The Nightingale of Iran
The Nightingale of Iran
Danielle Dardashti, Galeet Dardashti
It was a golden age for Jews in Iran. In the 1950s, a religious Jew – Younes Dardashti – became a national celebrity, singing at the Shah’s palace and on the radio. In the 1960s, his son Farid became a teen idol on TV. They were beloved by Iranian Muslims. But at the height of their fame, they left the country. It has always been a mystery to our host Danielle Dardashti and her sister Galeet – Why did their family leave Iran? Now, in a documentary podcast series, the sisters reveal painful secrets unspoken for generations. The Nightingale of Iran is a story that will resonate with outsiders everywhere.
Bonus #12 - Family History Podcast
Danielle and Galeet were interviewed by Andrew Martin, the UK-based host of The Family Histories Podcast, a positive, conversational, fun show about family history and family historians – the often un-sung heroes tirelessly breathing life back into collective social history. If you like what you hear, you can find other episodes of The Family Histories wherever you listen to podcasts.
Dec 17, 2024
42 min
Bonus #11 - B'nai Jeshurun - 3 sisters!
Danielle & Galeet have created a live show and they’ve taken the show on the road to several cities around the world! Performances include: A multimedia presentation telling the poignant story of The Nightingale of Iran A musical performance by Galeet and her full band, performing Monajat - the musical piece where she duets with old recordings of her grandfather Younes Dardashti, The Nightingale of Iran A moderated discussion and Q&A that takes listeners behind the scenes! This bonus episode is from the post show conversation at their performance at Bnai Jeshurun in New York City. The moderator is their younger sister Michelle Dardashti, rabbi of Kane Street Synagogue in Brooklyn. Check nightingaleofiran.com to find out if there’s a Nightingale show coming up near you. Please reach out if you would like to bring the show to your town!
Oct 15, 2024
16 min
Bonus #10 - Persian Girl Podcast
Danielle and Galeet joined Millie Efraim on Persian Girl Podcast to discuss the tapes their family recoreded starting from the 1950s that were used throughout the Nightingale of Iran series, the reception of their podcast, their theory on the lasting effects of the "Motreb"/artist stigma in Jewish Persian communities, and why there are so few Jewish Persians in art and culture philanthropy and academia.
Sep 3, 2024
49 min
Bonus #9 - Jews on Film
Danielle joined Daniel and Harry from Jews on Film to discuss "Persepolis," the 2007 animated film co-directed by Marjane Satrapi.They discuss Marjane’s split sense of identity throughout the film, and Danielle shares parallel stories of her grandfather that reflect the experience of living in Iran during the fall of the Shah and rise of the Islamic Fundamentalism during the late 1970s.Then the three talk about religious as well as national persecution for Iranians at that time and finish up the discussion weighing the pros and cons of various modern storytelling mediums such as graphic novel, animated film, and audio podcast.They close out the episode by ranking the film's "Jewishness" in terms of its cast & crew, content, and themes.
Jul 30, 2024
1 hr 13 min
Bonus #8 - JBS Spotlight
Danielle and Galeet joined Abigail Pogrebin on JBS's In the Spotlight to discuss their documentary podcast series The Nightingale of Iran, in which they reveal painful secrets and explore why their family left Iran in the 1960s at the height of national fame.
Jul 16, 2024
32 min
Bonus #7 - Moment Live!
This is a conversation Danielle and Galeet had with Moment Magazine Deputy Editor, Jennifer Bardi, about their search for the truth and what they discovered about their family along the way.
Jul 2, 2024
51 min
Bonus #6 - New Sounds
This is an interview Galeet did with John Schaefer on New Sounds on WNYC, about her album Monajat, where she sings with samples of her late grandfather Younes Dardashti, The Nightingsle of Iran. Galeet shares selections from the album and she’s backed by an all-star ensemble that includes Shanir Ezra Blumenkranz on oud and bass; Max ZT on hammered dulcimer; Zafer Tawi on violin, ney, vocals, percussion; Philip Mayer on drums; and John Stanesco contributing electronics.
Jun 18, 2024
57 min
Bonus #5 - Los Angeles Launch
IKAR synagogue, Los Angeles, California. Kabbalat Shabbat post-dinner discussion with Danielle and Galeet Dardashti, about The Nightingale of Iran, moderated by Jewish Telegraphic Agency reporter Asaf Elia-Shalev. Introductions by Rabbi Morris Panitz.Thank you to Rabbi Sharon Brous for inviting us!
Jun 4, 2024
47 min
Bonus #4 - New York Launch
One of the first events to celebrate the release of The Nightingale of Iran was with Danielle and Galeet's home town crowd, at Bet Am Shalom Synagogue in New York on March 19, 2024. The conversation was moderated by Philissa Cramer, the editor in chief of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. The event was organized by: Lisa Goldberg, Laura Solomon, Felicia Lebewohl Rosen, Liz Haas Edersheim, and Danielle Thomas. For more Nightingale bonus content and to support our work, please visit www.nightingaleofiran.com.
May 21, 2024
1 hr 10 min
Bonus #3 - Reclaiming Identity
Danielle and Galeet speak with Drora and Dalya on this episode of the Reclaiming Identity podcast. They discuss growing up un-Persian, discovering their family’s story, and the personal impact of The Nightingale of Iran podcast.
May 7, 2024
43 min
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