Community Magazine January 2016

5776 "Bringing Hope through Torah" 26 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE S wim-a-thons, bike-a-thons, read-a-thons, run-a-thons. Our generation is exposed to a plethora of innovative fundraising methods. However, the Shas-A-Thon transcends them all. "The entire Shas in one day, united under one roof" is ATIME Shas-A-Thon's motto and goal. On Sunday, February 14, 2016, ATIME's third annual Shas-A-Thon will commence at the Ocean Place Resort in Long Branch, New Jersey. At the event, hundreds of men of all different stripes will learn an amazing 2,711 dapim (double-sided pages) of the Talmud by day's end. They will be privileged to complete the entire Shas as a fundraiser which will also provide spiritual merit for couples dealing the challenge of infertility. In so doing, the learners will bring hope and show their support for thousands of couples longing for children. A WORTHY CAUSE Learning even one page of the holy Gemara requires much toil, diligence, and perseverance. To learn all 2,711 pages (5,422 sides) of the Gemara is a monumental feat. The pleasure Hakadosh Baruch Hu derives and the special merit the siyum hashas offers surpass our imagination. The zechut (merit) of Torah learning at the Shas-A-Thon coupled with the money raised goes tremendously far in helping our sisters and brothers awaiting children. Rabbi Raymond Falack, a lomeid (learner) at a previous Shas-A-Thon adds, "You feel like you are doing something to help these people [with something] more than money." All the learning "pumping out" in one day, he maintains, "is the most powerful thing." In his address at the inaugural ATIME Shas-A-Thon, Rabbi Matisyahu Solomon, shlita , Mashgiah of Beth Medrash Govoha in Lakewood, New Jersey, described ATIME's siyum as "Not an ordinary Siyum Hashas . It is a demonstration of our emunah in the potency of Torah." Rabbinical endorsements for the ATIME Shas-A-Thon include Rabbi David Ozeri, rabbi of Yad Yosef Torah Center and Shas-A-Thon participant, as well as worldwide gedolim including Harav Chaim Kanievsky, Harav Nissim Karelitz, Rabbi Matisyahu Solomon, and Rav Shmuel Kamenetzky. From a financial stance, the ATIME event raises over one million dollars, which goes toward supporting and helping couples struggling with infertility. Upon registration for the Shas-A-Thon, each of the over 300 participants commits to raising a minimum of $2,600. Many members commit to raising evenmore. Last year's event alone garnered over 1.5 million dollars. Frieda, wife of a community participant and former beneficiary ofATIME's services says, "The benefits of knowing what we were gaining for these couples made [the Shas-A-Thon] emotionally uplifting because I knew that the money was sourced very well: to [help couples] fight and find solutions and not give up!" NOT TO BE MISSED ATIME'sShas-A-Thonhas attractedawide spectrumof participants. But it has a special appeal to those from the Sephardic community. A Shas-A-Thon director estimates that Sephardic community members from Brooklyn, Deal, and Lakewood account for approximately one-third the total Shas-A-Thon participants. "They came. They raised money. They were extremely involved, extremely enthusiastic," he says. "They look out for it the whole year!" Lomdim at Rabbi David Ozeri’s Yad Yosef Torah Center have collectively undertaken to learn all of Masechet Sotah at the event. In fact, Mr. Gabe Khezrie, a community lomeid belonging to the group, plans to attend the day before his own daughter’s wedding! Rabbi Ozeri himself will be studying the final ten dapim of shas . HOW IT WORKS Prior to the Shas-A-Thon, the individual interested in learning Shas "in one day, united under one roof" registers to become an official lomeid . Every lomeid undertakes a set of ten dapim to study at the Shas-a-Thon. There are 291 slots available; however, slots may be learned with havrutot , thereby upping the number of lomdim . So far, the upcoming Shas-A-Thon has a registration of over 350 lomdim with only a handful of available slots remaining. Learning ten double-sided pages of Gemara often requires more time than the allotted 6.5 hours. All participants prepare their dapim well beforehand so that they will have sufficient time to complete their segment properly. According to the Shas-A-Thon Lomeid Guide which participants receive prior to the event, four times is the recommended number for lomdim to review their segment. MIRIAM SASSON