30 | MAY 2 • 2024
J
N
I
t’s a concert that contains
part Yiddish, part
klezmer, part modern
sounds and part stories in
English that communicate
the history and emotions
expressed throughout the
program.
It’s “The Klezmers Play
On,” this season’s Laker
Concert offered free on
Sunday afternoon, May 5,
to an audience at Temple
Israel in West Bloomfield.
The program will be repeated
May 30 in New York.
The concert,
honoring the late
Sarah and Harry
Laker, features
talent from New
York — Daniella
Rabbani, an
actress who
appears in
television
dramas, and
Dan Nadel
with Balkanika,
musicians heard
alongside noted jazz artists
like Chico Freeman and Dave
Liebman.
The New Yorkers are
performing with
Temple Israel
Cantor Michael
Smolash, who has
presented Yiddish
events in theater
venues.
“Yiddish is
something I’ve
been doing all my life,”
Cantor Smolash said. “I’ve
been singing Yiddish songs
since I was in elementary
school and presenting
Yiddish theater in the Doro
Wasserman Yiddish Theatre
of Montreal.
“My recital for college
graduation included it, and
all through my career, in
concerts around Toronto, I
presented Yiddish selections.”
Rabbani, who has appeared
in the film Oceans 8 with
Sandra Bullock and TV
programs such as God
Friended Me and Scenes
From a Marriage, first heard
Yiddish in her family and
moved into studies that
prepared her for the stage.
“There will be English in
the program because we want
to make it as welcoming as
possible for everyone,” the
cantor said. “No Yiddish
required is the strategy, so
we have a program with
translations. Stories will
make sure people know
what’s going on, and we’ve
translated sections of the
concert into English to keep
people into the show.”
One translation, for
example, presents a Yiddish
version of the popular song
“What a Wonderful World.”
Cantor Smolash said the
entire show was rehearsed
after he traveled to New
York, and he explained
program selections were
made for people who love
Yiddish and people who
potentially will love Yiddish.
A FRESH APPROACH
“The band has a fresh
approach to how they play
Yiddish music,” Cantor
Smolash said. “They find
angles that make songs sound
new. One song sounds like
a tango, and ‘Dona Dona’
sounds like a rock ‘n roll
song.
“Yiddish culture
reflected everything in the
urban experiences of my
grandparents. Their lives in
Warsaw put them in the New
York City of that time so you
have every single thing going
on.”
Anyone who thinks
Yiddish is not for young
people should see Daniella,
the cantor advised. He
believes that young audience
members will have as much
fun as they have at any
contemporary music event
while awakening something
deep inside them that’s in
every Jew.
Rabbani said she is looking
Cantor
Michael
Smolash
Daniella
Rabbani
Dan Nadel
SUZANNE CHESSLER CONTRIBUTING WRITER
OUR COMMUNITY
‘The Klezmers
Play On’
Temple Israel’s Laker Concert
Temple Israel’s Laker Concert
celebrating Yiddish on May 5
celebrating Yiddish on May 5
is free and open to the
is free and open to the
community.
community.