Judaism

History is full of personalities who have been inspired to bring about a revolution that has eventually changed the whole world. Reb Eli Stefansky shlit”a is one of those individuals. He established Merkaz Daf Yomi that has truly revolutionised the learning of gemoro for many thousands of Yidden across the globe.

The completion of Masechta Kesubos in the current Daf Yomi cycle was celebrated last week by almost one thousand participants of R’ Eli Stefansky’s Merkaz Daf Yomi (MDY) programme in London and Manchester. The gala events in both towns were an unprecedented success, attracting many MDY shiur members from abroad and an audience from all elements of the whole community.

History is full of personalities who have been inspired to bring about a revolution that has eventually changed the whole world. Reb Eli Stefansky shlit”a is one of those individuals. He established Merkaz Daf Yomi that has truly revolutionised the learning of gemoro for many thousands of Yidden across the globe.

Reb Stefansky – or Reb Eli, as he is affectionately known to all members of MDY – was brought up in the environs of Ponovez Yeshivah. His father had a kevius learning with Rav Shach zt”l. Reb Eli developed into a consummate talmid chacham. Even when he went into the business world and moved to the States, his life was centred on his learning. Reb Eli started a Daf Yomi shiur in Chicago that continued for two cycles. His style became very popular, as he had the ability to present the most complicated sugyos in a simple to understand format using charts and visual aids. Eight years ago, when he eventually decided to move back to Eretz Yisroel, it was suggested that he restart the Daf Yomi shiur there.

The suggestion inspired Reb Eli to start the very next day. The Daf Yomi schedule was in the middle of a difficult sugya in Masechta Avoda Zara. This did not deter Reb Eli. He did not wait for the next Masechta, or even the next sugya. Later, this became his rallying call to those who were considering joining Daf Yomi – seize the moment and use the inspiration to jump in now and do not put the decision off. The shiur started in a tiny beis hamedrash with a small group of participants.

The crucial turning point came, when Rabbi Bernhard David of Manchester was a visitor to Eretz Yisroel and attended the shiur. He was so impressed with the shiur, that he asked Reb Eli to arrange live streaming of the shiur. Reb Eli accepted the challenge, and on his return to Manchester, Rabbi David gathered together the first small group of regular participants joining the shiur online.

The present fourteenth cycle of Daf Yomi began with much fanfare in January 2020. Reb Eli took the opportunity to expand his shiur. MDY became a reality, with its own premises. Flyers advertising the daily shiur were given out at the huge Siyum Hashas held in Binyanei Ha’uma. Hashem was preparing the cure before bringing the affliction. Very shortly afterwards, the world was engulfed by the Covid-19 pandemic. When many countries adopted strict lock-down rules, hundreds of Daf Yomi learners were left without a face-to-face shiur. For many of them, MDY filled the gap admirably. A large-scale advertising campaign helped to boost MDY membership, making it into possibly the largest shiur in the world. The statistics are truly awe inspiring. There are now over 15,000 daily participants online, besides users of many other mediums and worldwide platforms that disseminate Torah shiurim.

There are various factors that have contributed to the success of MDY. One of them is the extremely generous offer by several shiur members worldwide to supply a free Artscroll or Oz V’hadar gemoro to anyone joining the shiur. More than 1,400 free gemoros have been claimed in the UK alone. But far and above any other reason, is the popularity of Reb Eli himself.

Despite its huge size, MDY has retained its personal touch. All the participants feel involved like members of one family, even though they may be thousands of miles apart. The unique shiur delivered by Reb Eli touches all of them and has attracted members from every strand of the colourful spectrum that makes up Klal Yisroel. Ashkenaz, Sefardi. Litvish, Chassidish, Modern Orthodox, kippa seruga, young and old all blend harmoniously together. Reb Eli has an amazing memory for stories and anecdotes that he uses to highlight a point. During the shiur, he is not averse to making everyone laugh, with a millsa d’bedichusa. Even though they have not met Reb Eli in person, participants feel very much part of the shiur family. So, when it was announced that Reb Eli would actually be present in England for the Siyumim on Masechta Kesubos, there was an immediate and overwhelming demand for places.

Reb Eli flew into England, and was met in Luton airport on Monday evening. He was immediately escorted to Golders Green to deliver his famous Daf Yomi shiur. His schedule was to visit London first and then continue to Manchester. The daf yomi shiur took place in Beis Hamedrash Knesset Yechezkel, to a packed audience of over 400 people which reflected an incredible interest given that details of this public shiur had only been announced 5 days beforehand.

In both London and Manchester, Reb Eli commenced with his famous signature welcome, as he says with much feeling, “Good morning Rabbosai… Ah!” The response from the crowded beis hamedrash in both London and Manchester was so overwhelming that Reb Eli commented that it was the most enthusiastic reception he had ever received. In both towns, there was time given to meet and greet Reb Eli. The warmth and excitement that this generated demonstrated clearly the feeling that MDY is one big family.

After the shiur on Monday night, the crowd were able to ask questions to Reb Eli. When he was asked what made him start giving shiur, Reb Eli revealed that it had originally been his chavrusa that had suggested he give a small public shiur, including his famous 8-minute Daf review and how with siyato dishmaya, the shiur had grown to its current size. Reb Eli quoted Rav Meir Shapiro zt”l, whose yahrzeit was on the same night as the shiur as the paradigm of how one person who felt a responsibility to help others changed the world and he encouraged each person to take this to heart so as to help Klal Yisroel. Reb Eli was asked how much time he devotes to preparing the daf. He explained that whilst it depends on the sugya, he now spends most of his day immersed in the daf.

Very shortly after tickets went on sale for the London Gala Siyum, it was clear to the MDY London Committee that they would

need a much larger venue than initially planned. The Gala Siyum was held on Tuesday evening in the prestigious Meridian Grand, in the presence of over 500 people. The MDY logo was projected onto the side of the venue and could be seen from afar. The guests included over thirty MDY members who flew in from Eretz Yisroel and America, to be present at the Siyum. Whilst the men heard the daf shiur from Reb Eli and davened ma’ariv, the ladies had their own programme led by Rebbetzin Yael Hamer who gave an inspirational talk, appropriately entitled “Our Chelek in Torah.”

The Grand Ballroom where the Siyum took place was exquisitely decorated, under glittering chandeliers and decorated walls The tables were laid royally as befits the great simcha. The high class banquet was provided by Litke Catering. Each guest had a memento on his place. Even the wine bottles carried the MDY logo.

Reb Eli completed Maseches Kesubos and then spoke passionately about how each person should consider moving out of their “comfort zone” to strive to achieve a higher level of learning and commitment to Yiddishkeit. Nesanel Gantz of the Ami Magazine and an MDY member had flown in from America and was called to say the Hadran which was followed by Kaddish, by Dovid Sharman. The extended rekidah that followed the Siyum was an expression of the pure joy of each individual, joining together with all the other members of the MDY family. Everyone was swept up in the simcha that continued unabated for half an hour. The memorable music at the Siyum was provided by Asaf Flumendorf and his band together with Shayale Glick, Shloimi Meisler and the Neginah choir. Whilst the feeling of simcha throughout the evening was palpable, this feeling was most felt when the band played the MDY signature niggun, “It’s geshmack to do the daf!”.

During the seudas mitzva that followed, two short droshos were given by Motty Friesel and Shimon Cohen. They both described the effect that MDY had made on their lives, to change their whole daily routine and their outlook on life. Ari Davis presented Reb Eli with a Book of Appreciation, containing messages of hakaras hatov from all MDY members as well as a plaque containing the Tefillah for Hatzlacha from the Sheloh Hakadosh. Rabbi Noam Fix, an MDY member from Eretz Yisroel gave Reb Eli a unique reminder of the Siyum on Kesubos. He presented him with a kesubah-style record of many of the memorable quotes from Reb Eli’s shiurim during the recent masechta.

After bensching, everybody joined in more dancing until late into the night. The following day Reb Eli travelled northwards to Manchester.

The Manchester Gala shiur and siyum took place on Wednesday evening in Stenecourt Shul and hall. In many aspects, the occasion was similar to the London event. After all, they are all members of the same MDY family. But Manchester had its own unique elements. A large banner displayed in the shul proclaimed, “It all started here!” This referred to the first small Manchester group that was forerunner of the thousands of MDY members who learn today. This was the first visit of Reb Eli to the place where it had all begun. Meeting those first members face-to-face was quite an emotional occasion. Reb Eli mentioned most of them by name, evoking much applause and cheering. Members of MDY may be separated by physical distance, but they are linked into one family. It was indeed a poignant moment when Reb Eli broke off during the shiur to sing with everybody Acheinu Kol Beis Yisroel, just as he had done in London two nights previously.

More than 300 men and bachurim sat down to the seudas mitzva, beautifully catered by Yoeli Wreschner World Cuisine. The chairman was Rabbi Dovid Lewis, who invited Mr Avrohom Boruch Wreschner to say the Hadran on Masechta Kesubos. The rekidah that followed was both inspiring and uplifting to see such a wide range of people joining together in sincere simcha shel mitzva.

In his words of chizuk, Reb Eli referred to the theme of his slogan – “It’s not about the Daf – It’s about the Yomi!.” Again, Reb Eli noted how we need to leave our comfort zone and be prepared to seize the moment of inspiration when it is given to us.

Special thanks were given to Yisroel Kornbluth, Zevi Sinitzky and Shimi Liefman for organising the siyum. Presentations were made to Rabbi Bernhard David and Yossi Dahari as pioneers of the Manchester chabura. Reb Eli was presented with a custom MDY-themed plaque with the tefillah to be said before and after learning.

A song was composed especially for the siyum by Leiby Pomerantz which was performed by Avrumi Halpern and the Sameach choir. The crowd were inspired by 14 year old Abie Liefman who learns the daf with MDY who wrote his own passionate drosho and Guy Levine who received a standing ovation from the crowd as he described how Reb Eli’s shiur had changed his life and that of his family. He told the audience how he turns up the “Good morning Rabbosai” on his computer when he listens to the shiur at home as he wants his children to know that this is a house where we learn and we live Torah values.

All the guests left the Siyumim in both London and Manchester strengthened and inspired to continue their journey. The revolution continues. Since the siyumim, more than 100 men have signed up to learn. It really is geshmack to do the daf! To join the shiur,