East Rutherford, NJ – While organizers of the Siyum HaShas declined to create a live feed from MetLife Stadium for the thousands of people who were unable to attend the event, one young man took matters, literally, into his own hands and one small act of chesed, intended to benefit a few friends, turned into a five hour long live stream that was ultimately seen by tens of thousands of viewers.
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JJ Eleff’s original plan had been to stream perhaps one speaker, maybe two, to a group of online friends at the Dans Deals forum. The twenty one year old from Cleveland, who currently lives in Brooklyn and is studying for smicha while also preparing for his LSATs, had no idea how to run a live stream, but said that it took just a few minutes to set up an account with Ustream.com.
Armed with just a cell phone, a spare battery and a charger, Eleff began streaming live from MetLife Stadium during Mincha and was shocked when, over time, the number of viewers grew exponentially, with tens of thousands of people tuning into his stream during the night.
“I never expected anything like this,” Eleff told VIN News. “It was just one small act of kindness I was doing for a few friends and in the end thousands of people benefitted from it. You never know the power of one act of chesed. This whole thing is just so humbling when I realize how each of us has the potential to affect the lives of others.”
A link to the stream was posted on VIN News and as viewers clicked in by the thousands, they posted comments on VIN expressing their gratitude to the as yet unnamed streamer, for giving them the ability to share in the Siyum in a meaningful way, including one from one man who spent the evening at home, watching the Siyum with his young teenage son, who was stricken with cancer.
Other comments on the site were equally moving.
“I have to admit watching Rav Lau’s speech and seeing so many Jews dancing with such emotion ignited me to think what made me leave this beautiful community?,” wrote one off the derech teenager.
“I had emergency surgery just before the Siyum, and was very upset that I was going to miss it since I was stuck at home in bed,” wrote community activist Zvi Gluck. “I called the phone number to listen, but something was missing. It wasn’t like I was there. I emailed a few friends and asked if anyone could stream video for me, so I could feel like the rest of Klal Yisroel, and see what they see. A few tried, but it kept getting cut off. Then a friend emailed me the VIN News link and said that someone was live streaming the Siyum from a mobile device. I clicked it, and I was ecstatic. I felt like I was there, or as close as I was able to be. Here I was in bed, unable to speak or move and I was able to watch and hear the amazing Kiddush Hashem taking place: hearing words from Gedolim, and seeing all different types of Yidden from all different backgrounds, sitting together, dancing together, being inspired and really being ONE nation.”
Seventy five percent of the views received came from the link posted on VIN News.
“The power of the web, when used for spreading the word of Hashem, should be far more embraced in our community,” said the editor of VIN News. “There is no question that Hashem has sent us this technology and that we should utilize it to spread yiddishkeit and show the world the beauty of Judaism.”
Eleff began the live stream at 7:30 and noticed within minutes that he had a handful of viewers.
“I figured it was the guys from the forum and I told them to feel free to share the link, though I warned them there were no guarantees how long it would go on for,” said Eleff.
Within ten minutes, Eleff was surprised to notice that there were twenty five viewers and when the number of viewers hit one hundred, Eleff realized that with so many people counting on him, he felt the obligation to continue the stream for as long as possible.
“I watched the numbers grow and I found out later that there were hundreds of tweets telling people about the stream. When the link got posted on Vos Iz Neias, I saw the numbers start jumping into the thousands.”
The link to the live stream was eventually posted on other news sites as well and according to Eleff, the Siyum HaShas stream was the most watched feed on Ustream that day.
Thankfully, Eleff, who has an unlimited data plan and streamed over one gigabyte of data during the Siyum, had brought along a spare battery for his Samsung Galaxy Nexus, which he left charging in the nearby concourse, swapping out the battery between speakers.
“Can you imagine at a football game if someone had left a battery charging in the walkway, just sitting there?” queried Eleff. “It felt totally natural to leave my charger there and not have to worry about someone taking it. It stayed there for five hours and no one even touched it.”
Eleff, who had taken a New Jersey Transit train to the Siyum, kept on streaming even after announcers warned all commuters that the last trains would be leaving shortly.
“Baruch Hashem, there ended up being a later train,” said Eleff. “It never even occurred to me to leave.”
Thirty six hours after the Siyum, Eleff admitted that his arm still aches from the five hour live stream, but that he is still on a high.
Eleff was buoyed the tremendous achdus he saw at the Siyum.
“There was one guy, a total stranger, who asked to remain anonymous, who held the phone for ten minutes during one of the speeches, just so I could get a drink of water and stretch a little,” recalled Eleff. “He was wearing a gold Chai necklace and a sports cap and held the phone for me during Maariv so that I could daven.”
“If was the best Maariv Shmone Esria of my entire life,” added Eleff.
This guy is a Lubavitcher. This is real Achdus leaving behind issues from the past. Let’s build on that!
Hashem should Bench JJ Elef with only good in his future!! I watched the entire stream, it felt as if I was there!! I also gave my laptop to a friend in a local Nursing home recovering from an operation so he can also watch it live. “Thanks JJ” !! We are extremely proud of you!! Yasher Koiach!!
Kudos to JJ. Get with the times!
Wow beautiful , what a kiddush Hashem , keep up the great work !
Kil hakovod to this young man for allowing so many of us to share in the siym and the great vibes it created. Its just another example of how creative youngerleit can think outside the box (and respectfully ignore the gaolim who directed there be NO live streadming) and made their own decisions. Hopefully we will sed more of this kiddush hashem from yidden thinking beyond the boundaries they have been told they can think and act within.
This was a wonderful chesed that you did for those of us at home. It was so uplifting to hear “LIVE” Rabbi Frand and Rabbi Lau. I found it truly inspirational. My husband who was at the siyum was thrilled to know that I was able to participate too.
Go JJ!!!!!
jj thank you you the man
The ads on the live stream weren’t to modest it was a shame for such a siyum
thank you JJ (& vin) for this wonderful chesed ! I saw most of this kidush Hashem thanx to you & its so appreciated! may this chesed bring you the many brachos you deserve!
it might just be stealing-
imagine for a moment if a well intending person would do this of the IOC (olympics) something NBC paid 2.2 billion for the rights to stream live.
of course wed love to see the games live, but they are not ours and the rights for showing them off etc… belong to the one paying for it.
so while VIN is upset- perhaps had they offered the siyum people some dough they could have earned the rights or bought the rights.
now VIN using technique is making it sound like a questionable behavior or act can be voted upon in the masses – and thus the rules change.
VIN – im sorry you cant win the argumment this way- certainly for an ethical site with high standards- you ought to do better than play dirty.
I find it pretty amusing that Aguda would not stream during the Siyum but after the Siyum their recorded 7 hour video has been distributes via the internet. Aguda leadership & Rabbis confuse me more. Is the internet OK or is it banned? Where do you really stand. Do the masses have to figure out that the Aguda has been hijacted?
Wanted to say thanks to JJ. I watched the whole siyum and was inspired to join daf yomi. I’m sure you will get zchar for my learning as well!
As a side point I watched it on firefox browser with “ad block” and didn’t see any ads.
A special thanks to New Tel Systems for translating the Siyum from Yiddish to English and Vice Versa.
I thought it was a really kind thing to do – i enjoyed the stream very much and bentch and thank jj eleff for what he did!
Thank you, having live stream was great!
I would have no problem paying a subscription fee to be able to log in to watch a live online video feed. Agudath should have done a pay fee and give accesses to it for those who pay.
The funny part is, that the Siyam HaShas in Israel was broadcasting live on the net, attended by some rabbis who ban the net.
JJ thanks so much…due to illness i wasnt able to make it..because of your selfless chessed i was able to watch and feel part of it. i was inspired by rav lau’s heartfelt speech becuase of you. yasher koach!…
Anyone from outside “our world” would read this thread of comments and conclude we are a very strange bunch of people. I will add my thanks to JJ Elef. Because of him I was able to “be there”. I’m grateful.
You cannot overestimate what this video feed accomplished!
WOW! Good on ya JJ! What a Kiddush Hashem! From making public Sedarim in Ponovitch, Lithuania to inspiring Jews in the mountains of New Mexico and now THIS!!
may you continue to inspire Yiddim throughout the world!
Yelchu M’Chayil El Choyil!
JJ, thanks to your consideration, I was able to watch the siyum with my children who would not have been able to sit through the whole program at Metlife. Your kindness enabled us to have a very meaningful experience.
Maybe Agudah planned to take the video of the Siyum and make a DVD that they would sell and make some money from. Now that all these people saw live what they were not supposed to see, the sales of the DVD will be less than they would have been. This is outright stealing. Ask MBD why he won’t make any more CDs. It’s because people illegally make copies and he loses money. What’s the difference here?
i say this with my greatest respect to rabbonim and gedolim….see what impact the internet can have…one can learn daf yomi via the internet ect…Please be informed and intouch before you sign a peice of paper…understand the klal get in touch with the klal instead.
I too want to ad my thanx!
I don’t know the Elef’s personally, but I can tell you they don’t do these things for money or Honor they do it as services that unites all yidden, when his Brother gave a course in Crown Heights the room was full all the way to the street and the crowed was even more diverse then the syium.
“In other words, you are only too pleased to put your gushpanka on rank disobedience and anarchy.You do realize that by doing this you stand to lose a considerable part of your helek in the olam haba?”
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Once again, one of the sheep has spoken. I dont think he will lose one iota of olam haba for doing what these 2 “gedolim” refused to allow. If anything, he will gain alot for allowing thousands of us to share in the siyum. All you need to do is read the comments and you will see what a chesed JJ did. Thank you, JJ.
I watched almost the entire siyum on this live stream, I was so inspired by it, that I decided to start the new cycle of the daf hayomi.
1. The aguda never in all their announcements and fliers said that streaming the event was forbidden.
2. The aguda themselves have already released a high quality 7 hour recording of the siyum so no money was lost from DVD sales.
3. Any lubavitcher would be more than happy to give up their personal olam haba if it benefited other yiden.
4. He did this as a service for a few friends. He didn’t even know that ustream has ads, as stated in the article he never did this before.
5. I think this represents amazing achdus and if anyone has complaints against the guy who filmed it, the aguda can easily reach out to him themselves no one needs hate spewed in the comments of a beautiful article.
Thank you very much, Mr. ELeff… may Hashem bless you ELEF Pe’Omim for your good deed. My wife and daughter were at home (not good with heights and nosebleeds) and they were so thrilled to watch live.
I am sure you did the right thing!
I didn’t know there was a live stream and I and my son missed the siyum entirely. Have no plans of buying a CD or DVD if it comes out though either. If streaming it was illegal then let Aguda sue. Was it specified anywhere that it could not be broadcast? Before people try to gather a lynch mob, please prove something illegal was done.
Thanks so much, I was there with few kids, my wife couldent make it, in middle of the siyam she asked me, where she could watch it live, so I said check VIN they probably have a link, and I was right, they had, and she watched the whole thing, she was so greatful, she felt a part of the klal, not left out, (she even wanted to start daf hayomi) she enjoyed the speekers, and the speeches, thanks so much.
Question??? Did he ask permission? Although he allowed thousands to appreciate the siyum there was a reason agudah did not stream live. shaulE events paid a fortune to broadcast it live in Lakewood and due to it being streamed illegally he lost thousands of dollars. I believe it was mitzvah haba be beAveirah. There is a reason why all stadiums, concerts movie theatres don’t allow cameras inside. And the fact that agudah did not stream it should have been enough of a reason for him to ask permission.
I was one of those that enjoyed the stream as did my daughter who was in Canada. It was a tremendous chessed, whose portion of olam haba will be far greater than that of ignoring 2 rabbonim whose opinion he doesn’t follow.
Thank you I watched the entire event from the vin link.
The Agudah could have streamed the actual feed, but since the internet is assur, they chose not to. They could even have charged a fee for the service, as did Ohr Naava for their (excellent) Tisha Bacv program.
For your info – … there was an Internet streaming live – directly from the Agudah ! Yes there was indeed! I know it. They used it for all the out of town hook ups etc. I know people who used it – via the Internet! Anyone who was home should have been able to connect to it as well. – and ya know what? Agudah could have earned much more money by making it available to the tens of thousands of people that clicked the free link on Vozizneias…. by owning up to the fact that there was a live stream and then announcing that it was assur for anyone else to do it .They could have made it available and charged for it! If there is the technology – it should be used, and the Agudah had it – and chose not to share it.
As #50 said – Ohr Naava did it – and indeed it was phenomenal! As far as we understood, the Internet is only assur without a filter! 🙂 This is all absurd… Internet can is is being used for good things too.
Will it never end??? All this make believe??? And one even wonders or questions why teens today have a hard time? I don’t. They see through it all. The hypocrisy is just right in their face!
THank you sooo much for the stream. I would have loved to attend live but since I couldn’t I checked VIN for pics and updates and was thrilled to discover a stream!! My 7 year old son watched with me and when they said mazel tov and started dancing, so did we.
Thank you — Tizku l’mitzvos!
Thank you JJ! My young son and I watched and it was amazing! I wouldn’t have bought a DVD so this was indeed a mitzvah!
Thank you all very much for the amazing words of encouragement and thanks. I really meant everything I said in the article and am so humbled by this whole event. I hope we will share in many more joyous occasions together! Especially the ultimate joyous event together in yerushalyim! Thank you to Sandy Eller and VIN for putting together such a beautiful and touching article!
did everyone forget about the citi field asifa hakodesh?