Two weeks ago, Berlin’s frum community joined the world in celebrating the Siyum HaShas. This week, the world joined Berlin in celebrating the LOMED Siyum Mishnayos.

Kahal Adass Jisroel of Berlin is the largest frum community in Germany, with about 80 shomer Shabbos families. Germany is home to some 120,000 yidden, following only France and England with the third-largest Jewish population in Europe. Only a small percentage of those are observant, but for those who are, the community in Berlin serves as the epicenter; the core of strong Yiddeshkeit from which even those further away can gain. Many move to Berlin from other cities when their children reach school-age, to provide them with a proper Torah education.

A few years ago, Kahal Adass Jisroel reached out to Beth Medrash Govoha with an interesting request: “We want a Kollel!” Two and a half years ago, it became a reality, and 5 yungerleit were sent from Lakewood to Berlin.

One of the most successful initiatives of the Kollel is the LOMED Mishnayos program, in which 2 Mishnayos are learnt daily. There is a daily shiur, and those who cannot attend receive a Whatsapp message containing a recording of the Shiur, as well as the text of the Mishnayos with translation in German and English. For some, the Mishnayos are a supplement to their Daf Yomi; for others, it is their learning for the day. Especially for those who work outside of Berlin and are away throughout the week, it serves as an important connection to Torah study. The program has witnessed expansion beyond Berlin, and has subscribers all over Germany and in parts of Eastern Europe.

Today, LOMED celebrated its second Siyum of a Seder Mishnayos with the completion of Seder Nezikin. Over 130 people gathered together to join in the Simcha at this overbooked event.

But perhaps more notable is those that were not in attendance. Over 100 children between the ages of 1 and 11 were not there; the older children sent on a trip, the younger ones in childcare. This Siyum was not just about those in the room, but about those children as well, testifying to the fact that they will grow up with Limud Hatorah taking a central role in their lives.

A composer once said, “Music begins where the possibilities of language end.” Whether it’s Yiddish in a yeshiva in Lublin, English in a Bais Medrash in Lakewood, or German in a shul in Berlin, the song of Torah will always be at the core of our people, regardless of time and place. While the Siyum Hashas demonstrates how the Torah of yesteryear has endured into the present, this Siyum Mishnayos shows that the Torah of the present will continue to flourish in the future.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)