Thousands fill Olympic arena seeking inspiration

On Sunday, a momentous occasion took place in London. The Dirshu Siyum in England - the first of its kind in all of Europe. Dirshu is an international Torah organisation, which was founded in 1997. The word “Dirshu” itself means “seek”. In this case, seeking the path of Hashem.

On a crowded coach heading eastward across London, nearly 70 Jewish youths brimmed with nervous excitement as their vehicle neared the Copper Box Arena, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, for the siyum.

Over 7,000 Jews were coming from all over the UK and even European cities such as Antwerp, where high numbers of Chasidic Jews reside.

The purpose of the “siyum”, which means “completion” in Hebrew, was to celebrate the completion of many learning programmes organised by Dirshu UK, such as finishing the Talmud tractates of Shabbat and Bava Batra, as well as the beginning of new series of learning.

On the way to the venue, I spoke to the rabbi and a few of the boys. Their responses to my questions summed up the excitement they felt, and the understanding that they were part of something bigger than just their individual learning.

In what has been an extremely tough year for the British Jewish community, especially the Chasidim of north-west London and Stamford Hill, the event showcased the community's resilience and persistent desire to stay strong and keep learning, for the sake of Hashem.

Entering the arena, the sheer enormity of the venue and the occasion took my breath away.

The concert started as soon as the communal Ma’ariv (evening prayer) with over 1,000 people had finished and consisted of speeches in Yiddish and English from world-renowned rabbis. The emotion in their messages of support and strength was perceptible to all of us.

Interlaced with the inspiring words, legendary singers emerged from their positions backstage to entertain the audience with familiar traditional and modern tunes.

The leading Chasidic singer worldwide, Motty Steinmetz, was at the Copper Box Arena, and his presence alone was special for the audience. Although those in the crowd will tell you they were there to listen to the rabbis and celebrate the completion and renewal of learning Torah, the angelic qualities of Steinmetz's voice captivated the crowd. The sight of thousands of Jews, arm in arm, swaying to the voices of the Malchus Choir, illustrated the hope for Jews to be able to live peacefully in Britain.

Rabbi Dovid Hofstedter, the founder of Dirshu, quoted Winston Churchill's "We will fight on the beaches," questioning if there are "any streets in the world where a Jew can feel safe". The rabbi proceeded to ask the audience to continue fighting for the sake of Am Yisrael, to never surrender and keep learning until Hashem brings the Mashiach.

The significance of such an enormous event, occurring at a time when the Jewish people are facing the gravest danger since the tragedies of 1930s and 1940s Europe, cannot be understated. The packed-out venue, which has hosted such events as the London 2012 Olympic Games and London Lions basketball fixtures, was filled with Jews with the same goal: to serve Hashem, continue to grow and increase in their knowledge.

Returning home late at night on the coach, the mood shifted completely from what I had experienced on the way to Stratford. The kids seemed tired, yet joyful and uplifted. They appeared reflective, relaxed and reassured. We had enjoyed a wonderful event, with no security concerns, highlighting the potential for Chasidic Jews to flourish in the UK in future.

To hear the video of Motty Steinmetz (and others, including Baruch Levine) singing, click here