“The Messiah will not delay if I sleep with a man” • Oded Zaza Tzadok Opens the Heart

(Haipo) – He was born in Afula, grew up in Migdal HaEmek and Haifa, came out at a young age, left Haifa for Tel Aviv and returned there after more than 20 years. In all of this, he created the drag character Zaza, dealt with HIV carriers, became a teacher, performer, activist and mentor to artists. In an interview on the occasion of Pride Month, Oded Zaza Tzadok leaves no room for doubt: “Love your neighbor as yourself, that’s the whole story.”

“I spent my entire life between identities”: A personal story about pride, drag, and one soul that never stops moving.

June is Pride Month, an opportunity to tell not only about public struggles but also about the personal journeys of people who went against the grain, sometimes out of pain, shame or loneliness, until they became community leaders. Oded (Zaza Tzadok) is exactly that. Haifai, 51, is a performance artist, theater and drag teacher, actor, dancer and activist.

Behind Zaza's radiant personality, there is a long journey: from childhood in the forests of Migdal HaEmek, through coming out of the closet in front of parents who were not willing to listen, dealing with HIV carriers, Tel Aviv's nightlife full of creativity, and finally returning to Haifa, where he was reborn. In a special interview with Haifa, he tells everything.

Where did it all begin?

"I was born in Afula and raised in Migdal HaEmek. Already in my childhood I felt that something was different about me. I was a boy, but people addressed me as a woman, because I had long, straight hair. It was confusing. So I started adopting more 'masculine' mannerisms, just to survive in society.
When I was 15, I met a boy from the neighborhood, a soccer player, I fell in love with him and didn't understand what that feeling was. It was only later, when I saw a proud character in the series 'Dynasty' that was broadcast at the time, that I realized - it was me. At 16, while I was in a relationship with a girlfriend, I told her that I was also attracted to men."

What was it like coming out in front of your friends, parents, and society?

"Even before the army, I worked at the 'Camel' club in Tel Aviv, and it was a very significant period in my life. There I actually came out of the closet for the first time in front of my friends. It was a brave and exciting step, a feeling of relief and liberation. In the army itself, it took me more time and only after a year and a half did I dare to come out, and during that period I also decided to leave the service.
The hardest part was facing my parents. My mother had a hard time accepting that I was different. My father simply chose not to know, not to deal with it. For them, the early discharge from the army along with coming out was like a double failure, a renunciation of the normative life path they knew and also a deviation.
"It was a very difficult time. Even though I lived at home, we didn't talk. There was great tension, distance, heavy silences. It's hard, especially when you grow up in a traditional family and a conservative society that doesn't allow for this complexity. You learn to hide, to divide yourself. You suddenly become two people: the one you really are, and the one you allow yourself to show the world."

Out of the crisis – the creation was born (Zaza)

Long before he knew what "drag" was, Oded was already playing female roles on stage. Oded says: "Zaza was created through theater, dance and text. I began to formulate a unique stage language for myself, and from it, gradually, the drag character Zaza was born. The first push came from a good friend, a drag king herself, who suggested that I co-produce a drag evening at the theater. Until then, drag was mainly in bars and clubs. We brought it to the prestigious stage of the theater, with a story and a message.
The show became a regular fixture in Tel Aviv, filling a hall of 200 people each time and sometimes even more. "Zaza was born out of movement. From the desire to move, entertain and create."

Over the years, Oded has become one of the central figures in the world of local drag theater. He has created independent shows at "Biano Bar," "Kinoma Canada," and in other spaces. At the same time, he founded the groundbreaking drag course THE HOUSE OF ZAZA, which has so far enrolled over 100 students from all over the country. According to Oded: "This space allows people to experiment and play with their gender. No one wakes up in the morning and decides to be drag or trans. It's a deep process. Teaching it, providing tools is a privilege and a gift."

Return to Haifa

At the age of 23, Oded left Haifa to study theater with Yoav Levinstein, but he couldn't find his place in the framework. From there, he turned to the world of dance, dancing with choreographers in modern style and classical ballet, and finally found his artistic home at the "Klifa Theater," where he created and performed for about 22 years. "It was exactly the combination I was looking for – theater, dance, performance, everything together."

But even Tel Aviv, with all the options it offered, began to push him out because of the high cost of living, which led him to return to Haifa. "I found a lovely apartment in the city, and suddenly I rediscovered Haifa. I started going out, exploring the nightlife. I met Hagai Eid, a director and journalist, and together we created the film 'Nordau Strasse' about the most beautiful street in the city - Nordau." The film, which brings a personal and artistic interpretation of the historic Nordau Street, will participate in the New York Independent Film Festival this month.

"The real fear was not of the virus – but of society"

In addition to all of this, you are also HIV positive. When did you find out? 18 years ago I discovered that I was HIV positive. It happened after my then-partner was diagnosed as a carrier, and I went to get tested. "Although I had prepared for the result – when it happened, I was in shock," he recalls. In those years, the medications were only basic, and coping emotionally, medically, and socially was much more difficult. The biggest fear was not of the virus itself, but of what they would say. How to tell, to whom, what the reaction would be. Would they be afraid of me? Would they stay away?
At first I kept it a secret. Only close friends knew, and I didn't tell my family until months later. I didn't want to disappoint anyone. I didn't want them to feel sorry for me or be afraid of me.
Since then, the world of medicine has advanced dramatically: today there are effective medications, some of which can even be injected once every few months, and the fact that carriers who receive treatment are not contagious is already scientifically established.
"But the fears and stigmas are harder to cure. Society still doesn't know enough. There's a lot of ignorance, a lot of prejudice. That's exactly why I created a show based on my story to break the silence, raise awareness, and show that it's possible to live a full life, even with HIV."

How do you see the state of the community today, compared to what it was when you came out?

"It's like tango: one step forward, two back. We've made progress, but there's also regression. Violence, sexual harassment, budget cuts and cuts in educational programs. Also in the world, in the US and Europe, there's a return to the conservative right. We have to fight all the time anew."

What do you want to say to the young men and women from the community who are reading you now?

For young people who are struggling with their identity, I have a clear message: "Don't stay alone, talk. Share, call a friend. There are organizations, there are people who want to help. Get tested, take care of yourself. And most of all, remember that you are not alone."

And for parents?

"Be a listening ear. Look at the child. Give space, support, not judgment. Remember that even if he makes mistakes – he learns. Don't make him feel like he's disappointing. Love him for who he is. That's the only way."

And finally, in one sentence that distills an entire life:

"The Messiah will not delay if I sleep with a man. Leave people alone – let them live their lives, and remember: Love your neighbor as yourself".