Russian rapper Morgenstern officially became Jewish and changed his name — from Alisher to Israel Yehuda Morgenstern.
Screenshot: rapper's Instagram
The "Voice of Israel" channel reported that the singer underwent a giyur (conversion). This is a ritual for a non-Jew to convert to Judaism, which signifies the acceptance of the Jewish faith and the obligation to observe the commandments of the Torah. The procedure includes months of studying traditions, examination by a rabbinical court, and rituals: circumcision (for men) and immersion in a mikvah.
Morgenstern now lives in Israel (in 2022 he received Israeli citizenship). He even "preaches" on Instagram about what he has learned about God and morality.
After the start of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine, the rapper condemned the attack. In Russia, Morgenstern was declared a foreign agent.
In 2025, Morgenstern was banned from entering Lithuania for 10 years and was not allowed to perform a concert (as he had previously praised Putin). However, in 2026, the court overturned this ban. The court explained that the Migration Department improperly relied on information provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as the main reason for assessing the national security threat. Additionally, the judges found that some arguments were based on opinions rather than factual evidence.
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