66
FEBRUARY 2, 2017 | The Jewish Home
A “Shabbos of Kodesh HaKadoshim” at Dirshu’s 20th Anniversary International Convention
By Chaim Gold
I
t was shalosh seudos at the Dirshu Convention and HaGaon HaRav Dovid Schustal, shlita, Rosh Yeshiva of Beth Medrash Govoha of Lakewood, was delivering the final address as Shabbos was leaving. “What I saw this Shabbos was kodesh hakadoshim! Such a tzibbur of special Yidden with their families! Such a tzibbur with remarkable hasagos in Torah! Truthfully, I must thank Dirshu for persisting in asking me to come. It was a zechus to spend Shabbos with such Yidden.” Indeed, the Dirshu International Convention, held on Shabbos Parshas Shemos at the Crowne Plaza
Hotel in Stamford, Connecticut, was all about celebrating the accomplishments of the lomdei Torah, the heroes of Torah and their wives who comprise the extended “mishpachas Dirshu.” Gedolei Yisroel representing the entire cross-section of Torah Jewry joined in the celebration, displaying their deep admiration for the lomdei Torah. Let us walk through the convention highlights from its inception on Friday afternoon through Sunday when the lomdei Torah returned home suffused with chizuk to not only continue what they were doing but adding to it as well. Although the majority of participants were from the tri-state area
there was significant participation from locales across America and Canada as well as a distinguished international presence with a delegation from Eretz Yisrael, England and France. There was a deeply inspiring women’s program throughout the Shabbos featuring shiurim and divrei chizuk on myriad topics. There was a shiur on practical daily halachos delivered by Rav Zev Hofstedter. Other speakers who addressed the women multiple times throughout the Shabbos included Rebbetzin Shlomtzy Weiss, Mrs. Debbie Selengut and Mrs. Rochel Goldbaum. A number of Dirshu wives also gave moving testimonials about what being part of Dirshu had done for them and their families.
HaGaon HaRav Reuven Feinstein, Shlita: Enabling the Holy DNA from the Avos to Shine Through HaGaon HaRav Reuven Feinstein, shlita, Rosh Yeshiva of the Yeshiva of Staten Island, was introduced by his talmid, Rabbi Gabi Fried. Rav Reuven delineated how the Torah repeatedly tells us that we perform mitzvos zecher l’yetzias Mitzrayim, as a memorial of the exodus of Egypt. The wording however, should be “mi’Mitzrayim – from Egypt”? The Rosh Yeshiva explained that we are essentially saying that the mitzvos are here to remind us to remove every iota of Egypt, of the culture of Mitzrayim, and its excessive materialism from ourselves. Our task is to refine ourselves. This refinement comes as a result of limud haTorah. HaGaon HaRav Yitzchok Sorotzkin, Shlita: The Chiddush of Dirshu; Ol Torah After a wonderfully inspiring kabbolas Shabbos, HaRav Shaul Pinter, Rosh Chabura of the Dirshu Amud Yomi Kollel in Lakewood, introduced the Telzer Rosh Yeshiva, HaGaon HaRav Yitzchok Sorotzkin, shlita, Rosh Yeshiva of Mesivta of Lakewood. Rav Sorotzkin gave a riveting address which encapsulated what he felt