This ‘Leil’Shishi’ falls on the same night as Hoshana Rabbah, the last day of Sukkot. To celebrate, chef and farmer Hedai Offaim will host musician Assaf Amdursky for an evening of music, food, and conversation. Cafe Asif will serve Friday night dishes — both traditional and modern — and the bar will be open.
In the religious world, “Leil’Shishi” is another name for Thursday evening. In the Hasidic community, yeshiva students follow the custom of the mishmar where they typically study through the night until the vatikin prayer, which ends with the break of dawn. The continuous study serves as a spiritual preparation for Shabbat and allows one to start the holy day with great intention (and the missing hours of sleep are made up during Shabbat).
A special street food culture developed around the custom where Shabbat dishes like challah, mini kugel, herring, and chopped liver are served in the wee hours from underground pop-ups. The temporary restaurants are a meeting place, where friends can gossip and catch up on news. They also offer a rare opportunity for ultra-orthodox Jews to go to a restaurant. In some communities, the custom has skipped over from the street into yeshivas and the rabbis hold a special gathering called a tisch with music, words of Torah, food, and drink.
For this Hoshana Rabbah edition of “Leil’Shishi,” Offaim is collaborating with the musician who reinvented the Israeli sound, Assaf Amdursky. The pair will discuss our final chance for atonement, things we shouldn’t regret, and those we should. Amdursky will perform some of his most beloved songs and together with the guests, we will welcome Shabbat with food for body and soul.
Please note: Seating during the performance is on a first-come, first-served basis. The price includes entrance to the show. Drinks and food are available a la carte.
Doors open and food and drinks from a special Shabbat menu created by Hedai Offaim are available.
Show starts.