gmail.com for a free file of amazing stories and sefer Mekadshei Shemecha. Visit LivingKiddushHashem.org for more resources