“Anticipation.” Perhaps that one word is the optimum word to describe the way lomdei Torah from all over America and beyond are excitedly looking forward to the upcoming Dirshu Convention, the Shabbos Kinnus Olam HaTorah that will be attended by thousands in Stamford Connecticut on Shabbos Parshas Terumah, 3-5 Adar/February 20-22. The Armon Hotel is not large enough to accommodate the tremendous desire for rooms and Dirshu is already booking in the nearby Marriott Hotel which can accommodate hundreds more lomdei Dirshu and their wives. Similar to the previous Dirshu Convention two years ago, the sessions and seudos will only be held at the Armon.

At this year’s convention Dirshu will also have the privilege of hosting an international delegation from Eretz Yisrael and Europe. Heading the Eretz Yisrael delegation will be HaGaon HaRav Chaim Mordechai Ausband, shlita, Rosh Yeshiva at Yeshiva Ateres Shlomo, a leading Gadol B’Torah who represents Torah royalty.

Another international guest will be HaGaon HaRav Nosson Binyomin Eckstein, shlita, of London. Rav Nosson Binyomin, a longtime Belzer Dayan in London, has led Dirshu in London for decades. The presence of a Posek and Rav of his stature will also add to the convention.

And then there is the Motzoei Shabbos Melava Malka!

The Melava Malka features the convention’s keynote addresses, with timely messages delivered by leading Gedolei Yisrael.

Among the Gedolim to be in attendance this year are HaGaon HaRav Yeruchem Olshin, shlita, Rosh Yeshivas Lakewood, HaGaon HaRav Hillel David, shlita, Rav of Kehillas Yeshiva Shaarei Torah, Yoshev Rosh of the Vaad Roshei Yeshiva of Torah Umesorah, HaGaon HaRav Yechiel Michel Steinmetz, shlita, the Skverer Dayan of Boro Park and one of America’s most prominent Poskim, HaGaon HaRav Shlomo Feivel Schustal, shlita, Rosh Yeshivas Tiferes Yerachmiel, HaGaon HaRav Yitzchok Sorotzkin, shlita, Rosh Yeshivas Mesivta of Lakewood, HaGaon HaRav Dovid Goldberg, shlita, Rosh Yeshivas Telshe, and HaGaon HaRav Shlomo Eisenberger, shlita, Rosh Yeshivas Telshe.

A highlight of the Melave Malka is the singing and dancing that bring the uplifting Shabbos to a close. This year, the zemiros will be led by R’ Hershy Weinberger and R’ Avrumi Berko. In truth, it is possible to give over the main message of a drasha in an article, but one simply cannot, with dry ink and paper, describe the dancing after the melava malka. How can you depict thousands of lomdei Torah dancing with such elevation, such dveikus, deep into the wee hours of the morning? How can you possibly capture the contagious enthusiasm that permeates the hall? The dancing at the end of the Melave Malka is a rikud of simcha, of dveikus and of deep hakaras hatov to Dirshu and what it has done for them and their families.

Perhaps, Rav Nissan Kaplan, Rosh Yeshivas Daas Aharon encapsulated what a Dirshu convention is most succinctly when he said, “Not long after I arrived at the convention, I went down to the lobby to participate in a bit of toameha. Turning to the Yid next to me whom I didn’t know, I said ‘shalom aleichem.’ We got to talking about learning and I realized that this Yid had been tested on all of Shas! ‘Wow!’ I thought, ‘I wish I had learned all of Shas!’ Then I began to speak to the person on the other side of me and found out that he had been tested on all of Shas with Tosafos!!

“The person across from me had been taking monthly tests on Mishnah Berurah for fourteen years and had already completed the Mishnah Berurah twice! I must admit, I felt like a nothing… I came here to this convention to give chizuk and I found that the ‘simple yungeleit’ siting around the table with me and eating kugel are Gedolei Torah who don’t even realize how great they are!

“This is the definition of being part of Dirshu!”