ÐÓ°ÉÐÔ°É

A goat horn, which has been regarded as a valuable piece of history, has gone missing from the United Congregation Synagogue on Duke Street, Kingston, and the members of the congregation are willing to pay to get it back.

Known as a shofar, the 175-year-old ram's horn trumpet is used in Jewish religious ceremonies, and the Jews are offering $30,000 for its return.

David Matalon, the person who blows the shofar at the religious ceremonies, told THE STAR that although the missing shofar could be replaced, its historical value is irreplaceable.

"If we replace it, we going to replace the history with it. We have another one, but it's a much longer curve shofar, harder to blow. But this one has been oiled and regularly used, so the tone is very mellow. And it's a shorter one than the one we currently use," he said.

"It got broken many years ago, and they patched it with some fiberglass. And then it has a little chip out at the front of the mouth. Once I see it, I'll know it forever, it's that kind of machine," he added.

Matalon said the missing shofar is of no use to anyone who may have it.

"You need to know how to blow it, and not many people do know. It's not an easy thing, you have to know how to do it, you couldn't pick it up and get a note out of it. I've been blowing it for about 43 years," he said.

"It would be fabulous to have the history back. I don't think it's been stolen for the value, there's no commercial value to it. There's a lot of sentimental value, and that you can't replace," he added.

Angela Foote, the synagogue's office manager, said the shofar went missing more than six months ago.

"We don't know where they stole it from," she said.