Barak Nixon, a survivor of the Supernova Music Festival Massacre, spoke to Radio Kol Hai about how he became religious following the traumatic events.
Nixon, who today dons sidecurls and a beard, shared a chilling account of the moments that led him to make the decision that changed his life. "The moment I saw Jews being shot to death around me and that no one came to help, I understood that if I don't turn to G-d, no one else will help me," he recounted.
Nixon said he made the decision without hesitation while he was still trapped in the battle zone. "I promised that if I return home to Dad and Mom, I would totally repent."
Now, a year and a half later, Nixon faces mixed reactions from his surroundings to the drastic change that he made.
"What people don't understand is that I am on the most correct path. They think I went mad because of the horrors, but I'm not taking any psychiatric medications, I study Torah and hassidut, and I'm happy, he explained.
Nixon is undeterred: "The first law in the Shulchan Aruch (code of Jewish law) is 'Don't be ashamed in the face of those who mock the service of G-d."