Echoes of a Shofar

With the memory of Yom Kippur still fresh in our minds, here is a short documentary about how some Jews bravely resisted efforts to silence and still Jewish observance of the High Holy Days:









Here is the description of the video, courtesy of YouTube:

"Echoes of a Shofar" is the premiere episode in the "Eyewitness 1948" short film series produced by Toldot Yisrael and the History Channel. It is the centerpiece of an educational pilot program being developed with The iCenter and made possible through the generous support of the Jim Joseph Foundation. 

Under a British law in Palestine passed in 1930, Jews were forbidden to blow the shofar at the Kotel, pray loudly there, or bring Torah scrolls, so as not to offend the Arab population.

Despite this restriction, for the next seventeen years, the shofar was sounded at the Kotel every Yom Kippur. Shofars were smuggled in to the Kotel where brave teenagers defiantly blew them at the conclusion of the fast. Some managed to get away - others were captured and sent to jail for up to six months.

Six of these men are still alive. 

Two weeks ago, these six men returned to the scene of their "crime". Armed with shofars, they recounted their individual stories and blew shofar again at the Kotel. 

This is their powerful and inspiring story.

And some information about the creators of this film:

Modeled on Steven Spielberg's Survivors of the Shoah Visual History Foundation, Toldot Yisrael is a Jerusalem based nonprofit organization dedicated to recording and sharing the firsthand testimonies of the men and women who helped found and build the State of Israel. Over 300 video interviews have so far been conducted with those who were involved during the pre-State struggle and the momentous events of 1948. Our aim is to conduct hundreds more over the next several years while it is still possible.    

For more information on Toldot Yisrael, take a look at their website at http://www.toldotyisrael.org.