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Page Masters: A renowned educator joins local Orthodox Jews as they celebrate their annual cycle of Torah study.
Upper Park Heights
Aprominent international Torah educator praised Baltimore's Orthodox community for its simplicity and dedication to Torah learning at an event celebrating the completion of an annual study cycle.
"I never imagined I would feel such kedushas Ha Torah [holiness of Torah]," said Rabbi Matisyahu Solomon, a lecturer and spiritual guide of Beth Madras Govoha of Lakewood, N.J., the largest yeshiva in the United States.
He spoke at Baltimore's 13th annual Siyyum HaTorah dinner last Sunday, Nov. 14, at Arugas Habosem Synagogue. The three-hour event, attended by nearly 550 men and women, celebrated Baltimore's unique community-wide study program sponsored by Agudath Israel Synagogue of Baltimore.
This past year, about 2,000 Orthodox men signed on prior to Rosh Hashanah to study a specific portion of either Tanach, the Bible; the six books of Mishnah; or the Babylonian Talmud.
The study program was initiated by the late Yerachmiel Friedman, a former president of Agudath Israel. Rabbi Joseph Schecter, community relations director at Ner Israel Rabbinical College, continued the program since 1993.
"I'm a salesman of lots in heaven," said Rabbi Schecter, event chairman. "I'm the city nudnick, getting people to sign up. It's Torah for Torah sake only -- no...