Overflow Crowd at LINK’s Special Daf Yomi Shiurim with Reb Eli Stefansky

On Motzei Shabbos Parshas

Vayigash, Students in grades 1 - 3, accompanied by their fathers, participated in our Grand Hakhel Av Uben Melaveh Malka in the Moshe Ganz hall, in connection to the 5th of Tevet, the day of “Didan Notzach.” This is when the US Federal court ruled placing the legal imprimatur of the USA upon the total exclusive ownership by Agudas Chassidei

Chabad of the great library and collection of S’farim (Torah books) and K’tavim (manuscripts) of the Chabad Rebbeim. To the sounds of Melaveh Malka music, participants found their places and washed for the Seudas Melaveh Malka. Dean of School, Rabbi Greenbaum, welcomed everyone and introduced Rabbi Blasberg, the elementary school principal as the evening’s MC. The students sang The Rebbe’s Tehillim chapter together, and a Dvar Torah was said by Alter Schapiro of 3rd Grade, followed by a story told by Rabbi D. Berger, a Cheder parent. As a special Hakhel surprise, Dr. Ganjian, another Cheder parent, played a couple of Chabad Niggunim with his trumpet and everyone sang along. Each class and grade had a chance to lead one of the 12 Pesukim customarily recited at all children’s gatherings, which was then followed by a session of father and son learning about the 5th of Tevet. An interactive game of Kahoot was played including questions on materials that had been studied in class.

More than 200 men crowded into the LINK Bais Medrash on Thursday night, February 2nd, to hear in-person the world’s largest Daf Yomi shiur with its charismatic Maggid Shiur, Reb Eli Stefansky. (A similarly large crowd attended the second shiur on Motzei Shabbos February 4th). The standing-room-only crowd was not disappointed as Reb Stefansky pulled out all of his teaching accouterments to make that night’s Daf (Nazir 11 a-b) come to life with crystal clear clarity. With his trademark charts and illustrations, he made a complex Gemara come alive – as he does every day for his 20,000 online viewers. Many of the people attending were devoted online viewers of his Daf Yomi shiur and now were able to see their master Rebbe in the flesh for the

After the shiur, Reb Stefansky addressed over 100 young men in the adjacent link Beis Medrash, who have a weekly Thursday night Mishmar/Kumzitz of inspiration. He told them how he had left a very profitable business and a luxurious house in Chicago to move to Eretz Yisroel and devote himself full-time to learning. While he started his Daf Yomi shiur with only 5 people some 8 years ago in Ramat Beit Shemesh, it has ballooned to dozens attending in-person and 20,000 watching online, as a direct result of the tremendous kochos he put into preparing the shiur (with all its visual aids). He exhorted the crowd to dream big when it comes to ruchniyus and not to give into the yetzer hora that says “it’s just too hard for me to accomplish my goal,” whether in learning, mitzvos observance, or Avodas Hashem.

The LINK Kollel offers Daf Yomi twice a day with its renowned Maggid Shiur, Rabbi Aharon Becker, at 6:15 am and 8:15 pm.

Emek Staff Learn at Artificial Intelligence Education Program

Mr. Daniel Aharonoff, Emek’s immediate past president, entrepreneur, and technology investor, gave a lecture to the Emek staff on the latest advancements in Artificial Intelligence and how it is going to impact the field of education and other industries. Although the technology is still new, it was interesting to hear about it and discuss how it could potentially affect Emek’s general and Torah studies programming.

AI helps provide in-depth insight into analytics-based performance for every student. AI also enhances the personalization of student learning programs and courses, promotes tutoring by helping students improve their weak spots and sharpen their skills, ensures quick responses between teachers and students, and enhances universal 24/7 learning access. Mr. Aharonoff stressed the importance of staying at the forefront of educational innovation and learning about the latest developments in this rapidly evolving field. We want to thank Mr. Aharonoff for giving his time to enlighten our educators about this critical industry.