Many askonim involved in the arrangements for the
Eleventh Siyum HaShas long sought to find a way to channel
the enormous energy that is generated by the effort to reach
a broader audience. One such effort that was organized this
time is called Jewish Unity Live.
Torah Links in New Jersey (with the haskomos of
rabbonim from Lakewood and Rav S. Kamenetsky) took the lead
and was later joined by the Atlanta Scholars Program in
Georgia. They envisioned an event that would run in parallel
to the main Aguda Siyum HaShas but would be directed outward,
to people who had a much weaker connection to Torah than most
of the direct participants. The Phoenix Community Kollel in
Arizona (under the leadership of Rabbi Zvi Holland) and JEP
in Long Island (under Rabbi Shlomo Stilerman) joined in,
creating community-wide events in their areas for non-frum
people.
In New Jersey, a live linkup to the Siyum will introduce it
to a non-frum audience. In Atlanta, they used the Siyum to
reach out to students in community schools (religious and non-
religious) some time ago, and have them commit to a learning
program that will be completed at their event on March 1. In
effect they were able to create a local community-wide
siyum.
It was understood that the non-religious public would not
understand or appreciate a siyum on Shas, so
the focus of the "celebration" was broadened to encompass the
entire Torah. The message is to promote and publicize the
need for all Jews to study the Torah.
Jewish Unity Live was the name given to the event because it
was thought to be a theme that would resonate with all
members of the Jewish community. We were all united at
Matan Torah, and today the Torah is the common thread
that continues to unite us.
Events are being held in a cities around the United States,
and a special half-hour film — "Passover with the
Wellmans" — was created to offer a dramatic and
humorous approach to contemporary issues facing non-frum Jews
today, such as intermarriage, kiruv, etc. This film is being
shown in five locations in North America on March 1, and
almost 100 U.S. military bases around the world with a strong
Jewish presence have been offered the opportunity to show it
as well.
In Atlanta, the event was sold out weeks in advance and
people were being turned away. In New Jersey and other
communities, the kiruv organizations hosting it have
found that this is a new and effective way to bring non-
religious people through the door.
Promotion and publicity was done in the general Jewish
communities, and it has brought it dozens and dozens of
emails from non-affiliated people fascinated by the Siyum
HaShas — something they were unfamiliar with —
and wanting to know more about it.
The event is being held this year in the US and one city in
Canada, with hopes to expand it in future years to encompass
all communities with a large Jewish population.
For more information, Rabbi Aron Gruman of Torah Links is an
ideal person to talk to: 732-367-0600.
