American Yiddish singer. Born in Brooklyn, NY. Child of Holocaust survivors, Ruth(Ruchele) Hoff and Chaskel Schlusselberg. BA from Brooklyn College, graduating cum laude, majoring in Speech and Theatre. Reissa is a actress, playwright and Tony-nominated director of “Those Were the Days”, a Yiddish musical revue in 1991 featuring Bruce Alder. Changed her name to “Reissa” for the stage. She has many CDs including “Songs in the Key of Yiddish”, “Going Home, Gems of Yiddish Song”. Her play “Thicker Than Water” examines how “we, in the present, are affected by the ripples of the past in unexpected ways.” The Folksbiene Yiddish Theater in NY producted the world premiere of Zise Khaloymes (Sweet Dreams)by Eleanor Reissa, with music by Zalmen Mlotek, and Frank London of The Klezmatics. She starred in the title role of “Yentl” to tremendoius critical acclaim. Her new CD is “Songs in the Key of Yiddish”. Photo Credit: The Eleanor Reissa website.
http://www.eleanorreissa.com/