Amid Jerusalem’s ancient stones and the cracks of time stands the Gate of Mercy — sealed for centuries, waiting in stillness. In Golden 8 Gate, Elad Schechter offers a contemporary ritual inspired by the belief in the gate’s future opening and the hope for a golden age that follows. The piece moves between sacred and profane, myth and body, local and universal, weaving a choreographic prayer born from Jerusalem’s layered reality.
Together with c.a.t.a.m.o.n Dance Group, Schechter draws a poetic collage on movement phrases contributed by dozens of Jerusalemite choreographers who are asked to share their version of movement relating to the spirituality of Jerusalem. Combined with sound samples gathered from the city, this ceremonial piece is not just a dance but a gesture of longing — a vision rising from a fractured city, calling gently for compassion, reconciliation, and healing. Golden 8 Gate imagines the moment when inner and outer gates might open, offering a fleeting glimpse into a future shaped by grace, tenderness, and golden shared light.
Golden 8 Gate is a choreographic prayer rising from Jerusalem’s layered reality, envisioning a moment when inner and outer gates open to a future shaped by compassion and healing.
Elad Schechter is a Jerusalem-based choreographer, dancer, curator, and cultural entrepreneur. He is the founder of c.a.t.a.m.o.n Dance Group and artistic director of groundbreaking festivals such as “From Jaffa to Agripas” and “Room Service.” His works have been presented in over 20 countries and received international acclaim, including a Silver Medal at the Beijing International Choreography Competition. Deeply connected to Jerusalem’s cultural mosaic, Schechter explores encounters between bodies, cultures, and ideas. He holds a master’s in arts innovation and is involved in cognitive mapping research.
Choreography: Elad Schechter
Collaborating Dancers: Yulia Mazhetskaya, Mia Evian, Eirad Ben Gal, Roni Sagi
Rehearsal Direction and Artistic Support: Gilad Jerusalmy
Music: Ori Kadishay
Costume Design: Adi Yair
Production Management: Tom Gorenberg Yarkoni
Mentorship and Artistic Consultation: Naomi Perlov, Tamir Etin
Texts by: Italo Calvino, Yehuda Amichai
Text Editing and Presentation: Tchelet Zohar
