[PHOTOS IN EXTENDED ARTICLE]

Thousands of Jews from all over the U.S. converged together this past motzaei Shabbos, Parshas Chayei Sara, to culminate a very inspiring, bonding Shabbos filled with spiritual chizuk and outstanding shiurim. All this was within the structure of the first annual convention of Dirshu — The International Organization for Disseminating Torah. Among the thousands of participants of the Olam HaTorah convention in New York were many Torah scholars and avreichim, who came not necessarily from strong chareidi enclaves such as Lakewood and Boro Park, but from distant and remote states across the U.S. as well.

The program-packed Shabbos which was enjoyed by hundreds of the Dirshu program members who take the monthly exams, was highlighted by the added attendance of the top line gedolei Yisrael of America, who enhanced the convention by spending the entire Shabbos there. The meaningful Shabbos was climaxed by a mass melave malka of thousands who came from across the country in tens of busses put to their disposal by Dirshu.

The dais of the International Dirshu Convention was graced by a mizrach of roshei yeshiva, crème of the Torah world in the U.S., and shared by a distinguished delegation from Israel headed by Hagaon Rav Boruch Dov Povarsky shlita, Rosh Yeshiva of Ponevizh. Among the roster of talmidei chachomim and rabbonim were Hagaon Rav Reuvein Feinstein, Rosh Yeshivas Tiferes Yerushalayim; Hagaon Rav Yitzchok Sorotzkin, Rosh Yeshivas Telz-Cleveland and Mesivta of Lakewood; Hagaon Rav Moshe Mordechai Lau, Mara D’Asra of Agudas Yisrael of Toronto; Hagaon Rav Yechiel Michel Steinmetz shlita, Dayan and Motz of Kehal Toldos Yaakov Yosef of Chassidei Sqver; Hagaon Rav Yerucham Olshin, Rosh Yeshivas Lakewood and many other gedolim, rabbonim, dayonim, maggidei shiur and morei hora’a.

The many speakers commended the rare feeling of unity and across-the-board harmony and fraternity felt by the different streams of Jewish life represented in the huge gathering – Chassidim of different followings such as Gerrer, Belz, Spinka etc., Lithuanians alongside Sephardim, and modern laymen from Long Island and Flatbush, all joined together in this massive Olam HaTorah Convention of Dirshu America. It was obvious that the Daf Gemara and the Dirshu Organization were excellent shadchonim in bringing these diverse elements together.

About half an hour before candlelighting, the hotel’s beis medrash was already packed with most of the hundreds of bnei Torah who would be spending Shabbos there. They didn’t want to miss the shiur of Hagaon Rav Reuvein Feinstein, Rosh Yeshivas Tiferes Yerushalayim and son of Maran Hagaon Rav Moshe Feinstein zt”l, who interwove thoughts on the parsha within his incisive shiur.

Immediately after the Erev Shabbos mincha, the famous chazzon-singer, R’ Abish Brodt, led a rousing, heartwarming Kabbolas Shabbos together with a choir of his sons which swept the huge gathering up to such great emotional heights that they broke into dance to welcome the Shabbos Queen with the words, “Bo’i Kalla, Bo’i Kalla.” The atmosphere was electrifying.

Between Kabbolas Shabbos and Maariv, Hagaon R’ Yitzchok Sorotzkin shlita, Rosh Yeshivas Telz-Cleveland and Mesivta of Lakewood, gave a profound talk. When the davening was over, the entire group of mispallelim passed before the roster of roshei yeshiva to wish them a “Gut Shabbos.” This was followed by a lavish and inspirational meal. The atmosphere of unity and amity was compounded during this meal as the different segments of the gathering offered their traditional rendition of the zemiros, creating a beautiful harmony of voices and soul-stirring vibrations reflecting the chain of generations of the different communities and their traditions.

The meal was followed by a forum of halachic questions and answers led by Hagaon Dayan Yechiel Michel Steinmetz shlita and HaRav Eliezer Ralbag shlita. Dirshu activists on the Kiruv front asked a variety of questions regarding their work. Each question was dealt with clearly and comprehensively, with a thorough halachic insight into the ramifications of the answers stemming from the roots of the questions.

Early the following morning, dozens of avreichim could be found avidly listening to a shiur delivered in English on the Daf HaYomi by the president of Dirshu, Rav Dovid Hoffstetter. In an adjacent auditorium, dozens of others sat in on a shiur in Yiddish given by Rav Nota Zilber. Following mussaf and a resplendent Kiddush, the guests partook of the Shabbos meal which was divided into three different dining rooms so as to accommodate the huge gathering. Again was witnessed the amazing sense of fraternity between the various segments of the Jewish population represented here, people from so many diverse streams and communities coming from the length and breadth of the U.S., all sitting jointly and communicating beautifully together.

After Mincha, everyone gathered once more for seuda shlishis, which was presided over by the gedolei Torah guests. After vigorous singing, Hagaon Rav Yerucham Olshin shlita, Rosh Yeshivas Lakewood, was honored with a keynote dvar Torah, which was followed by a message of chizuk delivered by Hagaon Rav Yitzchok Zalman Gipps shlita, a noted American rabbi.

Towards evening, after a very meaningful Shabbos of inspiration, fusion and chizuk departed, busloads upon busloads began arriving, bringing hundreds of avreichim and bnei Torah from communities all across the U.S. to partake in a singular spiritual experience of the first degree, a super climax for all those who had already been greatly uplifted by the past Shabbos and its uplifting events.

At this stupendous melave malka, all of the speakers emphasized the uniqueness of the international organization for the dissemination of Torah, Dirshu, which has reached out to every community to augment Torah study. This is its pure, pristine goal – to encourage and promote more and more Torah study everywhere in the Jewish world. The speakers thanked the administration of Dirshu, noting how this first annual Dirshu convention was a milestone in the Torah-based development of America as a whole, and of Dirshu as a world organization for spreading Torah, besides. It was a new and giant step forward for Dirshu in networking and encompassing the entire world.

The many thousands of participants dispersed reluctantly at the end of the evening, which ran into the very late hours of the night, feeling bolstered and greatly reinforced with rededication to the united goal of Dirshu – to continue to persevere and be strengthened in Torah study.

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(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)