Some locations are so historic that they defy the imagination. One such place is the historic Sofiensäle Hall in Vienna, a concert hall where, during the month of Elul one-hundred years ago the groundbreaking, world-changing concept of the Daf HaYomi was proposed by the young Rav of the Polish town of Sonik. This year on motzoei Shabbos Bereishis, history will once again be made in that very hall in Vienna. That same hall will be filled to capacity once more, graced and led by leading Gedolei Yisrael and leading Roshei Yeshiva, Rabbanim, and maggidei shiur, as they celebrate a siyum on Seder Nashim and half of the present Daf HaYomi cycle.

Even more exciting, a new Klal Yisrael learning initiative that promises to have a transformative impact on Yidden and Torah learning the world-over will be proposed in that very location where Rav Meir Shapiro with his booming voice and optimism launched the Daf HaYomi.

The siyum will be the climax of a Historic Mission spearheaded by Dirshu and led by Gedolei Yisrael that will begin with a visit and special tefillos on behalf of Klal Yisrael at the kever of the Chasam Sofer in Pressburg within three days of his yahrtzeit, and continue with Dirshu’s International Shabbos Convention in Pressburg. The climax will be the celebration, the siyum, will be held at the historic Sofiensäle Hall in Vienna where the first Knessia Gedolah was held in Elul of 1923, when Rav Meir Shapiro proposed the Daf HaYomi.

Among the leading Gedolei Yisrael who will grace the Shabbos and the siyum will be HaGaon HaRav Dovid Cohen, shlita, Rosh Yeshivas Chevron; HaGaon HaRav Yaakov Meir Stern, shlita, talmid muvhak of Rav Shmuel Wosner and one of Eretz Yisrael’s leading poskim and dayanim; HaGaon HaRav Shimon Galei, shlita; HaGaon HaRav Chaim Peretz Berman, shlita, a Rosh Yeshiva at the Ponevezh Yeshiva; HaGaon HaRav Gavriel Knopfler, shlita, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva Shaarei Torah of Manchester, and numerous other Rabbanim and Roshei Yeshiva from Eretz Yisrael and abroad.

Leading the delegation of Gedolim from America will be HaGaon HaRav Hillel David, shlita, Yoshev Rosh of the Vaad Roshei Yeshiva of Torah Umesorah, member of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah, and Rav of Kehillas Yeshiva Shaarei Torah.

The inspirational pinnacle of erev Shabbos will be the special maamad tefillah on behalf of lomdei Daf HaYomi and Klal Yisrael led by Gedolei Yisrael at the kever of the Chasam Sofer. Klal Yisrael is so in need of shemirah, in ruchniyus and in gashmiyus, in yeshuos, refuos and shidduchim, and at the makom Kadosh the burial place of the Chasam Sofer, around the time of his yartzeit is the opportune time to invoke rachamei shomayim.

At this year’s European International Dirshu Convention there will be a return to history; but perhaps even more importantly new history will be made.

Stay tuned.