Amid the constraints of the coronavirus pandemic, the sale of shofars ahead of Rosh Hashanah this year skyrocketed, according to eBay, the e-commerce giant.

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With limited synagogue attendance and many choosing to stay home altogether, Jews have taken to the online store to purchase the ancient musical horn traditionally used for the festivity.

eBay reported a 35% increase in the sale of Rosh Hashanah-related products over the past year and noted that more than 2,000 shofars have been sold at an average price of 280 shekels ($90) per item.

Shofars are a popular export item from Israel, most of which are sold to the United States, United Kingdom, Australia and even Puerto Rico.

The most expensive shofar, eBay noted, was a Yemenite one sold for NIS 4,500 ($1,400). Another one, bearing the image of Lubavitcher Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneersohn, sold for NIS 1,600 ($499). A third shofar with a decorative pomegranate design was sold for the same price.

For those looking for more affordable options, there are plenty to choose from as well, for some shofars cost as little as a couple of hundred shekels or less. For example, a short Yemenite shofar is priced at NIS 147 ($46) and an Ashkenazi one for NIS 176 ($55).

A particularly fascinating item is the smallest shofar available. It is 11 centimeters (4 inches) long and costs NIS 41 ($13).

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The Health Ministry has issued clarifications for its regulations on holiday prayer, with emphasis on the need to pray out of doors wherever possible.

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According to the Health Ministry, outdoor prayer minyans may be held in groups of up to 20 participants, with two meters between each participant. Each "capsule" area must be marked by rope or tape, and an empty chair is to be placed between participants who do not live in the same household.

The Health Ministry has asked the public to adhere to the same prayer groups and not move from one group to another.

As far as indoor prayers, the Health Ministry has instructed that prayer groups be separated by impermeable barriers or plastic sheeting, and that there must be a two-meter [yard] distance between sections.

Synagogues are to put up a sign at the entrance denoting the building's maximum occupancy and the name of the person in charge of enforcing coronavirus regulations. Worshipper who do not live in the same household must be separated by two empty chairs when praying indoors.

Cantors and people assigned to blow the shofar have been granted special exemption from the upcoming lockdown and can apply for travel permits, given the importance of song and the shofar in High Holiday rituals and the fact that there is a shortage of people who can fulfill these roles.

Preparations are also ongoing to accommodate outdoor prayers for large numbers of people. Chief Rabbi David Lau, along with religious Zionist rabbis, are urging Israelis to participate in an initiative from the Benoam rabbinical group designed to allow everyone in Israel to hear the shofar at one time: 11 a.m. on Sunday morning, the second day of Rosh Hashanah.

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Benoam is suggesting that everyone who plans to blow a shofar on the holiday do so at the same time – 11 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 19.

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According to the rabbis, "The initiative was born out of enormous demand from the traditional community, which takes care to hear the shofar but is worried that this year, coronavirus will prevent them from attending synagogue or other places of prayer like they do every year."

Rabbi Yisrael Meir Riani, the founder of Benoam, said, "The most important symbol of Rosh Hashanah is the blowing of the shofar. The idea of all shofars being blown at the same time provides a solution for tens of thousands of people nationwide who want to hear it.

According to Riani, the idea will prevent people from having to go far from their homes to hear the shofar, and keep elderly and vulnerable people at home while allowing them to enjoy the moment.

"This is also an important message about what we are most missing as a society, which is unity. When all the people of Israel hear the shofar at once, everyone will be united for a wonderful moment as the new year begins. I'm certain that this will have a positive effect on the year as a whole and on Israeli society," Riani said.

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