TIMES OF ISRAEL
Fleeing native Iran, a would-be convert to Judaism gets new start in NYC
by Cathryn J.Prince
May 5, 2018

William Mehrvarz touched down at JFK International Airport on November 9, 2017, with one suitcase and $200 in his pocket. Inside the suitcase, a Hebrew prayer book, a kippa, and a Hanukkah menorah were nestled between his hastily packed clothes. Ordinary in design, the objects were remarkable for what they represented — the 25-year-old’s dream to live openly as a Jew. The twist: Mehrvarz was born Muslim in Iran. “Nobody wakes up one day and says, ‘I’m going to leave my country forever. I’m going to leave my family and I’m going to start over…” READ MORE