A man who grew up in Gaza surrounded by hatred of Jews, escaped to Israel at 13 and eventually converted to Judaism will share his remarkable story with Montreal audiences on Thursday, October 22.
Dor Shachar, born Ayman Abu Suboh in Khan Yunis in 1977, was raised in a Palestinian Muslim family where, he recalls, hatred of Israel and Jews was part of everyday life. Today, he is an Israeli citizen, a proud Jew and an outspoken advocate for Israel. His journey from Gaza to Judaism is the subject of his book, From Gaza to Tel Aviv: The Unbelievable True Story of a Muslim Palestinian Who Escaped to Israel and Became a Jew, and an upcoming presentation hosted by Congregation Beth Ora and ADATH.
Shachar has described growing up in the same environment as some of the most notorious figures in Palestinian terrorism, including Hamas leaders Yahya Sinwar and Mohammed Deif. From an early age, he was taught to regard Jews as enemies and Israel as something to be destroyed. An encounter with a Jewish soldier putting on tefillin sparked a fascination with Judaism that would eventually change his life.
At just 13 years old, Shachar fled Gaza and crossed into Israel, beginning a difficult journey that included periods in welfare institutions, encounters with Israeli authorities and an ongoing struggle to find his place in Israeli society. His ordeal was far from over. Shachar has recounted being imprisoned and tortured in Gaza, facing threats because of his decision to abandon Islam and enduring years of hardship before finally completing his conversion to Judaism.
In his presentations, Shachar describes not only the hatred he encountered as a child but also the kindness of individual Israelis who helped him along the way. His story combines an account of religious transformation with a firsthand perspective on Palestinian society, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the meaning of Jewish identity. His book, published in English in 2025, recounts the experiences that took him from a Muslim childhood in Khan Yunis to his eventual acceptance into the Jewish people.
For Montreal audiences, the October 22 appearance offers an opportunity to hear that story directly from the man who lived it.
The presentation, organized by Congregation Beth Ora and ADATH, will take place on Thursday, October 22, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets and registration information are available at bethora.org.
Shachar’s extraordinary journey offers a perspective rarely heard in discussions of Gaza and Israel: that of a Palestinian Muslim who rejected the hatred he was taught, escaped the society in which he was raised and ultimately chose to become part of the Jewish people.
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