New Spirit

New Spirit (Hebrew: רוח חדשה, Ruach Hadasha) was an apolitical non-profit organization founded in 2003 in Jerusalem by a group of local students together with businesspeople. Its mission was to position Jerusalem as an inspiring capital city and to serve as a practical demonstration that diverse communities can live together through shared creative work. The organization focused on developing responses to needs emerging from the field and on recruiting partners to ensure the long-term sustainability of its projects after proving their success. Over the years, New Spirit initiated hundreds of projects and programs that were gradually adopted by the public and private sectors in the city, involving tens of thousands of young people. Its activities spanned professional and creative communities, local entrepreneurship, and innovation. Key initiatives included the ToolBox accelerator for designers and media professionals (launched in 2012), the Interns Project placing about 500 students annually in internships across various fields, young community development, and urban cultural events such as student nightlife discounts. From 2016, the organization focused on creating social change through establishing community and creative centers for environmental impact. Notable among these were Beit New Spirit (opened January 2021 in the old Shaare Zedek and Israel Broadcasting Authority compound on Jaffa Road 161), which housed dozens of artistic collectives, independent creators, social organizations, accelerators, startups, and creative businesses; and Beit Alliance (from 2016), a center for art and creation in the historic Alliance building near Mahane Yehuda market. Re:Street, a coworking space on Queen Shlomzion Street, was established in 2018 to bring young spirit to downtown Jerusalem. In 2023, New Spirit ceased operations. Control of Beit New Spirit passed to the Social Space organization, which continued activities there, while Beit Alliance ended its social activity and began conversion into a luxury hotel. Re:Street has been managed by the Lichtag Fund since 2023. The organization's website remains online, describing Re:Street as a coworking space for creative businesses in Jerusalem.

New Spirit was founded in 2003 by a group of Jerusalem students in partnership with local businesspeople, with the goal of strengthening Jerusalem and restoring it as a strong cultural and economic center befitting the capital of the State of Israel. Over the years, the organization initiated hundreds of groundbreaking projects and programs that were gradually adopted by the public and private sectors in the city, involving tens of thousands of young people. In its early years, New Spirit focused on developing young communities across the city, believing that young people living in a community framework contribute to their neighborhood, are more likely to remain in Jerusalem after graduation, and serve as a positive driving force. In 2010, a group of young buyers led by New Spirit won a tender from the Israel Land Administration to build 80 apartments in the southwest of the city. The organization also promoted cultural and artistic life through student nightlife events such as "Shutfut" (pub discounts) and "Askit Laylit" (nightly business meals), and worked to establish a Jerusalem Artists Association. The Interns Project placed about 500 students annually in internships at various organizations and institutions in the city, across eight tracks including bio-med, diplomacy and government, economics and management, high-tech, design, and communications. This was designed to help students gain experience and build work connections that would lead to continued employment and residence in Jerusalem. From 2014, New Spirit focused on developing professional, creative, and diverse communities with a Jerusalem identity and leadership consciousness, seeing them as a lever for economic development and social change. In 2016, the organization received Beit Alliance for temporary use from businessmen Amir Biram, Nahum Rosenberger, and Leo Noi, after the historic Alliance building had stood abandoned for 15 years in the heart of the Mahane Yehuda market. Beit Alliance opened as a center for art and creation and an incubator for an initiative-taking, creative, and professional community. It housed artist collectives in shared workspaces, Jerusalem associations, galleries, live performances, parties, events, and a weekly artists' market. From 2021, a joint initiative of New Spirit and the Social Space organization converted the ground floor into a pop-up mall with rotating shops and stalls of Jerusalem creators and artists whose businesses had been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Also in 2016, New Spirit began focusing on creating social change through establishing community and creative centers for environmental impact. In January 2021, Beit New Spirit opened in the old Shaare Zedek and Israel Broadcasting Authority compound at 161 Jaffa Road. The building, purchased by the real estate company Israel Canada, was donated for the organization's use until development of the compound began. New Spirit established its flagship center there, where dozens of artistic collectives, independent creators, social and community organizations, entrepreneurship accelerators, startups, and creative Jerusalem businesses operated side by side. The management model allowed tenants to be content producers and to conduct artistic and social activity for Jerusalem's young community, in line with the building's values over its 120-year history, emphasizing community, sustainability, and media activity, with a focus on cross-organizational collaboration. Among those operating in Beit New Spirit were film and animation creators, an art gallery from the Jerusalem Biennale, multidisciplinary designers, a yoga studio, a cooperative bicycle workshop, musicians such as the Jerusalem Baroque Orchestra and Shaanan Streett, video and podcast studios using the Israel Broadcasting Authority infrastructure, and a hostel from the Social Space organization. Re:Street, a coworking space on Queen Shlomzion Street in Jerusalem, was established in 2018 out of the need of the independent community for a work space in a central location. It was intended for independent entrepreneurs and creative businesses in partnership with the Jerusalem model. The space hosted events bringing relevant content to the professional network of tenants and encouraging collaboration among creative businesses in Jerusalem. Architects, Jerusalem groups and associations, and freelancers worked there, and various events for different relevant populations took place. In 2023, New Spirit ceased operations. Control of Beit New Spirit passed to the Social Space organization, which continued the existing activity there. The social activity at Beit Alliance ended, and a renovation process began that will result in a luxury hotel on the site. Re:Street has been under the management of the Lichtag Fund since 2023.

• 2023

  New Spirit ceases operations; Beit New Spirit control transferred to Social Space; Beit Alliance social activity ends and renovation into luxury hotel begins; Re:Street management transferred to Lichtag Fund.

• 2021

  Beit New Spirit flagship center opens at 161 Jaffa Road; pop-up mall initiative at Beit Alliance begins.

• 2020

  ToolBox Express short accelerator program launched.

• 2018

  Re:Street coworking space established on Queen Shlomzion Street.

• 2016

  Beit Alliance opens as an art and creation center; organization shifts focus to community centers for environmental impact.

• 2014

  New Spirit begins focusing on developing professional, creative, and diverse communities.

• 2012

  First ToolBox accelerator program launched for artists and designers.

• 2010

  Group of young buyers led by New Spirit wins tender to build 80 apartments in southwest Jerusalem.

• 2003

  New Spirit founded in Jerusalem by students and businesspeople.

Non-profit organization fostering creative communities and urban renewal in Jerusalem through coworking, cultural initiatives, and social impact projects.

• Re:Street

  Coworking space on Queen Shlomzion Street, Jerusalem, established in 2018 for independent entrepreneurs and creative businesses.

• Beit New Spirit

  Flagship creative hub opened January 2021 at 161 Jaffa Road, housing artistic collectives, creators, social organizations, accelerators, startups, and creative businesses.

• Beit Alliance

  Art and creation center opened in 2016 in the historic Alliance building near Mahane Yehuda market, hosting artist collectives, galleries, events, and a weekly artists' market.

• ToolBox

  Accelerator program for designers and media professionals, launched in 2012, providing tools and scholarships to 10–15 graduates per semester.

• ToolBox Express

  Short, focused accelerator program launched in summer 2020 for young people wanting to open small independent businesses.

• Interns Project

  Program placing about 500 students annually in internships across eight tracks to encourage employment and residence in Jerusalem.

1. 1Homepage - רוח חדשהnew-spirit.org.il
2. 2רוח חדשה - Wikipedia (Hebrew)he.wikipedia.org
3. 3New Spirit - Wikidatawikidata.org