BenAmi – used together, spelled in Hebrew either with a hyphen or as two separate words, but always used together – is a very common Israeli surname in modern Hebrew. It means exactly what you said – son of my people – but the context you explained is completely incorrect and I have no idea how you came to that conclusion. That’s the part I hope you’re joking about.

Ben Ami was chosen as a surname by many families who came from elsewhere, as a symbol of proud Zionism and to mark their determination to live in the Zionist homeland and leave the signs of the Diaspora behind.

Didi carries her father’s surname, and he is Israeli. But her mother is from Tennessee, and I believe I read somewhere that Didi used to sing in church when she was younger, so it seems her mother is not Jewish and apparently also did not convert, since it seems they continued to go to church. That would mean that Didi is not Jewish, because in Judaism, the religion is passed through the matriarchal line. You can be born Jewish only if you have a Jewish mother. A child of a Jewish mother and non-Jewish father is Jewish, but a child of a Jewish father and non-Jewish mother – like Didi – is not.

She has a lovely voice though. If that’s old fashioned – as that idiot on American Idol opined – then I’m glad I’m old fashioned too. I hope she has a successful career.