Reshimu, the popular downtown venue for music and spirituality has merged with the Shorashim organziation. The venue has ben renamed Menora 8, named after its street address.
Tucked behind the Gerard Behar Center off of Bezalel Street in Jerusalem,the small building has become popular for Torah lectures, concerts and jam sessions.
Shorashim was establish 9 years ago as a center for lectures and gatherings, on Jewish thought, the weekly Torah portion and Jewish philosophy, as well as workshops in palmistry, drawing and illustration, creative writing, Pilates, and life coaching. They recently left their old location on Shamai Street in downtown Jerusalem to merge with Reshimu.
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Reshimu was started about 3 years ago by the husband and wife team of Roni and Sigal Spigel. Israel National Radio interviewed the couple about their goals and vision.
"The meaning of the word "reshimu" comes from the Kabbalah," says Sigal of the location's original name. "It's an impression. We want people to come here and have the impression that they feel at home. They can dress and look the way they want without being judged."
The venue originally featured concerts by such musicians as Aaron Razel, Yerachmiel Ziegler, Sinai Tor, and Shlomo Katz. Now Menora 8 is focused on lectures and classes. But the Thursday night jam session is still the most popular event. Shlomo Katz, Nachman Solomon and other well known locals often lead a session, inviting anyone to join them.
"We have open mic nights," says Sigal. "People can bring their own music and their own words. They can express their creativity without being famous. You can bring your own guitar or just talk and sing. This all about getting people together from different backgrounds and creating and environment where religious, non-religious, young or old, men and women, can get together and experience each other."
Upcoming events include lectures on the weekly Torah portion, speeches on Jewish mysticism, Tai Chi, and a Chanukah party. There are also programs in Spanish and Russian. The best-selling Israeli musician Eviatar Banai is currently giving a series of workshops.
"All kinds of rabbis come, states Sigal, "Because my husband and I are baale teshuvah, we bring a different range of people -- whether they teach from the Baal Shem Tov or Rabbi Kook or Breslov or Chabad or Ashlag, the thing is to show that a wide range can come together without being closed-minded. Nobody should feel like one rabbi is more worthy than another.
The location is rather unique as well. Brightly colored pillows and candle holders fill the room. Bookshelves with religious books are on hand. Coffee, tea and homemade soup is served. Outside, a mud oven and campfire is used.
Seeing the place, one might not realize that before Roni and Sigal Spigel took over the location, it was an old abandoned kindergarten. Broken toys and crumbling children's furniture were once strewn in the front yard before it was refurbished. Today, the outside has wooden benches and is used in the summer for outdoor Friday night Shabbat services.
Regarding the services, Sigal comments, "When I see a person in jeans dancing with someone in a black and white suit, I think, 'it works!' We can bring in the Shabbat together without judging each other."