CHAVA ALBERSTEIN

“If we have a true folk singer, it is Chava Alberstein,” Yediot Aharonot, Israel’s largest daily newspaper said about Alberstein, naming her the most important female musician in Israel’s history.

Israel’s iconic musician, Chava Alberstein, has released nearly fifty albums since the late 1960′s. A dozen of her albums are gold, six are platinum, and one is triple platinum. Six of her albums have been rewarded the Kinor David Prize, Israel’s Grammy.

But these formal accolades don’t capture what it has meant to me as the author of this film to include Chava’s voice in the story.

The sound of Chava’s voice and her theatricality had colored my childhood as a young Israeli girl. Her songs are humorous and dramatic, soulful and light. I think of Chava Alberstein not as a sound track, but as a character in the film.

More information about Chava Alberstein at: http://www.aviv2.com/chava


THE KLEZMATICS

The Klezmatics are globally-renowned world music superstars — and the only klezmer band to win a Grammy award. Read More

ROB SCHWIMMER

Rob Schwimmer is a composer-pianist and thereminist who has performed and recorded throughout the world. Read More

ADDITIONAL MUSICIANS


THE KLEZMATICS

The Klezmatics are globally-renowned world music superstars — and the only klezmer band to win a Grammy award. The Klezmatics emerged out of the vibrant cultural scene of New York City’s East Village in 1986 with klezmer steeped in Eastern European Jewish tradition and spirituality, while incorporating contemporary themes such as human rights and eclectic musical influences including Arab, African, Latin and Balkan rhythms, jazz and punk.

In 1998, the Klezmatics paired with Chava Alberstein who brought them fifteen Yiddish poems. The band created striking arrangements, resulting in one of the band’s personal favorite and most popular albums “The Well” which was met with rave reviews internationally.

“In Israel, you would be hard-pressed to find anyone composing and singing in Yiddish,” said Klezmatics lead singer Lorin Sklamberg. “Some people still see Yiddish as the language of soft Jews who can’t protect themselves. But Chava understands the joy and depth of the language.” Yiddish was the mother-tongue of Chava’s family in the small town in Szczecin, Poland, where Chava was born. Her family moved to Israel when she was 4-years-old.

More information about the Klezmatics at: http://www.klezmatics.com


ROB SCHWIMMER

Rob Schwimmer is a composer-pianist and thereminist who has performed and recorded throughout the world. His compositions have been featured in theater, television series, and films including the Academy Award Winners “Freeheld” and “Dear Diary.” His recent solo CD “Beyond The Sky” was hailed as “Extraordinary” in Gramophone and as “the finest solo piano CD of the year” in All About Jazz-NY.

Schwimmer has worked and played with Simon and Garfunkel, Stevie Wonder, Bette Midler, Ang Lee, Gwyneth Paltrow, Queen Latifah, the Everly Brothers, to name just a few. He is a founding member of the highly acclaimed Polygraph Lounge music and comedy duo with multi-instrumentalist Mark Stewart, and has been hailed as one of the few theremin virtuosos in the world by The New Yorker, and the New York Times.

Ela Thier has had the fortunate of working with Rob previously, and asked for his collaboration on Foreign Letters because of his soulfulness, humor, and genuine understanding and appreciation of this film.

More information about Rob at: http://www.RobSchwimmer.com