Looking Back
From the William Davidson Digital Archive of Jewish Detroit History
accessible at www.djnfoundation.org
110 | SEPTEMBER 22 • 2022
The Call of the Shofar
T
his week, we have stories about shofars
for Rosh Hashanah. Associate Editor
Rachel Sweet focuses on how does one
blow a shofar? Not an easy or intuitive task, to
be sure. Rabbi Louis Finkelman explores how
does one become a shofar blower? It’s a bit
different than deciding to play the tuba in the
school band.
There are many stories and parables
regarding the meaning of
blowing the shofar. Rabbi
Finkleman related an interesting
quote to me, that has been
attributed to the
Baal Shem Tov,
Rabbi Israel ben
Eliezer (1690-
1700): “The call
of the shofar on Rosh Hashanah
reminds us of the primordial
scream, the eternal voiceless call
of the soul expressing its desire to
return to its Creator.
”
I decided for Rosh Hashanah,
I should explore “shofars” in the
William Davidson Digital Archive
of Jewish Detroit History. I found
that shofars are mentioned on
2,423 pages.
Both the JN as well as the Detroit
Jewish Chronicle published hundreds
of articles and images of shofars.
Moreover, “shofar” appears on 67
front pages. In the past, as well
as in this issue of the JN, readers
could learn where and how to
make shofars, how to make them
sound the noble blast and what it
symbolizes.
The earliest article appeared in the 5680
Rosh Hashanah (or as it was spelled then,
“Hashonah”) issue of the Chronicle (Sept. 19,
1919). “The Call of the Shofar” was penned
by Rabbi Judah L. Levin of the United Jewish
Orthodox Community of Detroit.
Beyond the symbolism of the shofar — a
topic for many stories — shofars are discussed
in a wide range of articles. Take podiatrist
Marc Lindy. His hobby, after a tough day
in the office, was making beautiful shofars
(Oct. 3, 1986, JN). For further inspiration,
read “Jerrod Blows the Shofar,
” a neat short
story by 7-year-old Lowell Stearn (Sept. 18,
1986).
The image on the front pages of the JN
are superb. One especially poignant cover
graced the Sept. 22, 1944, issue. With
a Hebrew label, the image is of Jewish
soldiers in the British Army blowing the
shofar in Jerusalem amid WWII. This front
page also notes that the British War Office
finally decided to form a Jewish
Brigade, as it did during the
first World War (the famous
Jewish Legion).
The front page of the Sept.
26, 2003, JN features a great
photograph of Michael Eber, 17,
and Zachary Friedman, 14, from
West Bloomfield. The “shofarists”
are pictured blowing their horns
at Temple Shir Shalom.
The original cover art for
the Sept. 21, 1990, issue is my
personal favorite. This art from
Giora Carmi features a beautiful
array of colors emerging from the
shofar against a blue background
for Rosh Hashanah 5751.
If you’
d like to showcase your
shofar skill, enter the JN’s Shofar
Blowing Competition. Can
you beat Alan Posner, director
of Bands of Bloomfield Hills
Public Schools? Send us a video
introducing yourself and showing
how long you can blow the shofar.
Two winners, one over 16 and one under, will
win fun prizes that will be awarded after the
holiday.
Send a video that introduces yourself and
showcases your shofar skill by Sept. 23 to
socialmedia@thejewishnews.com.
Want to learn more? Go to the DJN Foundation
archives, available for free at www.djnfoundation.org.
Mike Smith
Alene and
Graham Landau
Archivist Chair