Shofar shortage? War impacts Jerusalem seller as shipping delays, costs spike

Many of Jan-Elazar Refoua’s clients chose to buy shofarot from him because they know that he, a master shofar-blower, has tested every single one. This year, the impact of the Israel-Hamas War on shipping made it difficult for Refoua to make sure he had shofarot for his customers.

Refoua welcomed us in his shop this week to discuss the impact of the war on his business, showing off his impressive skills in an interview interspersed with breaks to hear him blow the shofar and tell us about the different kinds that he sells.

This year has been challenging for Refoua, who sells Judaica, gifts, and souvenirs in a shop in downtown Jerusalem. The war has decimated tourism and spiked shipping costs.

Refoua became aware of the supply problem when he went to his suppliers to place orders for the year.

“I went to order merchandise, and they would say, ‘OK, it will be another week, or another two weeks,’” he explained.

When he was finally able to get the shofarot, he saw that prices had gone up by around 15%-20%.

That is when the suppliers explained what had caused delays and price spikes. “This year, because of what is happening with the war, the port in Eilat is working much less, so they need to go all the way around to get here, and then it’s a lot longer,” said Refoua, sharing the explanation his suppliers gave him.

Effects of the war

Suppliers told him that fear of attacks by Houthis was a factor in changing shipping routes and extending delivery times.

“So deliveries were delayed, and there was a shortage of high-quality shofars. In the end, we got some, but later and with much higher shipping costs.”

This did not create a large shortage for Refoua, but only because much of his clientele are tourists who did not make it to Israel to buy from him.

Last year Refoua sold around five or six shofarot a day; the day we came in to interview him, he said he had sold just one.

While he doesn’t like to focus on the negatives, Refoua said that his business is hurting, especially as the war has come soon after he was forced to deal with the impacts on his business from the coronavirus pandemic.

“We got through the First and Second Intifada; we got through the coronavirus – but now it is one thing after another,” he said.

“I have been here in this store for 42 years. We got through all the terror attacks and coronavirus,” he said, adding that they even got through it when his wife and daughter were at the site of a terror attack and his wife was injured.

Refoua is confident that he and the rest of the country will pull through, and he says that if our greatest problem is a shofar shortage, “thank God.”

“The main thing is that there should be more quiet and peace and that the soldiers will return in peace; that is what really matters,” he said.

Refoua has three sons serving in reserves, all of whom have served in Gaza.

Eventually, despite the delay and price increases, Refoua managed to get high-quality shofars.

“Shofar is godly music,” he said. “Sometimes you don’t hear it with your ears; you hear it with your heart. It’s a different feeling.”

Refoua is confident that Israelis will come through this war stronger than before.

“We are like a sword – it gets stronger from being in the flame – heated and cooled.”

“We have gone through a lot, and it has made us stronger for the future.” Many of Jan-Elazar Refoua’s clients chose to buy shofarot from him because they know that he, a master shofar-blower, has tested every single one. This year, the impact of the Israel-Hamas War on shipping made it difficult for Refoua to make sure he had shofarot for his customers.

Refoua welcomed us in his shop this week to discuss the impact of the war on his business, showing off his impressive skills in an interview interspersed with breaks to hear him blow the shofar and tell us about the different kinds that he sells.

Suppliers told him that fear of attacks by Houthis was a factor in changing shipping routes and extending delivery times.

“So deliveries were delayed, and there was a shortage of high-quality shofars. In the end, we got some, but later and with much higher shipping costs.”

This did not create a large shortage for Refoua, but only because much of his clientele are tourists who did not make it to Israel to buy from him.

Last year Refoua sold around five or six shofarot a day; the day we came in to interview him, he said he had sold just one.

While he doesn’t like to focus on the negatives, Refoua said that his business is hurting, especially as the war has come soon after he was forced to deal with the impacts on his business from the coronavirus pandemic.

“We got through the First and Second Intifada; we got through the coronavirus – but now it is one thing after another,” he said.

“I have been here in this store for 42 years. We got through all the terror attacks and coronavirus,” he said, adding that they even got through it when his wife and daughter were at the site of a terror attack and his wife was injured.

Refoua is confident that he and the rest of the country will pull through, and he says that if our greatest problem is a shofar shortage, “thank God.”

“The main thing is that there should be more quiet and peace and that the soldiers will return in peace; that is what really matters,” he said.

Refoua has three sons serving in reserves, all of whom have served in Gaza.

Eventually, despite the delay and price increases, Refoua managed to get high-quality shofars.

“Shofar is godly music,” he said. “Sometimes you don’t hear it with your ears; you hear it with your heart. It’s a different feeling.”

Refoua is confident that Israelis will come through this war stronger than before.

“We are like a sword – it gets stronger from being in the flame – heated and cooled.”

“We have gone through a lot, and it has made us stronger for the future.”