Joanne Borts is a New York-based performer known for her role in the Yiddish-language Fiddler on the Roof directed by Joel Grey and Shanghai Sonatas. Her Broadway and tour credits include Once, Cinderella with Eartha Kitt, Funny Girl with Deborah Gibson, and Fiddler with Topol, Harvey Fierstein, and Theodore Bikel. Joanne writes and directs Kids & Yiddish for the Folksbiene Yiddish Theatre. A celebrated soloist, she’s performed with Katrina Lenk, Neil Sedaka, The Klezmatics, and others. Her global appearances span major concert halls and festivals, including Carnegie Hall, KlezKanada, and the Montreal Jazz Festival, preserving and sharing Yiddish culture worldwide.

Cantor Magda Fishman, a graduate of the Jewish Theological Seminary’s H.L. Miller Cantorial School, serves as senior cantor of B’nai Torah congregation in Boca Raton . A former vocal soloist and trumpeter in the Israeli Army Orchestra, she blends traditional and contemporary Jewish music with jazz, Israeli songs, and her own compositions. Fishman has performed globally, including the Prague State Opera, Jazz at Lincoln Center, and with the National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene. She has shared the stage with artists like Placido Domingo and Melissa Manchester, and tours with the cantorial group Divas on the Bima, NYTF’s Soul to Soul and her own solo concerts throughout the US and Canada.

Detroit-born, Hamburg-based troubadour Daniel Kahn blends Yiddish, English, and German with klezmer, punk, and folk music. He leads or co-creates projects like The Painted Bird, Semer Ensemble, and The Building & Other Songs with Jake Shulman-Ment. On stage, he’s known for roles in Fidler afn Dakh, Amerike, and Netflix’s Unorthodox. A regular at Berlin’s Gorki and Hamburg’s Thalia theaters, he also co-founded the Shtetl Berlin festival. His Yiddish covers of Cohen, Dylan, and Guthrie have millions of views. Kahn is the Ashkenaz Foundation’s first Theo Bikel Artist-in-Residence and a recipient of the Mlotek Award for Yiddish Continuity.

Yair Keydar is a 12 year-old American singer and actor who made his New York stage debut in Drag: The Musical at New World Stages. Son of cantor Magda Fishman and Zarin Keydar, Yair began performing in synagogue at age three. Raised in Boca Raton, he studied voice with Badiene Magaziner, acting, and dance at Broadway Bound Academy and starred in The Music Man. In Drag: The Musical, he played Brendan, a role praised for its sincerity and vocal talent. He is one of the lead roles stars in “Millions”, a new musical where he plays the role of Anthony in the prestigious alliance theater in Atlanta and sharing the stage with some of broadway stars and creative team Yair continues to develop his craft while balancing a growing career in theater.

Lea is a Swiss Jewish actress and singer known internationally for her dynamic performances blending tradition and contemporary style. Dubbed the “Eshet Chayil of Hip Hop” she tours widely across the U.S. and Europe. Lea has starred in multiple Off-Broadway productions and collaborated with the National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene. In 2022, she released her debut album In Love With A Dream!, followed by two albums in 2024 with her Czech band Der Senster Gob and Minneapolis band Jewbalaya. Her film Un Tango Para Rachel (2025) marks her debut as a film director. Follow her journey on social media @leakalisch and leakalisch.com

Frank London is a Grammy Award–winning trumpeter, composer, and bandleader renowned for his innovative contributions to klezmer, jazz, and world music. He co-founded the world’s most renowned Yiddish music group, The Klezmatics. London has led and collaborated with numerous ensembles, including the Elders (New York Times’ Top Ten Jazz Recordings of 2024); Hasidic New Wave, Frank London’s Klezmer Brass Allstars, Conspiracy Brass, and the Loisaida Fife &; Drum Corps. His extensive collaborations include work with John Zorn, Itzhak Perlman, Celia Cruz, They Might Be Giants, the National Yiddish Theater Folksbiene, and Allen Ginsberg. He has composed for theater, film, and dance, including writing 2 operas, a symphony, and many musical theater works. A dedicated educator, he has taught Jewish music globally.

Daniel Mendelson has served as senior cantor of Congregation Kol Ami in White Plains, NY, since 2020. A graduate of the Cantors Assembly’s CICA program, Daniel’s repertoire spans all musical genres and includes cantorial, opera, broadway, and rock n roll. He has released several albums, including Hazzonos with Frank London, and is a regularly featured vocalist on The Howard Stern Show. Daniel is a frequent anthem performer at Citi Field for the New York Mets and he made his Carnegie Hall solo debut in 2023. He lives in Westchester with his wife, Cantor Amanda Kleinman, and their children.

Zalmen Mlotek is an American conductor, pianist, composer, and arranger, renowned for his leadership in Yiddish music and theater. Born in 1951 in the Bronx to prominent Yiddish cultural figures, he pursued classical music studies at institutions including Juilliard, New England Conservatory, and Tanglewood. As Artistic Director of the National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene (NYTF) since 1998, Mlotek has revitalized Yiddish theater by introducing bilingual supertitles and collaborating with artists like Joel Grey and Mandy Patinkin. His acclaimed productions include the Yiddish-language Fiddler on the Roof and The Golden Bride. Mlotek’s work has garnered multiple Drama Desk and Lucille Lortel nominations, solidifying his role in preserving and innovating Jewish cultural arts.

Daniella Rabbani is an actress/director hailed as “sympathetic and utterly alive” (New York Observer), “hilarious” (Wall Street Journal) and “will leave you twirling in the streets” (New York Times). TV credits include The Better Sister, Scenes from a Marriage, God Friended Me and The Americans. Film credits include Oceans 8 and her award-winning directorial debut OMA (Amazon Prime). As a Yiddish songstress, she has performed at venues like Jazz at Lincoln Center and Town Hall NYC with NYTF. Off-Broadway highlights include the Drama Desk Award winning Amid Falling Walls and Drama Desk nominated The Golden Land among others. Daniella hosts The Mom Curious Podcast. More at DaniellaRabbani.com.

Eleanor Reissa is a Tony-nominated director, Broadway/film/television actress, prize-winning playwright, international singing artist in English and Yiddish, and former artistic director of the Folksbiene Yiddish Theater. Recent acting work includes Paula Vogel’s Indecent, HBO’s THE PLOT AGAINST AMERICA, FX’s DEAD CITY, and the new award winning German mini-series, THE ZWEIFLERS, winner at Cannes 2023, soon to begin its second season. She hosts the Fortunoff/Yale University podcast, Those Who Were There: Voices from the Holocaust, now in its third year. Eleanor received a commission from New York State Council for the Arts to turn her acclaimed memoir, The Letters Project: A Daughter’s Journey into a new play. www.eleanorreissa.com

Riki Rose grew up in the vibrant Satmer Hasidic community of Williamsburg, New York. Her upbringing was steeped in tradition, where she first encountered the rich tapestry of Yiddish culture and music. Despite the community’s insular nature, Riki’s passion for music transcended boundaries, leading her to explore diverse musical landscapes. Her early experiences in Williamsburg laid the foundation for her unique artistic voice, one that resonates with authenticity and depth www.rikirose.com

Steven Skybell is an award-winning American actor acclaimed for his work on stage, screen, and in education. He earned a 2024 Tony Award nomination for his portrayal of Herr Schultz in Broadway’s Cabaret revival . Skybell’s standout role as Tevye in the Yiddish-language Fiddler on the Roof, directed by Joel Grey, garnered him a Lucille Lortel Award and multiple nominations. His Broadway credits include Wicked, The Full Monty, Pal Joey, and Love! Valour! Compassion! A Yale alumnus with a BFA and MFA, he also studied at Oxford’s British American Drama Academy. Skybell has taught acting at Yale, Juilliard, NYU Tisch, and Fordham University. His screen appearances include Cradle Will Rock, Simply Irresistible, and Chicago P.D.

Margot Weintraub is an emerging American actress with experience in both stage and screen. She portrayed Audrey Jr. in Disney’s Better Nate Than Ever (2022) and appeared as a convent girl in Amazon’s Hunters (2020). In 2024, she played a young fan in the horror sequel Smile 2. On stage, Weintraub was part of the original Off-Broadway cast of The Bedwetter at Atlantic Theater Company in 2022, a musical adaptation of Sarah Silverman’s memoir. A member of SAG-AFTRA and Actors’ Equity, she is represented by CESD Talent and Innovative Artists. Weintraub continues to build her career in New York City.