By COLlive reporter
A Siyum will take place this Monday in Lakewood, NJ, which is a great and emotional milestone for its participants, who never gave up the daily Daf Hayomi learning – despite the coronavirus pandemic and the tragic loss of one of the organization’s founders.
The festive siyum, marking the completion of Maseches Shabbos by over 100 people, was achieved through the sheer will and determination of the Tzeirei Hadaf organization’s founders, who did not let the challenges of the time get in the way of learning Torah.
The organization was started by Rabbi Shlomo Koenig Zt”l, Yoka Rebbe, and his son, Rabbi Avrum Yishai Koenig, Vorka Rebbe, who were sitting and talking together at the Siyum Hashas, and realized that the new generation could use a boost and fresh start to get more involved in Daf Hayomi.
“We decided to organize and provide resources for yungelight, bochurim and young people to finish one Daf at a time, one Perek at a time and then a Masechta at a time,” Rabbi Avrum Yishai Koenig told COLlive.
Hundreds signed up to the Tzeirei Hadaf group, which offers over 20 live shiurim a day, answers questions that people have on the learning, and maintains the website DafHayom.com, where people can request recordings of shiurim, ask questions, and get tips and ideas for learning.
During the coronavirus pandemic, when in-person shiurim were canceled, the organization immediately mobilized and created online shiurim over zoom, so that none of the members would miss out on keeping up with the daily learning schedule.
“Thank G-d, we pulled through during corona, and we were successful in losing almost none of our participants,” Rabbi Avrum Yishai Koenig said. “We continuously followed up with our students to encourage them and make sure they are able to continue their learning,” he said.
“My father, Rabbi Shlomo Koenig, gave his shiur on a conference call, even while infected with coronavirus, until his tragic passing,” he says. “I’m sure he is having a big nachas ruach that all of this is continuing even stronger than before.”
The Siyum will take place this Monday evening in Lakewood, New Jersey, and will include among the speakers Rabbi Fishel Oster, renowned magid shiur who gives a Daf Yomi Shiur in Crown Heights and a teacher at Oholei Torah, and Rabbi Chaim Schapiro, Menahel Ruchni and Head of Morristown Smicha.
The Siyum on Masechta Shabbos is being sponsored by Crown Heights businessman Rabbi Shloimy Greenwald, who sponsors many Torah and Chassidus classes throughout the world, in honor of the Yartzeit of R’ Levi Yitzchok Schneerson, the Rebbe’s father, on Chof Av.
“We are so grateful to R’ Greenwald for his support, and this will surely bring nachas ruach to the tzadikim – this is truly the light of Moshiach,” said Rabbi Avrum Yishai Koenig.
To inquire about attending the event from Crown Heights, email [email protected] .
