There are certain events in history, that if one is a part of it, he would be defined as privileged. An example would be, if one is part of a home crowd where their team is playing the seventh and deciding game of the World Series. At the last at bat where the bases are loaded with two outs and in dramatic fashion, the home team batter hits a grand slam home-run. What a dream it is to be a part of the moment in the stadium with thousands who are watching this great classic, epic event. Such is the case, last week at the twelfth Siyum Hashas, where 90,000 plus, Orthodox Jews attended to celebrate finishing the seven year cycle of the Talmud. Although, not wild like what was just described, the crowd a bit more subdued, tamed, and a lot more dignified, but you can tell that everybody there had this inner simcha – happiness that was so gratifying. Besides the proud accomplishment of finishing the cycle, Jews and American Jews, especially, should be proud of the incredible, well-organized and well-orchestrated display of speakers, video presentations, musicians, cantors and choirs. They brought the best in the business to the grand stage of the biggest crowd, in the history of a Jewish religious sit-down, with your potato chips and $3.50 bottled water, event. This was an awesome display of modern technology and Torah, where you had four jumbo size big screens at the four corners of the stadium and the acoustics were amazing. Rabbi Yissachar Frand, who is one of the top gun American speakers in the Jewish circuit, spoke very well. It was an American style speech, getting the large crowd to clap with enthusiasm every so often similar to the classic American orators that we see so frequent on television. It reminded me of those Republican/Democratic conventions or State of the Union addresses style that the Americans have always been able to orchestrate so well. Once again, Jews have mimicked their host country. I believe it’s a very positive mimic. The American Jews made an event that was impressive with class in a breathtaking big way on a grand scale like no other. I’ve often mentioned my multi-cultural background, though ironically, I feel it’s hard to connect to any particular group. It’s sad that you cannot call anything home; however, because of my familiarity, I’m able to appreciate fully a culture very fine points, since I often bounce around from flag to flag. Those of you who were born in America or grew up here will understand where I’m coming from and realize and understand the American Jewish pride was brought out in this enormous event. It’s a shame many of our brethren did not attend, they would have seen Orthodoxy at its best – to observe what’s in our heart and what we are proud of in a pageantry way. Sometimes words cannot do justice to what’s in the heart; however, an event like this speaks for itself. An example of what I mean, it was the sixth game of the famous 1986 Word Series where the New York Mets won in dramatic fashion. The announcer, Vince Scully, said words cannot describe what just transpired and he let the camera roll for about five minutes without a word spoken. Similarly, this event “you had to be there”; no YouTube or television would do it justice. I regret not bringing loved ones and friends. I just hope in seven and a half years from now, the next Siyum Hashas, I will have the opportunity, G-d willing, to bring those loved ones and friends and not say a word; just let the breathtaking event speak for itself. |
