Imagine 350 chavrusas, learning partners, totaling 700 lomdim, learners, sitting across from each other in an expansive ballroom, learning 10 dapim, pages, of Gemara.. Surrealistic as it may seem, this will be the scene on February 6, 2022, when 700 men will gather at the Kalahari Resort in the Poconos beginning at 8:30AM to spend the entire day until 5:30PM learning 10 pages of Talmud which will culminate in the completion of all 7000 pages of Shas, close to 3,000 at the event itself. This event will be the 8th Shas-a-Thon sponsored by A T.I.M.E., a non-profit organization which provides a social support network for Jewish couples experiencing infertility. Sponsorships by the learning partners with a goal of $10,000 each will hopefully result in the over 3 million dollars needed to provide the services of A T.I.M.E. to the targeted community.
The majority of the participants in this ongoing yearly A T.I.M.E. event hail from Brooklyn, Lakewood and Monsey. Proudly, for the past four years, the Teaneck community has been represented as well in the person of Rabbi Justin Ariel Wexler. Wexler, 30, is the son of Andrew and Alicia Wexler. Members of Congregation Beth Aaron, the Wexlers raised their three sons in Teaneck where they attended Yavneh Academy for elementary school and TABC for high school. Rabbi Justin Wexler attended Toras Shraga for his gap year and returned to Yeshiva University where he studied and eventually earned his Semicha. He is currently a Junior High School Gemara Rebbe at Yeshivat Noam. In addition, as of 2017, he took over the leadership of the Jewish Learning Experience from Rabbi David Pietruszka through which he presents weekly classes in Introduction to Judaism. He and his wife of 1 1/2 years reside in the Teaneck Apartments. Rabbi Wexler learns regularly with his former classmate Aex Lubat. The two will be participating in the upcoming Shas-a-Thon as chevrusas as they have done for the past 4 years.
Brother Jeremy Simcha, 26, attended Shaarei Mevaseret Tzion in Israel. He is currently an accountant with the Freedman LLP Accounting Firm. He will be participating in the Shas-a-Thon for the second year. Brother Matthew Noah, 24, attended Yeshivat Shaalvim in Israel and is currently studying for Semicha at Yeshiva University. Matthew will be participating for the first time in the upcoming Shas-a-Thon where he will learn b’chavrusa with brother Jeremy. The Wexler brothers are proud that they make time to learn together regularly.
Commenting upon their participation in the A-T.I.M.E. annual Shas-a-Thon, Rabbi Justin Wexler shared, “The main motivating factor for all three of us is that we believe in the cause of A TIME and how important it is to create awareness for those struggling with infertility. The annual Shas-a-Thon creates this awareness for the community through hundreds of learning partners studying Torah.The program represents a beautiful synthesis between Torah, Tefilla and Chessed.”
The chavrusas for the Shas-a-thon began signing up for the event soon after the Chagim in October. The sign-up for this year exceeded all other years and was filled up quickly. Among the participants is a high percentage of returnees indicating their special dedication to this most worthy cause. In addition to the learning, the day includes Divrei Chizuk from Torah personalities including Rav Shmuel Kaminetskty, Rav Yissocher Frand and Rabbi Eli Monsour. After the learning has concluded, a gala dinner is served as well as entertainment which in the past has featured performances by Avraham Fried, Mordechai Ben David, Yisroel Williger and others.
A T.I.M..E- A Torah Infertility Medium of Exchange- was established in 1993 by Rabbi Shaul and Brany Rosen, a Bobov Chassidic couple who from personal experience saw the great need for a social support network for couples facing infertility. Currently, the organization numbers over 7000 registered members and branch offices in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Israel. The many and diverse services offered by the organization include social support forums for couples, coordinating resources for financial aid for treatments, educational programs, physician referrals, adoption services, and a pregnancy loss support program. The organization also publishes a quarterly magazine that includes up-to-date information regarding the latest fertility innovations.
For further information about A T.I.M.E. visit www.atime.org or call 718-686-8912
A TIME is located at 1310 48th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11219
For further information about the upcoming February 6 event go to [email protected] or call 718-972-SHAS (7427)
By Pearl Markovitz
