[COMMUNICATED]
The dancing! The singing! The music!
For many, it was the highlight of The Siyum. The climax had been reached just moments before with Reb’ Shmuel’s emotional hadran, and then with the ecstatic ‘Mazel Tov’ that launched the dancing, emotions soared, tears flowed, and energy spread through the crowd like wildfire.
Differences dissipated; the cold was forgotten; and the joy was palpable as everyone joined hands. Time slipped away as the dancing went on, involving everyone from young to old, from the Rabbonim and choshuve leaders of Klal Yisroel who were on the stage, to every Yid in the crowd.
From the center of the stadium floor, some of the most talented and enthusiastic singers of the heimishe world led the song and dance with fiery excitement and exceptional energy and passion. In the words of Gershy Moskowitz, who was the co-producer of the music at the Metlife Stadium and the producer and director of the music at the Barclay Center:
“In selecting songs, coordinating singers, and every other aspect of planning the music for The Siyum, our sole goal was to inspire Klal Yisroel and elevate the moments to their maximum potential. And that really came through in the event, as the singers put their whole beings into their singing, purely l’sheim shamayim. The result was a performance of extraordinary passion and heart, way beyond any regular event.”
One couldn’t cease to be moved by the raw joy and pulsating energy of the masses of yidden dancing and singing together, “ Ashrei mi shegodol baTorah, ve’amoloi baTorah”, yearning together “ Vetaher libeinu l’ovdecha be’emes”, and proclaiming to the world “Olam haba iz a gutte zach, learning Torah iz de bester zach!”.
Gershy Moskowitz commented afterwards that in the year of preparation leading up to The Siyum, he’d realized the responsibility he had in this role to inspire others, but one thing he didn’t realize was how much he’d inspire himself! Since then he is proud to have started learning Daf HaYomi, and is looking forward to the next Siyum when he’ll be one of the mesaymim too!
Another moving moment was the rousing ‘Ani Maamin’ medley, following the Holocaust memorial video and Chazan Helfgott’s powerful Kel Molei Rachamim for all the kedoshim of the Churban of Europe. Led by Shloime Gertner, the whole stadium fused in feeling and heartfelt song.
For the youngest contingent of lomdim at The Siyum, the Masmidei HaSiyum siyum on Shas Mishnayos was a high point. Some young learners came up on stage next to the choshuve Rabbonim to represent the 40,000 boys who joined Masmidei HaSiyum from around the globe and collectively learned over 3.5 million mishnayos. They began a rousing rendition of ‘Vezakeini’, led by R’ Boruch Levine, R’ Abish Brodt and R’ Shloime Daskal, with harmony from the Yedidim Choir. Once again, the stadium united in song and fervent tefilla expressing the dream of every yiddishe parent – to bring up children who will live with a passionate love of Torah as The Siyum itself exhibits.
Much thanks goes to all the wonderful singers and musicians who put their hearts and souls into elevating these precious moments of The Siyum, inspiring every participant to greater love, pride and ambition for Torah.
The weather was freezing – and that is usually an obstacle for performers. But, said Shloime Dachs – the leader of the band, “Before the Siyum we were quite concerned about the cold weather. We worried about how it would affect our ability to play. But the warmth of the moment and the intensity of emotion impacted everyone so much more than the cold, and with tremendous Siyatta Dishmaya both the musicians and the singers performed brilliantly – in weather that would otherwise be impossible to perform in, the moving music and passionate singing far surpassed any regular event.”
Reb Shloime Taussig, himself also a Daf HaYomi learner, described his experience of singing at the Barclay Center venue: “It was the first time I finished Shas myself and I was overwhelmed by the tremendous simcha and strong emotions. The Siyum was definitely one of my career’s highlights!’’