(CNN) -- It's been described as the symbolic voice of God. You can hear it trumpeting across Israel and Jewish communities everywhere during the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, which begins at sundown on September 24. Crafted from the horn of a kosher animal, the shofar is "an instrument that releases, symbolically, God's voice," according to shofar expert Robert Weinger. "We are waking up our spirituality. To return to god to actually cleanse ourselves." Weinger, an American, worked in the food and beverage industry for over 20 years before he found his calling. Now, he imports shofars to the United States from Israel.
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The shofar is "an instrument that releases, symbolically, God's voice," says an expert
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The instrument dates back thousands of years to the time of Abraham and Isaac
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Made from the horn of a kosher animal, the preferred shofar is a ram's horn
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Customers at Eli Ribak's shop in Tel Aviv test each one, trying to find that perfect pitch
Robert Weinger
Weinger
Aside from importing shofars, @placeholder also plays it for people and at synagogues.
Jewish New Year
Rosh Hashanah
@placeholder marks the time Jews believe God created man.
Jewish
"According to @placeholder law, the shofar has to be something that is actually hallow inside," Schweiger says.
Eli Ribak
If a customer doesn't know how to play the instrument, @placeholder can teach them.