Welcome to Beit Abulafia

 Jason Caplan’s work on the Universal Language Room explores the convergence of dialogue, interaction, and improvisation as pathways to transcendent understanding. Drawing inspiration from Rabbi Abraham Abulafia’s mystical meditations and his focus on the interplay of letters, sounds, and divine connection, Kaplan integrates these ideas with the dynamic energy of jazz improvisation. Abulafia’s four-letter system—a reflection of divine names and universal patterns—aligns with the four-note musical framework that Kaplan adopts.

 

This system acts as a metaphor for conversation, where each note or letter represents a distinct voice or idea that weaves into a harmonious whole. Much like in jazz, where musicians engage in a spontaneous yet deeply interactive exchange, Kaplan’s Universal Language Room emphasizes fluid communication, where participants build on each other’s contributions to create something greater than the sum of its parts. Through this lens, Caplan reimagines language as a living, improvisational act—an interplay of creativity and connection. The Universal Language Room becomes a space where letters, sounds, and notes serve as tools for exploring shared meaning, echoing Abulafia’s mystical vision of divine union and the improvisational spontaneity of jazz as a reflection of life’s unfolding dialogue.