BROOKLYN, N.Y. — A moment of concern occurred Wednesday evening at the 45th Worldwide Siyum HaRambam when the Sanz-Klausenberger Rebbe, Harav Shmuel Dovid Halberstam of Borough Park, fainted during his address to the assembled crowd.

The Rebbe, son of the late Sanz-Klausenberger leader Harav Yekusiel Yehudah Halberstam, was leading the official celebration marking the completion of the Rambam study cycle. Thousands of attendees filled the Crown Heights venue for the event, which featured multiple speakers and musical performances.

While speaking about the dedication of Jewish leaders to communities worldwide, the Rebbe became unwell and collapsed in front of the audience. Emergency responders from Hatzalah quickly assisted him, and he gradually recovered.

After stabilizing, the Rebbe returned to the stage, seated, and completed his remarks. He asked that the incident not overshadow the celebration and offered words of encouragement to those gathered.

His gabbai noted that the Rebbe rarely speaks publicly due to health concerns and that this appearance was a rare exception made in honor of the occasion. The last time he addressed a large audience was nearly a decade ago.

The Siyum HaRambam is a significant communal event, drawing participants from around the world to celebrate the completion of a cycle of Torah study.