The 13th Global Siyum Hashas of Daf YomiAgudath Israel of America.

[shaulyaakov]

Still can't get over the fact that the אנגעפאשעטע aguda people didn't even think of looking to get a sponsor for a bottle of water and a danish in the bag with their thick magazines.

ברוך אתה ה' שלא עשני ליטוואק.

They did have free hot water. So fill a cup and wait 5 minutes in the cold.

Handing out bottled water may have been against the agreement with metlife and the concession that has a monopoly on selling food.

[dealfinder11]

They highlighted a child with cancer and a guy with ALS (I left after dancing, heard there was one more), plus the videos.

I agree though that the 3 dovrei pesicha and the 2 keynote addresses was a bit over the top. Not to mention that they probably could have streamlined the siyum mishnayos into the main siyum.

from what i understand they intentionally added those in before so the stadium would be at full capacity for the actual siyum. Not that i was happy with that arrangement, as i found the first couple hours incredibly boring, just pointing out their rational . (i also left after the dancing because it was so shlepped out).

[dealfinder11]

There's what I would do vs. What it's realistic to except at a charedi event. I had no issue with no women speakers or zionism. But thdy could have just spoken to all learners regardless of gender as opposed to repeatedly singling out the wives, when many of the women there were teens/students or women who learn in their own right.

Also a Rav who happens to be the Rav of a young Israel or Rosh Yeshiva at YU certainly is on the level to speak. If Jay Schottenstein is honored to say Kaddish, surely Rav Schechter or the like should be invited to speak.

There was no concern that Mr Schottenstein was going to ad-lib kaddish. There was concern about what Rav Schechter Shlita would say that might upset the more chareidi public.

[aygart]

There's what I would do vs. What it's realistic to except at a charedi event

You are having a difficult time seeing where to draw that line.

[aygart]

There was no concern that Mr Schottenstein was going to ad-lib kaddish. There was concern about what Rav Schechter Shlita would say that might upset the more chareidi public.

The speeches were so screened that the Hebrew translation was on the screen before they said it.

[shaulyaakov]

The speeches were so screened that the Hebrew translation was on the screen before they said it.

The allowed rabbi Lau at the last one (granted, that one ran so late that many, myself included weren't around to hear it).

The 2 are probably relatively similar hashkafically.

[shaulyaakov]

And getting around the women issue is simple - just talk about melamdim and families. Who does that hurt?

[aygart]

The allowed rabbi Lau at the last one (granted, that one ran so late that many, myself included weren't around to hear it).

The 2 are probably relatively similar hashkafically.

My point was that this was not a concern. Besides, Rav Schachter is way to smart to do such a thing. I know from personal experience that he is very in tune to this. He probably would decline if offered.

[yuneeq]

They did have free hot water. So fill a cup and wait 5 minutes in the cold.

Handing out bottled water may have been against the agreement with metlife and the concession that has a monopoly on selling food.

They have 7 kosher stands operating during a football game, they only had 1 yesterday. Food is a huge part of every siyum, it's something I feel they should greatly improve for next time, even if it has to be sold.

And getting around the women issue is simple - just talk about melamdim and families. Who does that hurt?

For Agudah, highlighting the women supporting their husbands is about as progressive as they will get. Previous siyumim they were probably an afterthought, if mentioned much at all. Not that I think they should've done more.

[aygart]

And getting around the women issue is simple - just talk about melamdim and families. Who does that hurt?

They don't see it as something to get around.

[aygart]

They have 7 kosher stands operating during a football game, they only had 1 yesterday. Food is a huge part of every siyum, it's something I feel they should greatly improve for next time, even if it has to be sold.

For Agudah, highlighting the women supporting their husbands is about as progressive as they will get. Previous siyumim they were probably an afterthought, if mentioned much at all. Not that I think they should've done more.

Until MetLife there was barely a section for women at all.

[shaulyaakov]

Yes, hot food for purchase would have been nice in abundance. I waited 20 mins on line for hot dogs between 1230-1250. I can only imagine the demand after the stadium filled.

I also think the luxury vs everyone else screamed money rather than achdus. They loved to talk about achdus but in practice, a lot was clearly geared to one specific group of people.

[coffeebean]

Jerusalem's Siyum was a disaster imo, poorly organized, and pretty boring. They asked people to stay and not leave towards the end, since half of the ICC emptied out

[Boruch Parnes]

Yes, hot food for purchase would have been nice in abundance. I waited 20 mins on line for hot dogs between 1230-1250. I can only imagine the demand after the stadium filled.

I also think the luxury vs everyone else screamed money rather than achdus. They loved to talk about achdus but in practice, a lot was clearly geared to one specific group of people.

its sounding like you went there looking for problems

[RebTuvia]

  Did he say a shmeichel instead of ashreichem ?

I think that was Gertner.

[shaulyaakov]

I thihk the siyum and dancing were amazing and really beautiful. For those who have been following my posts here, you'll know that I'm modern Orthodox. While I would have preferred certain things be more diverse (such as Rav Hershel Schechter speaking in person rather than only on a video clip), an acknowledgment of women beyond in relation to their husband's, etc, I thihk this siyum was far better executed than the one 7. 5 years ago (I was there, on the field). The siyum had highlights that spoke to everyone, and maybe in 7.5 years, the Agudah will focus more on the highlights (unity, dancing, Simchas HaTorah) and the next one will be even better.

I'm surprised to see critiques of the  music and the crowd, because I think anyone there felt a mincha that you wouldn't beleive (silent 75% full stadium), ruach, and such Simcha.

There were pros and cons.

[yuneeq]

There were pros and cons.

Nothing can ever be perfect and the siyum was obviously no exception. But for perspective, if I had to leave after Mincha I would say it was still worth going to. I'm opinionated as anyone else, but I'm biting my tongue because even offering valid feedback doesn't come out right or feel justified.

[Abebee]

They have 7 kosher stands operating during a football game, they only had 1 yesterday. Food is a huge part of every siyum, it's something I feel they should greatly improve for next time, even if it has to be sold.

Agreed, at Barclay there wasn't any stands open and nowhere to buy water. Only the wealthy got to eat at Siyum

[aygart]

Nothing can ever be perfect and the siyum was obviously no exception. But for perspective, if I had to leave after Mincha I would say it was still worth going to. I'm opinionated as anyone else, but I'm biting my tongue because even offering valid feedback doesn't come out right or feel justified.

They have come a long way from the one I went to in 1990 which was almost entirely speeches and most of them in Yiddish.

People are not understanding what the event was about. It was about promoting men being קובע עיתים לתורה even more so than being about the Daf. Promoting women encouraging their husbands to do that is a very big part of it and was therefore pushed significantly. Women doing their own learning, regardless of your opinions about that, is not a part of that and therefore does not belong in the equation at all.

[Dan]

Nothing can ever be perfect and the siyum was obviously no exception. But for perspective, if I had to leave after Mincha I would say it was still worth going to. I'm opinionated as anyone else, but I'm biting my tongue because even offering valid feedback doesn't come out right or feel justified.

What is wrong with expressing positive and/or negative feedback?
A beautiful event can always be improved for next time.