Jews celebrate at MetLife Stadium in NJ after surge in attacks
RUTHERFORD, New Jersey (WABC) -- More than 92,000 Jewish men and women congregated on New Year's Day at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey to celebrate the reading of the entire Talmud in an event called Siyum HaShas.
The large scale gathering of Jews will drew a significant security presence after recent anti-Semitic attacks in the area.
The New Year's Day event celebrated the completion of the reading of the 2,711-page Babylonian Talmud, a process that takes 7 1/2 years.
The Talmud contains discussions of Jewish law that guide every aspect of life.
Governor Phil Murphy greeted the crowd which filled the stadium to show his support for the event and the Jewish community.
Rabbi Yosef C. Golding, an organizer, told The Record that he has worked with more than 50 law enforcement agencies on security for the event and that more than 300 uniformed state police were standing by.
The Siyum HaShas was broadcast internationally.
The last event at the stadium in 2012 drew about 90,000 people, The Record reported.
The gathering in the meadowlands took place at the same time as another Siyum HaShas event at The Barclay's Arena in Brooklyn with about 20-thousand Jews. Extra security was in place to keep large crowds safe.
Recent attacks on Jews have rocked the New York City region. Two shooters targeted a kosher market in Jersey City, New Jersey, killing three people, and last weekend a man armed with a knife attacked five people at the home of a rabbi in Monsey, New York.
There also have been several street assaults in New York City in recent weeks.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
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