DIRSHU: A ray of Hanukka hope

JUST AS Jews bring light to this world by lighting their Hanukka menorahs, Dirshu, the largest Torah organization in the world, brings light to people's minds and souls. Over the past 20 years, through a program of Jewish study and testing, Dirshu, which has headquarters in Jerusalem and Lakewood, New Jersey, has been educating students on the most sacred and precious Jewish texts and encouraging them to reach new heights of learning. Rabbi David Hofstedter, a child of Holocaust survivors, wanted to bring the level of Jewish learning back to what it had been before WWII, so he created Dirshu, a Jewish educational organization that has touched the lives of more than 150,000 people. Rabbi Aharon Gobioff, Dirshu's director of operations in North America says, “The Dirshu organization is at the forefront of providing the framework for advanced Judaic studies. Multiple topics are studied by tens of thousands around the world. Topics include Talmudic studies, daily law and advanced law, as well as studies on human relations and character refinement. The goal is to 'study with responsibility,' which includes reviewing the material in an organized fashion and taking monthly tests.” Approximately 40,000 people study with the program each year, with approximately 20,000 people taking the tests, according to Rabbi Gobioff. At this time of the year, Jews think each night about the sacrifice the Maccabees made so that Jews could continue to practice their religion in freedom. “The miracle of Hanukka came about through selfless dedication and self-sacrifice to preserve the purity, heritage and unity of the Jewish people. The praise that we recite on Hanukka is for all that Hashem did for us in those days – and in our times, as well. By exhibiting similar character traits, we too can merit great miracles. May we merit to witness them speedily in our days. Amen,” says Hofstedter concerning the topic of Hanukka. Like the miracle of the oil lasting for eight days, Dirshu is no less miraculous. At a time when the entire world has seen a “dumbing down” of education, Dirshu has raised the bar. There are many different ways one can study with Dirshu. Some choose to study in a yeshiva, while some meet with a mentor or a study buddy. Dirshu encourages its students to form relationships with others and participants range from 13 or 90 years old. Dirshu's unwritten motto is: You are never too old to learn. The program is truly unique. Bakers study with doctors and professors. In the true spirit of unity and harmony, Sephardim study with Ashkenazim and Jews from various sects and denominations study together and take the same tests. Stipends are given to those who achieve high test scores and, for those with large families or temporarily unemployed, these stipends are a blessing. Each year Dirshu's outreach arm, Acheinu, holds a Day of Jewish Unity in which it unites Jews around the world in hope. On this day, Jews pray for peace and pledge to refrain from gossip. This movement has grown in strength in recent years, especially as the world sees increased nuclear tensions, growing political animus and more brazen acts of hatred. Not only does the Day of Jewish Unity seek to heal the world, but it also seeks to heal the deep schisms that have erupted between various groups of Jews. Hofstedter says that a Jewish soul is lost without Torah and that it needs Torah to thrive. Several individuals studying with Dirshu have given testimonials saying that the coursework and strict adherence to a learning timetable have given them focus and direction in their lives, nourishing their souls. For some, Dirshu has helped them identify a path they want to take in their lives; for others, Dirshu has given them hope and structure while they recover from family and/or financial issues. One such student who has found great comfort in Dirshu is using the program to recover from the death of his young child. He says that, if not for the structure and support that Dirshu has provided him, he is not sure he would have had the strength to continue living his life after his son's death. An illustration of the miraculous aspect of Dirshu is demonstrated in Rabbi Yechiel Spero's testimonial about a righteous man, Avrohom Dovid Weisz. A Dirshu student who lives in New York, Weisz does not let ALS prevent him from expanding his mind with the program. Despite having this degenerative disease of the brain and spinal cord, which has rendered him paralyzed, only able to communicate with the world through eye movements, Weisz is dedicated to his lessons, constantly yearning for more knowledge. Weisz participates in Dirshu's Kinyan HaShas program, one of the organization's most difficult courses of Talmudic study. As he can only write by looking at the letters of his keyboard, a typical test of just 22 questions can take Weisz anywhere from 14 to 18 hours to complete. But he perseveres. Once, after already spending 14 hours on one test, Weisz's computer was destroyed in an accident, erasing all of his responses. Rather than wallowing in despair or giving up, Weisz got right back to work, re-answering each question and submitting his exam just before the deadline. Once an ALS sufferer sees on onset of symptoms, they typically will not live for more than five years. Weisz has lived with his symptoms for more than 12 years and his wife, Ruchie, attributes his continued survival and verve for life to Dirshu and his learning regimen. “People ask how my husband has been able to survive for the last 12 years with this dreaded illness,” Ruchie Weisz tells a group of doctors and experts in the field of ALS, explaining that others do not fare so well because they have no aspirations. “It is in part because these doctors, lawyers, accountants and others who have been stricken are robbed of their abilities and see no purpose in living, and so they become depressed and lose the urge to fight. “But my husband has his learning and his commitment to Dirshu doesn't allow him to quit,” she continued. “He feels purpose and drive in every moment of his life. This is what keeps him going.” According to Gobioff, Ruchie Weisz told him that what keeps her husband alive is “25 percent respirator and the other 75 percent is Dirshu.” DIRSHU'S STUDENTS come from all walks of life and gravitate to Dirshu for a variety of reasons. David Rosenblatt relates that Dirshu helped him focus and provided direction for his life. “As a young man of 20, I endeavored to find my place in the world,” Rosenblatt says. “I was a child facing the burden and responsibility of real adulthood and choice upon my inexperienced shoulders. Where will I go? Who will I be? “These questions haunted my thoughts and paralyzed my decisions,” he continues. “How could I be expected now to make life-altering decisions about career, religion and family? From the present, trying to peer into my future, there was only darkness and uncertainty. I was in need of direction and guidance.” And that is what he has received from Dirshu. According to Rosenblatt, “Dirshu gave me a love and passion for complex and structured learning. Dirshu gave me consistency and grounded me toward goals by requiring its members to be accountable and liable for the material learned.” While learning with Dirshu, Rosenblatt fell in love with Jewish law; he is now pursuing a law degree, having completed his bachelor's degree in finance alongside his Dirshu exams. “Day after day, month after month, we would learn the complex law toward the goals of being tested on our retention and proficiency of what we learned. Dirshu gave my life a purpose, mission and focus, and gave me the tools for success in life,” he says. But Dirshu's study regimen does not only help those seeking the right path; it helps those who are liable to stray from it as well. Dirshu brands itself as a way to keep young Jews faithful and to prevent moral degradation in society. “Dirshu keeps young people on the right track and prevents them from being pulled down by all the negative things on the Internet and dirt surrounding us,” says Shimon Lefkowitz, a Dirshu student. “Dirshu is the best therapy, free of charge. You feel good about yourself, not just spiritually, but in your practical day-to-day life. If you are not having a good day and you start studying, it changes your day around,” he continues. “When you know that Gemara is there, waiting to be studied, it changes everything. When you study with Dirshu, you feel like a million dollars and on top of your world.” He lauds Dirshu for making itself accessible to so many. “If you have family and a business, there are challenges to finding time to study, but it is worth it because the program brings meaning to life.” Today, many Jews are afraid of growing antisemitism and have been victims of antisemitic acts around the world. Dirshu gives support and comfort to these communities as demonstrated on a trip to France this past May where they met with leaders in the Jewish community and government officials, once again bringing their light of hope, Torah and optimism to the world. Yael Katzwer is a New Jersey-based journalist. You can learn more about Dirshu in Israel by visiting www.dirshu.co.il or in the United States by sending an email to br@dirshunj.org

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DIRSHU: A ray of Hanukka hope

Jewish educational organization brings light to a darkening world

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