The baptised Jew: A life of faith shaped by Israel, war and surrender

Living in Romania, Israel, the UK, US and finally settling back in Israel, Romanian-born Eti Zadok has lived through war and ill-health – and says she has learnt to trust God through every experience

I was born in communist Romania, to a Jewish father and a Christian mother. My father became a Christian, or what people used to call a ‘born-again Jew’, when he was about 19, and then he met my mother.

I grew up in a God-fearing home, surrounded by a very large family from my mother’s side. We attended a Baptist church. From as early as I can remember, Israel was always spoken about in our home. My father loved Israel deeply and felt very connected to his Jewish roots. We were also involved in the Jewish community, and my father was known there as ‘the baptised Jew’. 

I remember going to the synagogue for different events, and my parents worked with and for the Jewish community. But when my parents decided they wanted to immigrate to Israel, everything changed.