JL;DR

In this enlightening discussion, Syrian activist Rawan Osman shares her personal journey from a deeply ingrained environment of antisemitism to discovering a diverse and instructive society in Israel. Born in Damascus to a mixed Sunni-Shiite family, Rawan moved to Germany where she began to challenge her preconceived biases and stereotypes about Jews. Her first interactions with Jewish people in Strasbourg marked a turning point, compelling her to confront and discard the antisemitism she had grown up with. During her visit to Israel, she observed the country's diverse demographics and developed a newfound respect for its society, which she found to be a paragon of diversity and coexistence. Rawan's story underscores how personal experiences and open-minded exploration can transform deeply held prejudices, even in contexts fraught with historical animosities.