This could help pay for my PhD, especially if it were retroactive…
Hundreds of religious-Zionist singles have signed a letter to their leading rabbis and other prominent figures, asking for the institution of a new/old practice of paying matchmakers. This, they feel, will encourage qualified people to offer more shidduchim (potential matches).
“The problem of the growing number of singles is well-known,” the letter states. “One of its causes is that we rely almost totally on favors; we hope that our friends and relatives will offer us shidduchim. But it turns out that even something so important as this, if it is dependent only on good-will and favors, does not work so well.”
“As time goes on, more and more young men and women of the religious-Zionist public reach the age of 30 or more without yet being privileged to get married. It is surprising and sad to hear that a not-small portion of them barely even receive any offers of potential matches….”
Getting down to brass tacks, the letter stipulates 2,500 shekels (nearly $600) as the price to be paid by each side for a successful match….
Chananya Weismann, founder of a U.S. organization called End the Madness, has proposed a similar idea, but one that would specifically encourage high-quality matchmakers. The idea is for the matchmaker to offer $20 to a single for a first-date, which the matchmaker would lose if the first date does not lead to a second date.
When “proposing a match between two singles,” Weismann writes, “the shadchan says, ‘I am so confident that this is someone you should meet that I am giving you $20 to help pay for the date. If you decide to see this person again, give me back the $20. If you ultimately marry this person, then pay me $2,000.'”
This arrangement, Weismann feels, would encourage the matchmakers to carefully research their suggestions, and not offer half-baked ideas with little potential. It would also cause the singles themselves to treat the shidduch seriously, and invest their own energy, time, and money on it.
Source: Arutz-7
Hahahahaha! You should do it…
Haha! I agree with Jennica – You should definitely do it, Todd! I think it’s right up your alley.
Out of curiousity, just how many matches have you had your hand in, Todd? :-) I’m sure you could even count the couples who initially bonded by studying together for your mid-terms!
hahaha!
I’m not sure Todd…. You didn’t see Happy & me happening, did you? ;-)
Danielle – not as many as my reputation suggests. So I’d better not say lest the bubble be burst.
Amy – I did not. Nobody did, yourself included :-).