At first glance, what was going on in Rabbi Mendy Goldstein's basement could have been mistaken as some kind of woodworking class, what with all the hand saws, the drill and the power sander.
But the nearly 20 children and adults who gathered there last week were doing more than cutting, smoothing and shellacking the curved, hollow object they held in their hands. They were getting in touch with their Jewish heritage
As they prepare to usher in the new Jewish year, 5,767 years since the beginning of creation, Goldstein and his wife, Alta, invited members of the Jewish community to their home, which they turned into a "Shofar Factory." There they offered the hands-on experience of making a shofar, a semimusical horn used by Jews on their high holidays, Rosh Hashanah - the Jewish new year (Sept. 22 to 24) - and Yom Kippur - the Day of Atonement (Oct. 1 and 2)
The program is one of the many offerings provided by Chabad of Naperville, one of the 3,000 centers that are part of a global organization designed to bring people closer to Judaism and give them the opportunity to learn more about their heritage. Goldstein, director of Chabad of Naperville, and his wife arrived from New York in December to start up the Naperville center, now based in their home
"Our main goal is that basically there should be Jewish awareness in Naperville and in surrounding areas," Goldstein said. "People should feel pride to be Jewish, and people should want to be Jewish, everyone according to their level. One step at a time. Our goal is not to make anyone Orthodox. There is no level. Everyone is a Jew.
The Shofar Factory program is one of the offerings of Chabad's The Youth Zone Club, open to all area Jewish children. Sabrina Lato, 11, a sixth-grader at Hubble Middle School, got involved because she thought it would be fun. Rebecca Mayer, 12, a seventh-grader at Madison Junior High, said she had always wanted to make her own shofar. Sasha Cohen, 9, planned to take his finished shofar to Prairie Elementary School to share his Jewish culture with his classmates
The shofar is one of the most ancient instruments in the world. As biblically mandated, it has been sounded by Jews around the globe on Rosh Hashanah for more than 3,000 years. The sounding of the shofar is the climax of the high holiday drama. It is the one biblical commandment associated with the Day of Judgement, Goldstein said. Kabalistic sources credit it with softening divine judgment and dispelling the forces of evil
"It's a special time when we say the doors to heaven are open and so are ours," he said. "Our doors are open. It's a time when people can come pray. It's a day of judgment, a day of forgiveness. It's a day when God wants to hear us. People are more than welcome to stop by.
The shofar is traditionally made from the horn of a kosher animal. Using actual ram horns, those at the Shofar Factory not only learned how the horn is cured, measured, sawed, drilled and polished, but also how to blow it to sound the traditional notes calling out to God for the blessings of a peaceful year of happiness and good health
"When you hear it blown, it gives you a good feeling," said Sasha's mother, Cathy Cohen, of Naperville
Yohanna Salehin, of Aurora, agreed.
"It doesn't just hit your ears, it hits your heart and your spirit," said Salehin, who brought her daughter to the Shofar Factory. "That's where it hits.
Larry and Sima Petri of Naperville came to the Shofar Factory for themselves. Sima Petri said she had always wanted to make her own shofar
"I was curious," she said. "We used to live in (Boston), and this was offered once and we didn't really get a chance to do it. So when I saw this, I thought it was probably for kids, but I didn't care.
More than 100 families, mostly from the western suburbs, have participated in programs and activities held at Chabad of Naperville. These also include a Bat Mitzvah Club, youth and adult education classes and traditional services. Goldstein, who, along with his wife, is an Orthodox Jew, said he wants to offer Judaism to all Jews, whether they are Orthodox, Reform, Conservative or unaffiliated.
"By us, there are no labels," he said. "We look at a Jew as a soul. The body doesn't make a difference who they are. Every Jew has a soul, and therefore, that's what's important to us. We don't charge any membership. Anyone who wants to come join for prayer or anything, they are more than welcome to come. The doors are always open for people to come learn.
