What happens when a Jewish artist uses music to preserve her heritage, confront antisemitism, and pass Jewish joy on to the next generation?
On this episode of the Israel Daily News Podcast, host Shanna Fuld sits down with Daniella Rabbani, a singer, actress, and filmmaker whose work spans Yiddish theater, television, film, and Jewish music.
Daniella’s new album, Klezmerette, brings classic Yiddish songs to life through dance tunes, cabaret, folk ballads, and tango. Produced by Grammy winner Joanie Leeds and klezmer clarinetist Michael Winograd, the album reflects Daniella’s two-decade journey with Yiddish music and her determination to keep the language and culture alive.
The granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, Daniella shares how her family’s history shaped her connection to Yiddish, while her Persian Jewish heritage taught her that Jewish identity can encompass many languages, traditions, and backgrounds.
Together, Shanna and Daniella discuss how Jewish music carried people through some of history’s darkest moments, the meaning of “We Will Dance Again” after October 7, and the importance of preserving stories for future generations. Daniella also reflects on rising antisemitism, speaking out as a Jewish artist, and her personal experience of grief and family ties to Israel.
Hear Daniella sing excerpts from classic Yiddish songs, explain the stories behind the music, and share why her latest project is about more than preserving the past: it is about inheriting joy.
In this episode:
- The story behind Daniella Rabbani’s album Klezmerette
- Why Yiddish music survived even during the Holocaust
- Jewish pride, identity, and rising antisemitism
- Persian and Ashkenazi Jewish heritage
- “We Will Dance Again” and the cultural legacy of October 7
- Daniella’s family connection to Israel and her late sister
- Her album release concert and documentary
Klezmerette releases October 16, with an album preview concert at The Cutting Room in New York on October 15.
Follow Daniella Rabbani on Instagram @daniellarabbani or visit daniellarabbani.com.
Subscribe to the Israel Daily News Podcast for reporting, interviews, and stories about Israel and the Jewish world.
At the end of the episode, Rabbi Yossi Madvig shares a Torah thought on the meaning of the number ten, creation, and repentance.
00:00 — Meet Daniella Rabbani: The Story Behind Klezmerette
- 01:00 — Jewish Identity, Advocacy & Speaking Out
- 02:00 — Why Daniella Made a Yiddish Album
- 03:00 — Growing Up With Jewish Languages & Holocaust Survivor Grandparents
- 04:00 — Persian Jewish Heritage and Unity Across Jewish Communities
- 05:00 — The 20-Year Journey Behind Klezmerette
- 06:00 — How Yiddish Music Survived the Holocaust
- 07:00 — Passing Jewish Stories From Generation to Generation
- 08:00 — October 7, Historical Memory & the Importance of Storytelling
- 09:00 — Why Music Helps Preserve Jewish History
- 10:00 — The Humor, Resilience & Joy of Yiddish Music
- 11:00 — Daniella Sings in Yiddish
- 12:00 — “Frayling”: A Tango About Love and Loss
- 13:00 — “A Yiddishe Mame” and Classic Yiddish Songs
- 14:00 — Jewish Mothers, Music & Emotion
- 15:00 — Why Culture Matters During War
- 16:00 — “We Will Dance Again” After October 7
- 17:00 — Inheriting Joy Instead of Trauma
- 18:00 — Finding Light Across Cultures
- 19:00 — Being a Jewish Artist After October 7
- 20:00 — Antisemitism in the Entertainment Industry
- 21:00 — Daniella’s Personal Connection to Israel
- 22:00 — Her Late Sister, Family History & Jewish Advocacy
- 23:00 — Loving Israel While Living With Fear
- 24:00 — Family Memories, Persian Heritage & Israel
- 25:00 — Klezmerette: Album and Documentary Details
- 26:00 — Antisemitism in New York & the Album Release Concert
- 27:00 — The Documentary, Family Loss & Carrying Heritage Forward
- 28:00 — Daniella Sings a Zionist Song in Yiddish
- 29:00 — Daniella’s Message to Shanna Fuld
- 30:00 — Where to Find Daniella’s Music
- 31:00 — Torah Thought: Why Was the World Created in Ten Utterances?
- 32:00 — The Meaning of Ten in Jewish Tradition
- 33:00 — The Ten Commandments and Creation
- 34:00 — Torah and the Natural Order
- 35:00 — The Single Utterance and Transcendence
- 36:00 — Repentance and the Transcendent Realm
- 37:00 — What Repentance Reveals About the Divine
- 38:00 — Final Torah Thought & Shanna’s Sign-Off
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