Echoes Of A Shofar - Illegal Under British Mandate, Now Blown With Pride

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.

Last month, 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.

Echoes of a Shofar is their powerful and inspiring story.  The short film is a joint project of Toldot Yisrael and The History Channel.  It's more nostalgic and poignant than humorous, but you can find humor in the way these teens took advantage of the British police who, not understanding Hebrew, thought the chanting of those assembled at the wall were prayers.  Actually, they were chanted warnings to the crowd about police spies in their midst and plans for keeping out of their way.  Enjoy!