An uplifting Shabbat of strengthening the Torah world's ranks closed the global '"Dirshu" conference held at the Crown Plaza in Stamford, Connecticut, led by great leaders and Torah scholars from all over the United States.
The world conference opened in the middle of last week, with a series of panels and professional discussions led by "Dirshu" branch managers from around the world, group leaders, and well-known rabbis from across the country.
Towards Shabbat hundreds of "Dirshu" examinees, teachers, and organization activists from across the US and Canada arrived at the Unity Shabbat in Connecticut, led by the Torah Sages. The following were members of the delegation were led by the guest of honor of the World Conference, the Rosh Yeshiva of Ponovizh Rabbi Baruch Dov Povarsky, member of the Daily Halacha council: the Telshe Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Yitzchak Sorotzkin, the Rosh Yeshiva of Staten Island Rabbi Reuven Feinstein, Rabbi David Shustel, Rosh Yeshiva of Lakewood, the Dayan of Squever, Rabbi M. Steinmetz, Hagaon Abrams from London, Rabbi Benjamin Ekstein, European chairman of Machazikey Das, Hagaon Rabbi Loey, Rav of Toronto, Rabbi Z. Gips, Rosh Yeshiva of Nehardea, Rabbi Olbasky, Rosh Yeshiva of Gur in the U.S., and dayanim, rabbis, and halacha and daf yomi teachers from up and down the east coast.
Shabbat prayers were led by the renowned Hasidic singer, Rabbi Issac Honig - a "Dirshu" alumnus - as members of the Shira choir accompanied him in certain segments.
After the morning service was held a shiur clalli was delivered by Rabbi Povarsky that fascinated the listeners for more than an hour discussing the mitzvah of milah, examining various aspects of the mitzvah.
A surprising event occurred during Shabbat afternoon service, when the third aliyah to the Torah was sold to the highest bidder in pages of gemara learning. After a lengthy bidding session, one of the participants in Dirshu's Kinyan Shas program publicly undertook to learn ten thousand pages of Talmud. The incident moved all those present, and the Roshei Yeshiva did not stop expressing excitement at the fact that yeshiva students tested by the organization demonstrated the ability to absorb such a tremendous number of Talmud pages in one year.
After the uplifting Sabbath, after havdalah and a brief break for preparations, the World Conference participants washed their hands for the Melava Malka meal, which also included a siyum in tractate Bava Metzia recently learned by thousands of daf-yomi learners worldwide. Rabbi Povarsky was honored with reciting the hadran and kaddish gadol, and delivered the keynote address of the conference's central event.
The World Conference continued this morning with a series of discussions and a symposium with the participation of Dirshu branch managers from around the world, along with the organization's president and chief executive in the Holy Land and the United States.
The speakers noted that the traditional Dirshu conference long ago turned into a central regular event to honor the Torah in United States, and Torah emerges from there to all over the U.S. and beyond. The participants dispersed with elation and appreciation, as all hearts beat with a strong desire to continue to ascend in Torah study.