This past Monday evening, askanim and community leaders gathered at MetLife Stadium in Rutherford, New Jersey, for the 12th Siyum Hashas of Daf Yomi to be held at the stadium on Wednesday, 13 Av, 5772/August 1, 2012, this summer.source: Matzav.com
The contract was signed by representatives of Agudas Yisroel of America and MetLife stadium CEO Mark Lamping.
The Agudah has promoted the Daf Yomi program and organized the Siyum Hashas celebrations since it was first introduced on American shores.
With 92,000 seats, the recently constructed stadium is by far the largest single venue ever to host the national Torah gathering. The remarkable growth of the Siyum Hashas celebrations over the decades was, indeed, a running theme of Monday night’s event, reflected both in the stirring remarks delivered by the evening’s speakers and the scenes from past - and increasingly larger Siyumim - flashing on video screens throughout the reception hall.
Special guest speaker Rabbi Nosson Scherman, general editor at ArtScroll/Mesorah Publications, noted that the ultimate purpose of everything in the world - including the MetLife Stadium - is to create kevod Shomayim. He illustrated his point by recounting a conversation with Thomas M. Steinberg, president of Tisch Family Interests and one of the guests at the signing event. For 12 long years, he was involved in the planning, design and construction of the new stadium, Mr. Steinberg told Rabbi Scherman, and it is only now that he understands why: so that tens of thousands of Yidden would have a place to gather for an unprecedented demonstration of kavod haTorah.
Siyum Hashas chairman Elly Kleinman, who was introduced by well-known askan Shmuel Yosef Rieder, observed how the size of each succeeding Siyum inspired thousands more around the world to join the Daf Yomi movement.
Chaired by Agudath Israel executive vice president for finance and administration Rabbi Shlomo Gertzulin, who, together with a committee of dedicated baalei batim, is overseeing the Siyum preparations, the evening’s program also included remarks by community leader Shlomo Werdiger and a tour of the stadium facilities organized by Rabbi Yosef Golding.
The registration for this event is now closed.
