Decades of political hostility have shaped perceptions of relations between Israel and Iran, a dynamic underscored by the recent US-Israel conflict with Iran. Yet a group of Berlin-based musicians from both countries is proving that cultural exchange remains possible.
Sistanagila was founded by Babak Shafieian, an Iranian who moved to Germany as a young adult to study. He launched the project about 15 years ago in response to antisemitic rhetoric then promoted by Iran’s president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, whose Holocaust denial and threats against Israel made international headlines. “That didn’t reflect my stance on Israel and the Jewish people,” Shafieian said. He wanted to create a joint artistic statement showing solidarity between Iranians and Israelis.
Shafieian drew inspiration from his musical family background and from Daniel Barenboim’s West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, where Jewish and Palestinian musicians perform classical works together. To build the ensemble he reached out to Yuval Halpern, an Israeli musician and composer who became Sistanagila’s musical director. Halpern recalled initial caution at receiving contact from an Iranian — he wondered if it might be a threat — but after checking Shafieian online he agreed to meet at a hummus restaurant in Neukölln, Berlin’s vibrant Arab cultural district. From that meeting they recruited other Iranian and Israeli musicians. “It’s a project that could only happen in Berlin — not in Israel, not in Iran,” Halpern observed.
Musically, Sistanagila blends Persian classical traditions with Jewish chants and Klezmer, drawing on shared threads in Sephardic and oriental sounds. The members also bring diverse influences: heavy metal, classical training, jazz and prog-rock elements all appear in their arrangements. The ensemble’s name merges “Sistan,” an Iranian province, with “Nagila,” referencing the Jewish song “Hava Nagila,” symbolizing the cross-cultural aim.
Although members hold a range of personal political views, they agree on the project’s core message. “People ask us if it’s a political project. And per se, our content is not political,” Halpern said, explaining that the group does not perform propaganda or take sides. Their goal is to make music together and create something beautiful — what he calls a “peace project.” At the same time, Shafieian acknowledges the group’s political resonance: showcasing Israelis and Iranians collaborating sends a clear statement that ordinary people are not the problem; governments and politicians are.
In light of the US-Israel conflict with Iran, Shafieian worries about the Iranian people being left alone amid escalating danger and hopes the violence will end. He sees Sistanagila as part of a larger network of artistic, political and social efforts aimed at building ties between Iranians and Israelis. “Sistanagila shows a perspective for the future — and hopefully for the near future — that Iranians and Israelis can be friends,” he said, expressing hope that the countries might one day develop broader relations.
Edited by: Brenda Haas