Posted on 01/03/20
Jerusalem, Israel - Jan. 3, 2020 - Thousands of men and hundreds of women fille the main auditorium of the Jerusalem International Conference Center on Thursday night, January 2, 2020,/ 5 Tevet for a Siyum HaShas. Sponsored by Mizrachi World Movement, International Young Israel Movement, Jerusalem Municipality and Koren Publishers, the event began with a wide range of Torah teachers speaking in English.
Speakers for the sessions given in English included Rebbitzen Chana Henkin, Rebbitzen Rachelle Fraenkel, Rebbitzen Shani Taragin, Sivan Rahav-Meir and Yedidya Meir, Rav Yosef Zvi Rimon and Rabbi Shalom Gold.
Rabbi Doron Perez, Chief Executive of World Mizrachi, introduced the keynote address given by Rabbi Dr. Ari Berman, President of Yeshiva University. The main room was so crowded that an auxiliary hall had to be used with a live screen projection.
Following three short TED-style presented in English on the topic of Torah learning in this time of developing technology, the Siyum HaShas was held upstairs in the main Ussishkin Hall.
The Siyum HaShas program began with Chazan Shai Abramson singing "Shehekinanu" as the audience found their assigned seats in the crowded theater. Rabbi Dr. Jonathan Sacks gave recorded greetings in a video, which the audience could view on multiple large screens.
A highlight in the main program included an opening address by Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau in Hebrew, with translation available. Rav Udi Schwartz, Daf Yomi teacher at Yeshivat Har Etzion also was one of the rabbis honored to speak.
Musical performances by Yonatan Razel and Yitzchak Meir and the presence of Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion and Deputy Mayor Chagit Moshe enhanced the evening celebrating the end of the Daf Yomi cycle.
