From Palestine to Prayer: A Journey to Judaism

Yaniv Eliasaf, who was once known as Ben David, became publicly known about two and a half years ago when he was released from an Israeli prison after serving 12 years. During that time, he underwent a complete spiritual transformation, converting to Judaism while still behind bars. But when he stepped out into the world as a Jewish man, he found himself caught between two identities. Born a Palestinian Muslim, he could not return to his village wearing a tallit (prayer shawl), tefillin (phylacteries), and long peyot (sidelocks). Yet, he also had no legal status in Israel. He was stuck between two worlds, and nowhere to go.

After two years of living as a Jewish convert and studying in a Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) yeshiva in the Geula neighborhood of Jerusalem, his story was followed by a Channel 2 News team. On the day of his release from prison, they met him at a checkpoint. Yaniv was weeping bitterly. "I don't know where to go," he said in desperation. "I have no one. I have nothing."

The reporter asked, "If you go now to one of the villages here, what will happen?"

Yaniv held his long sidelocks and answered with fear and conviction, "What's wrong with you? It's a death sentence. Should I go like this?"

Today, two years after his conversion under the supervision of Rabbi Nissim Karelitz, Yaniv looks back on those difficult days. "I believed in Hashem. I told myself even if I have to die for Hashem, I'm not afraid. I'm Jewish. I'm not afraid."

Rabbi Avinoam Cohen from the Prisoner Rehabilitation Authority was the one who met Yaniv in prison. "He came to me at first, and I asked him, why do you want to become Jewish?" Rabbi Cohen recalls. "He was tough with me. It was very hard to accept him at first," Yaniv added.

Since then, Yaniv has been studying Torah day and night, trying to make up for all the years he never had access to Jewish learning. In an interview, he said that Torah learning deeply moves him. "First of all, I'm Jewish. I need to wake up in the morning, thank Hashem, dance, and make Hashem happy," he said with joy.

One of the people who helped Yaniv after his release was Brigadier General Poli Mordechai, the former Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories. Mordechai recalled visiting Yaniv at the yeshiva in Mea Shearim, a deeply religious neighborhood in Jerusalem. "I popped in to visit him in this narrow alley," he said. "The rabbi pulled me aside and told me that Yaniv is stricter than the other students, he wakes them up at five in the morning and pushes them not to be lazy."

"I've Never Seen Such Determination"

Rabbi Avinoam Cohen shared more about Yaniv’s growth. "When I stand next to him, I begin to feel embarrassed. ‘Wow, look at Yaniv,’ I think. ‘I was born Jewish, and even I don’t observe like he does.’ I’ve never seen such eagerness and strength in a person. And in a Palestinian, it's beyond remarkable."

Rabbi Eliav Mizrahi from the yeshiva added, "Usually, when we have converts, they’re from Russian backgrounds or have one Jewish parent. It’s not something you see as extraordinary. But Yaniv, his story is completely different. I told him, 'Blessed are you,' as the verse says, ‘Though my father and mother have forsaken me, Hashem will gather me in.’ Hashem is his Father now."

On the street, a bystander recognized Yaniv from the news. "Because of you, I became stronger in my faith and found my Jewish identity," he said. "You sanctified Hashem’s name. Maybe that's what pushed me to do teshuvah (return to Judaism). I asked myself how can something like this be? And from that moment on, I said, I can’t live as a nonbeliever anymore."