Rita, Israel's Most Popular Singer, Builds Bridges to Iranian People with Her Farsi Music

Rita Johanfaruz, known to most Israelis by her stage name Rita, has been called Israel's most popular singer. Born in Tehran 50 years ago, Rita experienced a reawakening of her Iranian childhood last year and decided to record All My Joys, an album of songs in Farsi, the language of Persia, or Iran; songs that her mother sang to her before the family emigrated to Israel when she was eight years old.

The CD instantly topped the charts and went gold in three weeks. Now Rita is touring Israel and singing the new songs to the acclaim of her fans.

CNN recently interviewed Rita, giving her a chance to express her feelings about the relationship between the two countries whose leaders are locked in enmity but whose people share a love for her music. Rita has been getting calls, letters, emails, and Facebook messages from Iranians who buy bootleg copies of her CDs as they defy their government's ban on everything Israeli, including her music.

Here is a video of the CNN interview, followed by one of Rita's songs from the new album. Enjoy!

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