Hundreds of yeshiva students and avreichim gathered on
Chanukah in Jerusalem's Tamir Hall in an assembly sponsored
by the Veshinantom organization for the encouragement of
shinun and chazoro (memorizing and review) of
gemora. Stipends to organization members in order to
encourage the budding talmidei chachomim, were also
distributed at this joyous and important event.
It was obvious to anyone looking at the hundreds in
attendance, that they are bnei aliya with only one
goal in life: Torah, Torah and more Torah. Both young
bochurim and avreichim from all circles of
Torah Jewry participated in the meeting. They are all part of
chareidi Jewry's future generation of marbitzei Torah
and talmidei chachomim.
The Veshinantom organization has sparked a revolution in the
yeshivos and kollelim in recent years. By means of its
special approach, the organization spurs young students to
master hundreds and even thousands of pages of gemora
on which they are tested. At each test, the student is re-
examined on pages on which he was tested in the past, in
addition to fifty new pages.
The recent test involved a total of some two hundred thousand
pages of gemora with Rashi and Tosafos. Among the
participants were students who were tested on more than a
thousand pages of gemora. These studies do not
interfere with the students' regular study sessions in the
yeshiva, but are coordinated to suit their particular
situation. Thus students generally choose to be tested on the
masechta being studied in their yeshivos. The tests
are held at the end of bein hazmanim in order to
encourage students to use bein hazmanim for review.
The assembly was graced by many gedolei haTorah, many
of whom spoke. HaRav Shmuel Deutsch, one of the roshei
yeshiva of Kol Torah, said that the good name and
outstanding character of so many of the participants speak
for themselves.
"Without memorizing and repetition it is impossible to amass
Torah knowledge," HaRav Deutsch said, adding that he can
personally testify that the hundreds of students who study in
the Veshinantom framework also excel in other aspects of
Torah study, such as in-depth learning and understanding, as
well as in their midos and conduct. "There is no doubt
that every moment of the day of one who dedicates his time to
studying and memorizing is filled with Torah," he said.
Additional speeches were delivered by HaRav Moshe Sternbuch,
HaRav Moshe Halberstam, HaRav Yaakov Hillel, HaRav Naftoli
Nussbaum, and HaRav Moshe Man, representing the parents.
Closing remarks were made by HaRav Shaul Alter.
