[VIDEO AND PHOTOS IN EXTENDED ARTICLE]

Thousands of participants in the “Dirshu’ tests joined the�one thousand representatives at the international�’Dirshu’ convention in Connecticut in the U.S.

A Shabbos of spiritual uplifting strengthening the Torah world took place during the�international convention of ‘Dirshu’ that was held in the Crown Plaza Hotel in�Stamford, Connecticut. It was headed by the great Roshei Yeshivos and Torah�teachers and the Nasi of ‘Dirshu’ Rav Dovid Hofstedter.

The international convention opened in the middle of last week with panels and�professional discussions with the participation of heads of ‘Dirshu’ branches from�throughout the world, heads of Chaburos of learners, the great Roshei Yeshivos and�famous Rabbonim throughout the U.S.

As Shabbos approached, hundreds of participants in the organized tests of ‘Dirshu’,�Magidei Shiurim and ‘Dirshu’ activists from all over the country arrived to participate�in the unique Shabbos in Connecticut. Among the participants were the members of�the Israeli delegation headed by the honorary guest of the international convention,�the great Gaon, Rav Boruch Dov Povarsky, Rosh Yeshiva Poneviz who is a member of�the presidential counsel of the ‘Daf Hayomi B’Halachah’. Among the honored guests�were the Roshei Yeshivos: the Gaon Rabbi Yitzchak Sorotzkin, shlita, Rosh Yeshivas�Telshe, the Gaon Rabbi Reuven Feinstein, shlita, Rosh Yeshivas Staten Island, the�great Gaon Rav Dovid Shustel, shlita , Rosh Yeshivas Lakewood, the Dayan of Skver,�the Gry”M Steinmetz, shlita, the Gr”Y Avrahams, shlita, from London, the Gaon Rabbi�Binyamin Eckstein, shlita, Dayan of Machazikei Hadas, and the head of ‘Dirshu’-�Europe, the Gry”M Lowey, shlita, the Rav of Toronto, the GrY”Z Gifes, shlita, Rosh�Yeshiva Nahardoa, the Gr’D Olevsky, shlita, Rosh Yeshivas Gur in the U.S., and other�Dayanim, Rabbanim and those who teach the Daf Yomi in Halachah from all over the�east coast.

The noted chassidishe ba’al menagen, Reb Yitzchak Honig was the Baal Tefillos�during Shabbos � himself a participant in the tests given by ‘Dirshu’. Members of the�’Shira’ choir accompanied him in choice selections.

After Tefilas Shacharis, a Shiur Klali, was given by the Gaon Rabbi B.D. Povarsky,�shlita, who fascinated the audience with an hour’s long in depth discussion about the�particulars of the mitzvah of circumcision, its scope and other aspects of the mitzvah.

A surprising event happened during the Mincha service on Shabbos when the third�aliyah was sold to the highest bidder of learning pages of the Talmud. The auction�was very spirited with the ‘price’ rising higher and higher until the winner was one of�the participants in “Kinyan Shas” of ‘Dirshu’ who bid the staggering amount of TEN�THOUSAND pages of Gemara!!! This phenomenon deeply moved the entire�congregation and the Roshei Yeshivos who expressed their astonishment that young�avreichim are capable of achieving this phenomenal amount of learning in only one�year.

After this spiritually uplifting Shabbos ended � after havdalah and a break � the�participants washed their hands to take part in the Siyum on Masechet Bava Metzia�during the splendid melave malka, which was learned by the tens of thousands of�members of ‘Dirsh’ thoughout the world. The Gaon Rabbi B.D. Povarsky, shlita, was�honored with the recitation of the Hadran and the Great Kaddish and even gave the�central speech during the convention.

The convention continued until the morning with discussions and symposium in�which the heads of the different branches of ‘Dirshu’ from the world took part,�together with the Nasi of ‘Dirshu’, Rav Dovid Hofstedter, shlita, , and the general�managers in Israel and the U.S.

The speakers during Shabbos and the malve malka noted that the traditional�international convention of ‘Dirshu’ has already become a central platform of Kavod�HaTorah that takes place in the U.S. and from it, the Torah spreads out throughout�the U.S. and abroad. The public dispersed with the feelings of elation and spiritual�uplifting with the strong desire pounding in each one’s heart to further elevate�himself in the learning and fulfilling of the Torah.