Eldad Nachman Baron: A Journey from Secularism to Judaism and Bridging Divides in Society

A Secular Childhood and a Gifted Young Singer

When Eldad looks back at his early life, it seems that he had all the conditions to grow up as a typical secular child. Born in the Beit Hakerem neighborhood to a photographer father and an opera singer mother, Eldad had an older sister and a dog.

"My parents highly valued the arts and music," Eldad recalls. "Especially since my mother was a famous singer. From a young age, my mother recognized that I had a special voice, and she encouraged me to develop my musical talent. At age 10, she sent me to audition for a unique choir that was looking for children to perform. She prepared me for the audition meticulously, and despite being one of many children, the choir director was so impressed by my voice that he declared me the 'wunderkind' — the number one star. From that moment on, my career took off. Within three months, I was the lead soloist in the choir, performing on TV and radio, recording songs in the biggest studios, and even being invited for interviews."

A Sudden Realization: The Crossroads of Music and Religion

Eldad’s life seemed set for fame, but an unexpected moment changed everything. While preparing for a potential overseas recording opportunity, a friend of his mother, who overheard him singing, was horrified. "She asked, 'Who taught you these songs?' and explained that I was singing songs from the Christian world, ones sung in churches in Germany and Italy," Eldad recalls.

"This was a 180-degree turnaround for my mother regarding my music," Eldad reflects. "Although our home didn’t strictly observe religious commandments, there was always an emphasis on tradition, especially since most of my mother’s family perished in the Holocaust. My mother did some research and discovered the choir was connected to a missionary organization with close ties to Christianity. Without hesitation, she told me to stop my participation in the choir. I was disappointed because I didn’t understand the problem at the time, but there was no arguing. I left the choir."

A child prodigy, in one of the shows

A New Spiritual Path

Despite his musical talents and secular upbringing, Eldad was deeply impacted by the encounter with the choir’s affiliation. Later, he began experiencing moments that stirred his curiosity about Judaism. "A friend invited me to a Shabbat dinner, and I couldn’t forget the beautiful scene I witnessed. A wonderful family gathered around the table, singing and sharing words of Torah. Later, I went to my room and cried. I was over 30, without a home or family, and here they were, full of values, truth, and action. That was the moment I decided to begin observing Shabbat."

The Challenge of Change

Eldad’s decision to keep Shabbat wasn’t simple. The very next Shabbat, a large theater production in Tel Aviv invited him to photograph the event. "At first, I thought about postponing my Shabbat observance by a week, but quickly decided that I would not waver in my commitment to keep Shabbat properly, according to Jewish law. I knew this decision would end my career in photography since most performances took place on Shabbat, but I was at peace with it."

Building a Jewish Home

Shortly after starting his journey back to Judaism, Eldad met his wife, with whom he built a Jewish home in Safed. "After we got married, we chose to live in a non-religious neighborhood and create a Jewish home there. We hosted people for Shabbat, held Torah classes during the week, and worked to strengthen others according to the spirit of Judaism."

Mediating Between Worlds

Eldad’s life experience led him to believe that his mission in life was to help others bridge the divide between secular and religious communities. "Through my personal journey, I realized that on the left side of the spectrum, there are those who actively try to prevent the truth from being shared. My sister went through the same struggles and eventually returned to Judaism a few years after me. We both felt that we needed this internal clarification for ourselves, and that’s how we found ourselves in a special group where religious and secular people met to get to know each other."

Eldad has continued to embrace this philosophy. "I’m convinced that we can all live together harmoniously," he emphasizes. "The problem is that there’s no communication and there’s a lack of dialogue. This lack of dialogue is also present in other areas, such as between parents and children, or in relationships. This is what led me to specialize in couples therapy, mediation, and Torah counseling. Now, I work in the field of counseling, combining all the tools I’ve gained in life, including music and photo-therapy in a unique method I developed. My goal is to foster close, respectful, and unifying communication for everyone."

Bridging the Divide in Israeli Society

When asked whether he truly believes he can bridge the divides in Israeli society, Eldad responds with confidence, "Unfortunately, the root of all these conflicts is ignorance, media manipulation, and unnecessary declarations. Both sides lack openness to each other, and that’s a great tragedy. If we continue like this, we might end up in a civil war, God forbid. Today, it’s clear that we need to create bridging communication, and I’m the first to volunteer for this. I’m ready to step up to the challenge."