From Hidden Roots to Healing Voices: A Journey of Jewish Discovery

If you had met Hannah bat Yael during her time in France, it is unlikely you would have recognized her Jewish identity, as there was no external sign of it. "We had no Judaism at home," she recalls with sadness. "The only tradition my parents passed on to me was the memory of the Holocaust. Beyond that, we observed nothing. No holidays, no Yom Kippur, no Chanukah, no Passover, and certainly no Shabbat. We were completely disconnected from any Jewish symbols."

Yet despite this disconnection, Hannah felt that something was missing in her life. She searched for this connection, for her Jewish roots. But at the time, she couldn't even explain it to herself.

A Journey of Searching

"At the age of 17, I heard the term 'Passover' for the first time," Hannah recounts. "It happened because my father mentioned it out of nowhere during a conversation. I didn't really understand what it was about, or even grasp that it should interest me."

Back then, music interested her more than vague talks about Jewish history. "I come from a very musical family," Hannah explains. "Since I was young, I got used to my father playing the guitar at every opportunity, singing hit songs in French. My mother was also very connected to music. She came from a family deeply involved in music theory, and her mother led children's choirs during the war and the Holocaust. These were Jewish children whose parents had been sent to camps, and my grandmother cared for them in hiding places, teaching them to sing to help them endure. Both my mom and grandmother were singers, and naturally, I found myself in this field as well."

Did you study singing professionally?

"When I was little, my grandmother taught me to sing, as she did with all my cousins. But while everyone else treated it as a hobby, I decided to pursue singing professionally. I took private lessons and enrolled in a music school where I studied for two years. The more I learned and honed my skills, the more I realized that singing wasn't just the act itself. It involved stage presence, engaging with the audience, and more. I began performing on big stages in France."

Hannah notes that at the same time, she was gradually starting to explore Judaism. "I would raise questions and look for answers, read books, and meet observant people, hoping they could answer my questions. Outwardly, nothing significant changed in my life, but I felt I was getting to know my Jewish identity more. The tradition began to resonate with me and occupied a lot of my thoughts. I connected deeply with the Hebrew letters and songs in Hebrew. I sang them a lot and felt a special bond with them."

But then something interesting happened. "Precisely during this period, when I was connecting with my values and inner self, it became clear that the way I experienced singing on stage wasn't my real goal in life. I felt uncomfortable showcasing my singing talents in front of an audience. I realized I wanted to use my voice for something more spiritual, meaningful. But back then, I couldn't even define it for myself."

(Photo: shutterstock)

From France to Israel

During those days, Hannah was offered a trip to Israel, and she decided to seize the opportunity. "I arrived in the land and was instantly captivated," she says. "Several years later, I returned, and then again and again. I traveled to various places in the country but mainly felt connected to Jerusalem. I even wrote a song about it called 'I Have a Place.' Eventually, at 33, I decided I had nothing left to seek in France. It might sound funny, but I debated between moving to India or Israel. Ultimately, my soul decided it wanted the Holy Land. From the very first moment, it was clear to me that I would reside in Jerusalem, the city I was so connected to. I learned Hebrew at an ulpan there and even found a school for Eastern music and registered."

Only then, when she was already in Israel and living in the Nachlaot neighborhood, did Hannah feel the inner urge to change more things in her life. "I arrived single but very much wanted to marry and start a family. I arrived without knowledge of modesty but started to adhere to modest dress, and over time, observing Shabbat also became part of my routine."

She also began teaching music in various places but abandoned stage performances. "Since I became more observant, it was clear to me that if halacha didn't permit singing in front of men, then I wouldn't sing at all. I abruptly left the field of singing and moved on to other jobs like elder care and house cleaning.

"But then, after about two years, I began to feel melodies just descending on me from the heavens, matching verses from prayer. It was amazing, as I had struggled with prayer before because I didn't fully understand the words. I discovered that when I set them to music, it became easier to understand and be intent. Later on, I even started writing songs in Hebrew, and then came a stage where I opened my home to students and began accepting girls for private lessons and created learning groups.

"The girls who came often shared emotional struggles or various health issues, and I tried to help them through singing. This exposed me to the therapeutic and healing power of singing. Suddenly, I felt I knew how to transform stage performances into something more valuable, and I began to focus on healing through voice.

"Today, many women come to me seeking help with various physical issues, and I teach them correct singing, blending the body and correct posture, enabling better singing where the feeling is that body and soul together join the songs, sounds, and breath."

Hannah emphasizes: "I'm not the one who invented the wheel, as the concept of 'inner voice' has always existed as part of the music. But over the years, I discovered it could be a therapeutic tool as important as various psychological and therapeutic methods. After all, the voice isn't just external; it's also internal, and when you understand this, everything looks different."

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At 38, Hannah met the man who became her husband and the father of her children, fulfilling another dream. "For years, I focused primarily on raising the children, but now that they are grown, I am reopening my home in Nachlaot, hosting women who want to learn to listen to their inner selves," she says. "Now it's clear to me that my inner self was speaking to me even back when I was living in France, but I didn't know how to identify it. Every day, I thank Hashem for bringing me to where I am today and for teaching me to listen to my inner voice."