MAY 2 • 2024 | 31
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Details 
“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

