The Organ Workshop

The centuries-old tradition of organ building is alive and thriving in Israel, not far from where the instrument originated some 2,300 years ago.

The organ is a wind instrument, contrary to what many people assume. Its sound is produced by air supplied through a bellows. When the keys are pressed, valves open and direct the air through the organ pipes.

In the past, air was pumped manually. With the advent of electricity, the process became mechanical and far less complex.

Every organ is unique. No two organs are identical, whether in the number and types of pipes, their operating mechanisms, or their sound. The space in which an organ is installed ultimately gives the instrument its distinctive character, as the acoustics of its surroundings have a significant impact on its tone and sound.

The organ workshop, now owned by Uri Shani, was founded by Gideon Shamir, who began building organs in the 1960s. The first organ he built was installed at the Tzavta Theatre in Tel Aviv.

Gideon was, and remains, Israel’s only organ builder. Uri Shani acquired the organ workshop and has owned the business since January 2022.

Uri comes from a theater background, where he worked as a director, teacher, lecturer, actor, and music editor. He also gained extensive hands-on experience in theater, working on stage construction and set design.

Gideon Shamir continues to work at the workshop, repairing and restoring organs.

Visits are available in several languages: Hebrew, Arabic, English, German, and French.