06 September 2007
A synagogue in Florida is offering two front row seats for sale on the eBay internet auction site. Temple Emanu-El in Miami Beach is offering ‘membership for life’ with the two ‘front and center’ seats. The starting price is $1.8m dollars although there were no bids within the first 24 hours. The auction is scheduled to end on 10 September. According to the listing on eBay, the package includes: Two comfortable seats ‘right in front of the Rabbi!’; Includes all Jewish holidays and all Shabbat services; Family name engraved on the seats; Two custom-made Israeli tallitot and kippot; and free parking.
Temple President Jerry Jacobs said. “I don't want to use the word `gimmick,' but it's a way for us to get the community involved in what we're doing. Here you can have the two best seats in the house, and they'll be in your family forever. We chose $1.8 million to represent chai and that these seats would be yours for life”. Tickets for Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur services are in high demand and are hard to come by at most temples. At Temple Emanu-El, two seats cost $1,800 for congregation members.
