The Shofar: A Symbol of Healing and Redemption

The shofar, crafted from a ram’s horn, is traditionally used like a trumpet. It signifies the majesty of God and calls for repentance. During Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, it serves as a spiritual alert for self-reflection and improvement. On Yom Kippur, the shofar marks the end of fasting, representing the hope that prayers are accepted and life is blessed with health and prosperity for the coming year.

The shofar also symbolizes healing and spiritual renewal. In Dr. Marc Siegel’s book The Angels Among Us, the shofar features in a miraculous recovery involving Nikki Goldstein, a journalist from Sydney, Australia. Goldstein, suffering from chronic lung and autoimmune diseases, found herself critically ill in September 2022. Her condition appeared terminal, with a CT scan revealing severe lung infection and scarring. Placed on a ventilator and in a coma, she awaited a lung transplant.

Rabbi Eli Schlanger, assistant rabbi at the Chabad synagogue in Bondi Beach, performed prayers over Goldstein at her family’s request. He then blew the shofar. Remarkably, Goldstein’s health began to improve significantly the next day. She awoke from the coma, showing rapid recovery, which was later attributed to a medical miracle. This experience led Goldstein to co-author a book with Rabbi Schlanger titled Conversations With My Rabbi.

On December 14, 2025, during a Hanukkah celebration at Archer Park, Sydney, with over 1,000 attendees, a tragic event unfolded. Gunmen attacked the gathering in an antisemitic act of terror. Rabbi Schlanger, trying to prevent further violence, approached the attackers pleading for peace. Tragically, he was shot and killed. His wife and infant child survived the attack, despite injuries.

Recently, Dr. Siegel shared a personal story about his daughter, a medical student, encountering a rabbi who experienced a mini-stroke while blowing the shofar. This incident unveiled underlying health issues, leading to a diagnosis of diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol, proving lifesaving.

The shofar remains a profound inspiration, continuing to embody healing and miraculous renewal, as first expressed in the Old Testament when God delivered the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai (Exodus 19:16).

Dr. Marc Siegel’s forthcoming book, The Angels Among Us, is set for release on November 18, 2026, and available for preorder through Fox Books, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble.