The Flame of Burning Brighter Than Ever as 500,000+ Inspired by Global Siyumei HaShas

January 26, 2020

Photo above: View of the Crowd at the Hashas 2020. (Photo Credits for this photo: Dudy Braun) by Sandy Eller

Amid all the planning, predictions and even prayers for the 13th Global Siyum Hashas, not a single member of the massive team that planned the worldwide celebration of limud haTorah ever expected things to turn out quite the way they did.

Starting on December 16th in , Australia and moving on days later to Mexico City, the Global Siyum HaShas of began a month-long trek across the planet, igniting an unprecedented passion for Torah in every city, at every siyum. Throughout North America, Europe, Australia and , well over 500,000 people participated in multiple siyumim and like the mountaintop flames in Mishnaic times that signaled the coming of Rosh Chodesh from one locale to another, the torch of Torah circled the globe, setting hearts and souls on fire.

Rav ’s vision of a daily commitment to learning bringing Klal Yisroel together came to life like never before at the makom Torah that he founded in in 1930, with the Siyum HaShas returning on January 1st to its birthplace, Chachmei . Inscribing another memorable page in the annals of history on the same day were epic siyumim at MetLife Stadium and , with thousands more flocking to Daf Yomi celebrations in and other locations. In the days that followed, the flames of Torah blazed an impassioned trail from the Western Hemisphere eastward, each of the ebullient Siyumei HaShas transcending time and space as they united in-person participants with hundreds of thousands of livestream viewers under a banner of Torah that spanned both continents and generations.

Days after the final emotional Hadran was made in Minneapolis on January 18th, sparks of the Siyum HaShas continue to burn brightly, reflections of The Siyum’s duality that simultaneously marked the culmination of the 2,711 page journey through and the start of the 14th Daf Yomi cycle. Stories continue to pour into the offices of Agudath Israel of America of increased commitments to Torah and mitzvos brought on by The Siyum, including a group of non-observant French students who left MetLife Stadium determined to take on a single , seeking out the advice and the blessings of the Kaliver in Williamsburg to guide them on their spiritual quest. A Lakewood woman reported that her husband’s decision to start Daf Yomi had him heading to a local seforim store where he discovered that it had completely sold out every volume of Maseches Berachos, a scenario that repeated itself in the next two stores he visited. Labish Becker, executive director of Agudath Israel of America, noted how a proud daughter told him that her father was so inspired by the last siyum that he finished shas for the first time at the age of 85! Just days after the Siyum HaShas, Rabbi Moshe Matz, executive director of Agudath Israel of Florida, was stopped in a supermarket parking lot by a young boy who proudly announced that he had been inspired to undertake a commitment in mishnayos. And a participant in one of The Siyum’s suites saw firsthand how the pintele yid can never be extinguished when a MetLife Stadium staffer who was mesmerized by images of Holocaust survivors flashing across a wall mounted monitor shared that her family had abandoned their yiddishkeit during , but that The Siyum has inspired her to explore her long-buried religious roots.

The serious commitment to limud Torah that was The Siyum encouraged in people of all ages, from all walks of life and from all across the religious is unprecedented, noted Rabbi Eliyahu Simcha Bamberger, national director of the Agudah’s Daf Yomi Commission. The MetLife Stadium Siyum HaShas was the first siyum to offer a livestream with simultaneous translations given in Hebrew, , Spanish, Russian and French, and starting the MetLife program at 1 PM Eastern Standard Time also opened up the event to a worldwide audience. Even the January 1st date of the MetLife Stadium siyum, chosen to avoid potential scheduling conflicts in the sporting world, added an extra element of hashgachah pratis, the New Year’s Day holiday minimizing traffic while allowing more people to attend the program.

While pictures of the Siyumei HaShas remain forever etched in the minds of Klal Yisroel, the Kodak moment that encapsulates the event differs from person to person. For some it was the unbridled exuberance of singing and dancing after the Hadran, while for others it was the silence that spoke volumes as thousands, and in MetLife Stadium, tens of thousands, davened Shmoneh Esrai together in complete and utter stillness. Some point to the emotional moment of kabalas ol malchus shomayim as the highlight of the Siyum HaShas, while for others it was the incredible reverence shown for the priceless jewels of our generation, the Holocaust survivors who attended the siyumim. But there is no doubt that the Siyumei Hashas were emotionally charged events for all who participated, adding heartfelt fuel to the fire of Torah that has sustained Klal Yisroel for centuries, with hundreds of thousands signing up to learn Daf Yomi for the first time and an equal number of people and tens of thousands of children embarking on new voyages in .

“There has never been a springboard for more serious commitments to learning than this siyum,” observed Rabbi Bamberger. “This siyum touched people’s lives in so many different ways, from those who had zero to do with Orthodoxy to people who are committed but couldn’t find the time to learn previously and are now making the time, no matter how difficult it may be.”

Literally translated, the word “siyum” means conclusion, and those who attended siyumim in every corner of the world did so with the intent of celebrating the ending to a monumental achievement in learning. Little did they know that no matter which siyum they attended, their lives would be forever changed as they celebrated new beginnings in learning, sparks of Torah and achdus flashing all across the globe as siyumim were held in city after city, offering a tantalizing glimpse of bias haMoshiach.

“None of us ever expected anything like this to happen,” admitted Rabbi Avrohom Perl, Director of Agudath Israel’s Torah Projects Commission. “The Siyum HaShas was a testament to a true thirst for Torah and what yiddishkeit stands for – getting close to Hakadosh Baruch Hu through Torah. This siyum showed the world what we stand for and wherever any member of Klal Yisroel may be, geographically, emotionally or culturally, this is what is going to carry us through this final stage of golus.”

Chicago, Illinois

Rabbi Meir Yedid Rabbi Rabbi Shmuel Fuerst Rabbi Asher Weiss

Rabbi Shmuel Dishon Partial View of the Crowd

Rabbonim on Dais Dancing Dancing Dancing

Photo credits for , Illinois Siyum Hashas 2020 photos: Raphoel Langsam and Rine Photography

Cleveland, Ohio

Rabbi Dovid Goldberg Speaking, Rabbi Yehuda Cahan Rabbi Shmuel Aryeh Levin is seated. Boys Partial View of the Crowd

Partial View of the Crowds

Dancing

Photo Credits for , Ohio Siyum Hashas 2020 photos: Jordan Gross

Dallas, Texas

Rabbi Labish Becker leading tehillim

Rabbi Aryeh Feigenbaum welcoming participants

Guest Speaker Rabbi Uren Reich Rabbi Yerachmiel Fried beginning the fourteenth Spirited Dancing Dan Goldstein Saying the Hadran

Spirited Dancing

Photo Credits for , Texas Siyum Hashas 2020 photos: Eli Brodrick

Denver, Colorado

Special program feature with the Masmidei Hasiyum Program at the Siyum

The Mesaymim

Partial View of the Crowd

Partial View of the Crowd

Photo Credits for , Colorado Siyum Hashas 2020 photos: Neil Rosenfeld

Ft. Lauderdale, Florida

Rabbi Pinchos Aharon Weberman Rabbi David Yosef

Rabbi Moshe Matz Akiva Zaret making Siyum Mishnayos

Rabbi Labish Becker and Rabbi Rabbi Yisroel Moshe Janowski Ephraim Leizerson being Mesayim Rabbi Yaakov Gross Rabbi Fishel Schachter addressing the Masmidei Hasiyum

Dayan Aharon Dovid Dunner Guests

Guests Rabbi Yisroel Edelman – Haschala of new cycle

Photo Credits for Ft. Lauderdale, Florida Siyum Hashas 2020 photos: Carlos Chattah

Houston, Texas

Dancing

Photo Credits for , Texas Siyum Hashas 2020 photos: Agudath Israel of America Archives

London, United Kingdom

Rabbi Yissochar Frand Rabbi Avrohom Gurwitz

Dancing Dancing

Partial View of the Crowd Photo Credits for London, United Kingdom Siyum Hashas 2020 photos: Dudy Braun

Los Angeles, California

Rabbi David Ozeri Rabbi Binyomin Eisenberger

Crowd Dancing Crowd Dancing Rabbonim Dancing

Photo Credits for , California Siyum Hashas 2020 photos: Shaya Cohen

Lublin, Poland

Rabbi Yoir Adler Rabbi Noach Isaac Oelbaum Writing an Os in the New Dancing with the new Sefer Dancing Torah

Rabbi Noach Isaac Oelbaum

Photo Credits for Lublin, Poland Siyum Hashas 2020 photos: Duvid Singer & Yehuda Fried / Nesivos Tours

Montreal, Quebec Rabbi Shaul Prizent (Left) and Rabbi Yaakov Reisman Vishnitzer Rebbe of Montreal (Right)

Rabbi David Sabak Rabbi Avrohom Nisan Perl (Center) with Montreal Askanim R’ Hersh Ber Hirsch (Right) and R’ Menachem Meir Feig

Partial View of the Crowd Partial View of the Crowd Dancing

Photo Credits for Montreal, Quebec Siyum Hashas 2020 photos: Yanky Pollak

Toronto, Ontario

Rabbi Rabbi Doniel Osher Kleinman Rabbi Dovid Pam Rabbi Yoir Adler

Dancing

Photo Credits for , Ontario Siyum Hashas 2020 photos: Zevi Lichtenstein

Photo Credits:

Chicago, Illinois: Raphoel Langsam and Rine Photography Cleveland, Ohio: Jordan Gross Dallas, Texas: Eli Brodrick Denver, Colorado: Neil Rosenfeld Ft. Lauderdale, Florida: Carlos Chattah Houston, Texas: Agudath Israel of America Archives London, United Kingdom: Dudy Braun Los Angeles, California: Shaya Cohen Lublin, Poland: Duvid Singer & Yehuda Fried / Nesivos Tours Montreal, Quebec: Yanky Pollak Toronto, Ontario: Zevi Lichtenstein

Watch: The Full Video of the 13th Global Siyum Hashas at Barclay’s Center

January 26, 2020 Enjoy the full program at Barclay’s from the 13th Global Siyum Hashas on Jan. 1, 2020:

Revolutionary Siyum HaShas Programming Shatters Boundaries, Bringing Torah Study to All

January 26, 2020 by Sandy Eller

The January air was cold and the winds were unforgiving, but somewhere between the 50 yard line and the soaring heights of the MetLife Stadium’s top tier the Siyum HaShas transformed winter into spring, planting vibrant seeds of Torah in the hearts of tens of thousands of not-yet-observant throughout the world.

The groundbreaking partnership between Agudath Israel of America and Olami used The Siyum as the world’s largest kiruv event, with afour hour broadcast for the secular Jewish audience expanding the scope of limud Torah far beyond the conventional boundaries of the Orthodox world. Hosted by Olami chief operating officer Rabbi David Markowitz and prominent public speaker Charlie Harary, the program included rabbonim, businessmen and others, and featured portions of The Siyum as well as relatable content tailored to resonate with a secular audience. The Torah Anytime livestream of the program reached a global audience of 80,000 through a network of kiruv organizations including Olami, Aish Hatorah, , The Project, Shabbat.com and others.

“The Olami broadcast gave secular Jews the ability to have a better understanding of The Siyum and to tap into the experience, explaining what is a siyum, what is a Hadran and what the Agudah is all about,” said Rabbi Shai Markowitz, director of the Lefkowitz Leadership Initiative and a member of the Siyum HaShas executive steering committee. “This was part of the greater vision of The Siyum, using the event as an opportunity to inspire limud haTorah in all of klal yisroel.” Rabbi David Markowitz described The Siyum broadcast as a gamechanger, building a navigable bridge to Orthodoxy for unaffiliated Jews.

“It was a turning point of realizing that the Torah community is strong, robust and in a position of confidence,” said Rabbi David Markowitz. “We don’t have to hide anymore or apologize for our way of life and we can confidently and proudly say that we have something amazing called ‘the Torah’ which is accessible to everybody. We have spent years rebuilding the Torah world and perhaps now we can start sharing outward.”

A weeklong Olami conference that coincided with The Siyum drew 400 not- yet-observant participants from 15 countries, with numerous individuals committing to learning Daf Yomi in English, appreciating for the first time that limud Torah could be a fulfilling part of their lives. An Olami recap video of the Siyum HaShas featured enthusiastic reactions from several participants including Jonathan from South Africa who said, “Just coming together with 90,000 Jews that are learning every day was truly inspiring for me and a connecting experience.”

It could take years to see the seeds sown at The Siyum sprouting, but Rabbi David Markowitz said that he is confident that roots of limud Torah are already beginning to take hold.

“The Agudah managed to take something that was always seen as an insular thing and turned it into a concept that was no longer just for ‘religious guys,’” said Rabbi David Markowitz. “Learning Torah isn’t just for yeshiva guys anymore. It’s not just for balabatim anymore. The Siyum showed us that today every Jew can learn Torah.”

To watch the Siyum HaShas and Olami programming, see https://olami.org/o/live/. Left: Rabbi David Markowitz, Left: Rabbi David Markowitz, COO, Olami; Center: Charlie COO, Olami; Right: Charlie Harary; Right: Shlomo Werdiger, Harary – standing during Agudah’s Chairman of the Board Kabbalas Ol Malchus Shamayim of Trustees

A River Apart, Barclays and MetLife A Joint Celebration of The Siyum

January 26, 2020

by Sandy Eller For all intents and purposes, it was as if the eleven miles that separated Barclays Center from MetLife Stadium had simply disappeared, the two venues coming together as one in a monumental celebration of Torah as the 13th Global Siyum HaShas of Daf Yomi made its way into the annals of history.

The passion and ahavas haTorah that was 90,000 strong at MetLife Stadium was equally powerful at Barclays, where an additional 15,000 participants boosted in-person attendance at the Siyum HaShas to record numbers, the hundreds of thousands who joined through live broadcasts exponentially expanding The Siyum’s global reach. The nearly sold out arena was reminiscent of earlier siyumim that had been held in similar venues, imbuing Barclays with a sense of continuity that cemented The Siyum as the next link in a chain of Daf Yomi celebrations that extended back through and ultimately to its origins at Yeshivas Chachmei Lublin.

As at MetLife, the Barclays’ dais was filled with illustrious gedolim and rabbonim, their presence highlighting the chashivus of the event which turned the massive sporting venue into a place of kedushah whose air was permeated with the sweetness of Torah. Among those attended The Siyum at Barclays Center were Rabbi Aharon Schechter, Rosh HaYeshiva, Yeshiva Rabbeinu Chaim Berlin and Chaver Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah, Rabbi Shraga Hager, the Kossover Rebbe, Rabbi Shmuel Mordechai Portugal, the Skulener , Rabbi Yisroel Hager, the Viznitzer Rebbe of Monsey, and Rabbi , , – .

The majority of the program was livestreamed from MetLife, with video monitors at the East Rutherford, stadium showcasing feeds from Barclays and other siyumim, connecting the various events which shared a single soul. Still, there were moments of The Siyum that were unique to Barclays, participants listening intently as Rabbi Yosef Frankel, Vyelipoler Rebbe and Chaver Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah delivered divrei brachah. Rabbi Avrohom Nisan Perl, director of Agudath Israel of America’s Commission on Torah Projects and coordinator of the Barclays event, was misayem Shas and said the Hadran, with Rabbi Yeruchim Olshin, Rosh HaYeshiva, Beis Medrash Govoha, visibly moved as he said the Yehi Ratzon following the Hadran. As at Metlife Stadium, Barclays exploded with joy when the 13th cycle of Daf Yomi came to its glorious conclusion, with thousands filling the arena’s massive floor as they danced back and forth before the dais, raising their voices in song that emanated from the depths of hearts dedicated to Torah.

While most of the highlights of the program had been carefully choreographed by The Siyum committee, there was unscripted emotion after the heartrending Keil Maley Rachamim when Holocaust survivor Reb Mordechai Menachem Wieder said Kadish. Reaching for the microphone as he completed the final words Mr. Wieder said in Yiddish, “I want to say one thing. All the older people who are here should be zoche to come back in another seven and a half years for the next siyum in good health.”

As the program concluded with Maariv, a spontaneous rekida erupted, participants seizing the opportunity to extend The Siyum for just a few more minutes, fueling themselves with additional inspiration before they returned home, invigorated and inspired and ready to embark again on the daf shel sefina that will take them through the next seven and a half years. Once again, the demonstration of achdus that Rav Meir Shapiro had envisioned would be created by Daf Yomi was evident in the arena, with participants representing every segment of the Jewish community joining hands as they danced, their shared simchah and genuine love of Torah bringing them together in a moment that would be forever engraved on their hearts.

The siyum’s theme of ki heim chayeinu resonated clearly with those at Barclays, with everyone internalizing the message that Torah is the foundation of our existence and leaving on the spiritual high that comes from appreciating the importance of k’vias itim l’Torah.

“On the way out, I overheard someone who had finished Shas ask his younger brother if he would be starting Daf Yomi when the cycle began anew on Sunday,” said Rabbi Perl. “The brother responded simply saying, ‘How can I not?’”

Despite being a siyum veteran, Rabbi Perl noted he was extremely moved by the Barclays Center event. “Looking out at the multitude of different faces in the crowd, with people young and old, some in small kapelach and others in all kinds of hats, you saw the achdus that was there,” said Rabbi Perl. “It was truly breathtaking to watch the way the bnei Torah were dancing in front of the roshei yeshiva and the expressions on people’s faces while they davened Shmone Esrai . Even when you have been to a Siyum Hashas before, there is something that overtakes you when you see it happening before your very eyes.”

Kossover Rebbe Davening Rabbi Elya Ber Wachtfogel Mincha begining Shas

Rabbi Avrohom Nisan Perl Rabbi Shlomo Altusky and Rabbi making the Siyum Menachem Feiffer dancing with Talmidim Rabbi Yaakov Reisman saying Rabbi Yerucem Olshin saying the on Shisha Sidrei Mishna Yehi Ratzon

Rabbi Yosef Frankel giving Divrei Rav Elya Brudny saying the Brocha Kaddish after Siyum

Rav Elya Brudny saying the Viznitzer Rebbe of Monsey saying Kaddish after Siyum Shma Yisroel Reb Mordechai Menachem Singing after Siyum Mishnayos Weider, Holocaust Survivor saying the Kaddish for the Kedoshim

Partial View of Crowd Partial View of Crowd

Partial View of Crowd L-R Rabbi Shlomo Altusky, Skulaner Rav, Viznitzer Rav (Boro Park), Rabbi Yaakov Horowitz,Bobov 45 Rov

Rav Elya Brudny givin Sholom to Viznitzer Rebbe of Monsey

Inviting the Participants to the Dancing Dance Floor Dancing Dancing After Siyum

Dancing After Siyum Dancing After Siyum

Achdus During Dancing Rabbonim on Dais dancing Photo Credits: Hillel Lichtenstein and Avrumi Blum

K’ish Echad B’Leiv Echad, MetLife Stadium Erupts in Celebration of Torah

January 26, 2020

by Sandy Eller

If you closed your eyes and let the waves of kedushah wash over you, you could imagine that you were standing at Har Sinai at the exact moment when Klal Yisroel received the most precious gift in the world directly from Hashem. Far from its beginnings as a sporting venue, MetLife Stadium was transformed into a mikdash me’at, with men, women and children of all ages, representing every segment of the Jewish community, joining together to celebrate the completion of the 13th cycle of Daf Yomi.

The words of came to life in East Rutherford, New Jersey, as Jews from all over the world experienced The Siyum, k’ish echad b’leiv echad, as one soul with one heart. It was more than four hours of pure bliss for siyum- goers, the occasional drifting snowflake drifting and biting winds no match for the fire of Torah that burned brightly in the hearts of an audience 90,000 strong at MetLife Stadium. Hundreds of thousands more shared in the simchah at Barclays Center, at simultaneous events held worldwide and via livestream.

The Siyum was an epic display of kavod haTorah, the massive center stage topped by a regal canopy, with gedolim and rabbonim seated in their places of honor on the dais. The program was packed with emotional moments, with the creme de la creme of the Torah world speaking passionately about limud Torah as the lifeblood of the Jewish nation that has sustained Klal Yisroel throughout history and the power of Daf Yomi as a force that brings every segment of the community together in every corner of the world. From the very first words of Mincha at the 1 PM start time until the very last amein at the end of Maariv, the program touched hearts and spanned the generations, a special siyum on mishnayos empowering the children of Masmidei HaSiyum to carry the torch of Torah forward into the future, while a tribute to the Holocaust survivors in attendance demonstrated that limud Torah is a bridge that links our past, our present and our future.

The Siyum theme of ki heim chayeinu came to life in several videos highlighting the importance of kvias itim l’Torah, with a tribute to founder Rabbi Meir Zlotowitz urging participants to utilize their own talents and abilities to change the world. Equally inspiring was the presentation of a World Wari II era gemara to Rav , Rosh HaYeshiva of Talmudical Yeshiva of and Chaver Moetzes Gedolei Hatorah, the historic volume used to make the poignant siyum marking the conclusion of the final masechta of Shas.

Twenty minutes of exuberant singing and dancing followed the siyum, the entire stadium coming alive as those in the stands linked arms and swayed at their seats while those on the field level made their triumphant way across the floor. The sheer joy of the moment was transformative, the physical and spiritual elements of The Siyum blending seamlessly as the accomplishment of completing the 13th Daf Yomi cycle merged with the promise of the 14th cycle, touching hearts and inspiring souls. Equally powerful was the haschalas Shas by Rabbi , Rosh HaYeshiva of and Chaver Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah, bringing Rabbi Meir Shapiro’s dream to life once again with the beginning of the new Daf Yomi cycle.

The Siyum impacted participants on a variety of levels. Jeff Cohn of made the three hour trip to East Rutherford five months after undergoing quadruple bypass surgery. Mr. Cohn, who has maintained a daily for more than thirty years, said that his trip to The Siyum was his first major outing since his hospitalization.

“This is the ultimate celebration of Torah and a display of our ultimate servitude to Hakadosh Baruch Hu, showing that our mission in life is to learn his Torah and live his Torah,” said Mr. Cohn. “Nothing was going to stop me from coming and it is a tremendous zechus to be here.”

Yossi Gleiberman of Flatbush gives two daf shiurim daily and is in the midst of his fifth journey through Daf Yomi. He came to MetLife Stadium with his wife Estie and his daughter Avigail, who came back from seminary in Israel just to celebrate The Siyum.

“Daf Yomi has always been part of my life and The Siyum is a family simchah,” said Miss Gleiberman. “It was impossible for me not to be here.”

While for many The Siyum marks the completion of a seven and a half year long journey through Shas, Mr. Gleiberman took a different view of the occasion.

“I can’t wait to into the driver’s seat and start again,” observed Mr. Gleiberman. “We have to focus and enjoy every single day, every single daf and every opportunity we have for limud Torah.”

Those thoughts were echoed by Passaic resident Martin Bodek who was making his second siyum on Daf Yomi.

“The actual siyum is definitely a ‘wow’ moment, but starting the cycle again just moments later is very emotional,” said Mr. Bodek, whose grandfather completed Shas fourteen times in his lifetime. “For me, finishing Maseches Berachos is really special because it is your own Hadran coming true. When you finished Shas you vowed to come back again and you really did.”

Daf Yomi serves as a stabilizing force for Moshe Kinderlehrer of Teaneck.

“It is a reminder that I am still in the Torah word and keeps my learning sharp,” said Mr. Kinderlehrer. “I’m not just an Orthodox Jew; I’m an Orthodox Jew who learns Torah.”

Former NYPD officer Gene Stevens of Brooklyn was happy to return to MetLife Stadium for his second siyum, sitting in almost the same seat on the floor that he had occupied in 2012.

“What brings me here is the achdus that every Jew feels when they come together,” said Mr. Stevens. “Especially in light of what has been going on in recent times and all the craziness in the news, coming together and supporting each other is very special.”

For a group of public school students who were partaking in NCSY’s Yarchei Kallah program during their winter break, The Siyum was an opportunity to experience a sense of community in an unprecedented way. Chaperone Yael Cohnen of Monsey said that while the girls she brought didn’t understand all of the speeches, they walked away from The Siyum moved by the experience.

“Just seeing the sheer number of Jews in one place really put them in a place of awe,” said Miss Cohnen. “Some of them come from very small Jewish communities where they count heads for every week and here thousands and thousands of Jews were together in one place. They got to be part of the largest Jewish gathering in the world, and that really made an impact on them.” Holocaust survivor Naftali Faska, whose childhood home was located across the street from the Agudah shul in Bendzin, Poland, tuned in to The Siyum from afar. Knowing that his grandson was being misayem Daf Yomi and that his great grandsons were part of Masmidei HaSiyum was yet another example that the mesorah that had been passed down to him by his parents was continuing on in the next generation.

“I never imagined that I would see a celebration of Torah like this in my lifetime,” said Mr. Faska. “After the war, your whole life was about your family and carrying on the way of life you had back home. To see dor yesharim being raised in the proper derech is something that brings tears to your eyes and gives you hope for the future.”

The Siyum was a family affair for Shimmy Atlas of Chicago, whose wife persuaded him to start doing the daf after the 2012 siyum. Mr. Atlas made every siyum of the 13th Daf Yomi cycle with his family, often at the Shabbos table, and his children know the words of the Hadran by heart, typically repeating them along with him. Mr. Atlas credits his wife for his being able to come to The Siyum as a misayem, an experience that he will carry in his heart in the months and years ahead as he begins his second Daf Yomi cycle.

“Answering “Amein yehei shmei rabba,” Kedushah, and singing and dancing at a siyum with over 90,000 people is like a jolt of electricity shooting through your body and experiencing it while dancing with my boys was an experience I can’t even describe,” said Mr. Atlas. “My six year old son summed up how amazing it was by telling me as we walked from our seats after Maariv, ‘It was very good today – I want to learn Daf Yomi.’” The 13th Global Siyum HaShas of Daf Yomi begins with Mincha, the afternoon prayer service.

Crowd View of the 13th Siyum Hashas of Daf Yomi

Rabbi , Rabbi Chaim Dovid Zwiebel, Novominsker Rebbe and Rosh Executive Vice President of Agudas Yisroel, Welcoming the Agudath Israel of America Attendees Delivering Welcome Remarks Rabbi Aryeh , Rosh Rabbi , Rosh HaYeshiva, Beis Medrash Yeshiva, Yeshivas Ner Yisroel Govoha, Chaver Moetzes Gedolei Baltimore, Addressing the Crowd HaTorah, Offering Divrei B’rachah

Rabbi Aaron Schiff, Rabbi Uren Reich, Rosh of the Ultra-Orthodox community HaYeshiva, Yeshiva Ohr Zecharia in and a former Rosh Woodlake, Addressing the Crowd Yeshiva (dean) of Antwerp’s school, addressing The Siyum attendees in Yiddish.

Rabbi Yoel Gold Shares “A Siyum Rabbi Nosson Scherman, General Moment” Editor of ArtScroll/Mesorah Publications, making a Siyum on all six tractates of Mishna, the culmination of many months of study by over 30,000 child members of the Masmidei HaSiyum initiative at The Siyum.

Mr. Jay Schottenstein, who Rabbi Shmuel Kamenetsky, co- dedicated the 73 volumes of the founder and Rosh Yeshiva (dean) ArtScroll in memory of of the Talmudical Yeshiva of his father, Mr. Jerome Philadelphia and a member of the Schottenstein, reciting the Kadish Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah prayer marking the end of the (Council of Torah Sages) of 13th Daf Yomi cycle at The Agudath Israel of America, Siyum. reciting the final passages of Shas from a Holocaust era Talmud, marking the historic culmination of the 13th Daf Yomi cycle at The Siyum.

Moments after the triumphant Rabbi Eliezer Ginsburg, Rosh conclusion of the 2,711 page-long , Mir Yeshiva, Brooklyn; Daf Yomi cycle, Rabbi Aharon Feldman, Rosh Yeshiva (dean) of Rav, Agudas Yisroel Zichron Baltimore’s Ner Israel Rabbinical Shmuel, Leading the Crowd in College and a member of the Maariv Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah (Council of Torah Sages) of Agudath Israel of America, starts the Talmud anew at The Siyum.

The Dais Dancing

Dancing Rabbi Shmuel Kamenetsky Dancing During the Siyum Celebration Assemblymember Simcha Attendees Conversing at the 13th Eichenstein, dancing during the Siyum Hashas of Daf Yomi celebration

Holocaust Survivor Blesses New Jersey Governor Phil Young Siyum Attendee Murphy at the Siyum

Young Participants in the Siyum Partial View of the Crowd Hashas Celebration The Siyum is Only the Beginning!

January 26, 2020

The incredible growth of the number of mesaymim at each Siyum HaShas – estimated to double each time – shows the importance of Daf Yomi to the life of every Yid. There are over a thousand Daf Yomi shiurim in the United States alone, and that number is expected to grow significantly come January 5th, as many people use the opportunity to make a new haschalah as they embark on the voyage through the yam hatalmud. The Daf Yomi Commission of Agudas Yisroel has made posters for any new to use to invite all in the neighborhood to join.

“The poster works for existing shiurim too,” says R’ Eliyahu Simcha Bamberger, Director of the Daf Yomi Commission. “Just like there will be new shiurim, there will be new people at the already existing shiurim.”

To receive a customizable poster for your shul, available in English or Yiddish, please email [email protected] , or call 212-797-9000, extension 267. Security a High Priority as the Siyum Draws Near

January 26, 2020

With the completion of the 13th Daf Yomi cycle just days away, the upcoming Siyum HaShas will take its place in the history books as not only the largest celebration of limud Torah but also, b’ezras Hashem, the safest. The Siyum’s chief operating officer, Rabbi Yosef Chaim Golding, has been working closely with over fifty law enforcement agencies including the New Jersey State Police, New Jersey Department of Homeland Security, New York City Police Department, the New York City Mayor’s Office, the FBI and others to ensure the highest level of security at both MetLife Stadium and Barclays Center. Over 300 uniformed police officers will be positioned at MetLife Stadium alone, with countless others, including many who will not be visible to the public, stationed at multiple locations in and around the area. MetLife Stadium will be on full lockdown from the conclusion of a Sunday afternoon sporting event until the start of The Siyum as crews transition the stadium for the massive event. The NJSP will be at 100 percent deployment for The Siyum, with security at a level described by Captain Peter Velez as “a football game on steroids.” “Law enforcement officials have said that the safest place to be in New Jersey on January 1st will actually be inside MetLife Stadium,” said Rabbi Golding. Over the past six months, numerous meetings and planning sessions have also been held with stadium personnel, local EMS supervisors and Hatzolah, who will be on hand for The Siyum. Agudah board of trustees member Chaskel Bennett, The Siyum’s official liaison to Hatzolah, noted that a highly detailed emergency action plan has been created and fine tuned by experienced medical professionals under the supervision of Fran Guthrie and Tony Vaguerio of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority’s EMS team and Hatzolah coordinator Bentzy Lebovitz, with a goal of ensuring public safety. “While the Agudah is well known for its attention to detail and professionalism when it comes to programming, there are multiple other tracks that will be operating concurrently at The Siyum including security, medical and stadium operations,” said Mr. Bennett. “The public can feel confident that all of the appropriate agencies are on board and are working collaboratively in the exhaustive planning so that The Siyum can proceed smoothly and safely.”

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