MAY 2 • 2024 | 31
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“The Klezmers Play On”
begins at 4 p.m. Sunday,
May 5, at Temple Israel
in West Bloomfield. To
register for the free
concert, go to temple-
israel.org/event/laker24.
(248) 661-5700.
forward to the programs
because singing with the
cantor brings out a love for
Yiddish theater and folk
songs. Nadel, the Israeli-
born composer and musical
director, affiliated with New
York’s Congregation B’nai
Jeshurun, performs three
songs just with her.
After studying acting
at the Stella Adler Studio
with classes at New York
University, Rabbani was
approached by the university
program director questioning
whether she would work with
the National Yiddish Theatre
Folksbiene, and she made her
off-Broadway debut through
a show completely in Yiddish.
“I feel my ancestors stayed
through me with the Yiddish
language,” she said. “I’m a
trained actor, not a trained
singer, but singing has taken
me all over the world. I’ll be
in Bucharest later this month
singing in Yiddish, a spiritual
calling as well as an artistic
calling. I’m grateful to be a
steward of this beautiful art
form.”
Rabbani estimates that
performing in Yiddish is
about 20 or 30 percent
of her workload, and
participating in Jewish
advocacy has become an
everyday experience. She has
directed a film, Oma, about
her grandmother, and has
done voiceovers for Colgate,
Windex and Barnes and
Noble.
Married and the mother
of two, she has a podcast,
“Mom Curious.”
A poem set to music, “My
Sister Khaye,” is among her
favorite Yiddish songs. It is a
modern song about a young
woman taking care of her
brother, and its idea of never
forgetting resonates with her.
“The world of
entertainment brings a lot
of joy to my life and also
offers an outlet for sorrow,
which brings more joy to my
life,” the actress said. “Jewish
activities are mostly through
my artistic endeavors
although I work closely with
the Tel Aviv Institute to
advocate for Jews online.”
The cantor said that the
performers remain sensitive
to conditions in Israel:
“We planned this concert
just before Oct. 7 broke out,
and Dan Nadel and I talked
about what happened. No
matter how many trials we’re
going through or how much
grief is going on, music is
there to comfort us and give
us strength and resilience.
“We’re going to touch
on that in the concert and
explain this music plays on to
get us through and give us a
sense of strength, resilience
and joy even while Israel is
struggling to contain these
enemies that are after her.”
ABOVE: Dan Nadel with Balkanika.
FACING PAGE: Dan Nadel, Daniella Rabbani and Cantor
Michael Smolash rehearse for “The Klezmers Play On.”
Daniella Rabbani
and Cantor
Michael Smolash