This year, Hollywood Temple Beth El is offering a free workshop, for all ages, on how to blow your shofar, on Sunday at 10:30 a.m. Everyone who attends High Holy Day services at the Temple will be given the opportunity to come up and participate in the great triumphant celebration of Rosh Hashanah with the sounding of the Shofar.
Rabbi Norbert Weinberg explains, “The shofar is one of the world’s most ancient of musical instruments and it is used to usher in this season. The shofar is traditionally made from the horn of a ram, which has been hollowed out and given a trumpet-like mouthpiece. No two shofars are alike, unlike metal trumpets, so getting the ancient notes of” tekiah, truah, tekiah” can be a challenge. However once the sound comes out, the effect is hair-raising. While a shofar may be around a foot or so in length, Jews of Yemen used a one-yard long horn of the African kudu, a kind of antelope.”
The session will include the blessings of the shofar and its significance, as well as drills in getting the reluctant ram’s horn to sound the notes of the festival.
Participants should bring their own shofar, which can be bought in the many Judaica shops in Los Angeles, or online. There are also inexpensive child’s size shofars on the market. The Temple has a limited number available for use as well.
There is no fee, but reservations in advance are requested to go through Eventbrite.com or email to temple@htbel.org .
Hollywood Temple Beth El
1317 N Crescent Heights Blvd at Fountain
West Hollywood.
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