Successfuly Getting Ortho Singles To Mingle
A couple of weeks ago, I attended the Orthodox Caucus plenum. The meeting outlined a recap of the organization’s goals and what was on the agenda for the future, but the evening, overall, turned out to be an exercise in collaboration to help come up with a plan to create more effective events for Jewish singles. In attendance were representatives from several major Orthodox singles sites, including BangItOut.com, Frumsky.com (my site!), SawYouAtSinai.com, Frumster.com, and EndTheMadness.org, among others.
After an introduction about the Orthodox Caucus, a panel of about five speakers each gave a short summary of who they were, the project they work on, and how they can contribute to help. Devorah Rose Kigel, of Sasson V’ Simcha, spoke of the importance of having properly trained shadchanim, as did Liaura Zacharie who similarly felt that shadchanim should be certified. Dr. Jeffrey Woolf of Bar Ilan University explained that the singles crisis of today is not a new thing, and that we can (and should) learn from what history has taught us. The two panelists that really stood out, however, were Alon Krausz and Isaac Galena.
Alon is the founder of JewishTypes.org which matches people by personality type. His presentation focused on how to identify your personality type and the personality type you are attracted to. Alon suggested that people who do matchmaking should take personality types into account, and proceeded to explain how it not only plays a part in your relationship with your mate but also how it impacts your children as well.
Isaac Galena of BangItOut.com, on the other hand, stood up at the podium and just let it fly. He stood there explaining who the people in his neighborhood are, why no one will go to a ‘singles’ event, and how young Jews on the Upper West Side aren’t looking to be married as much as they are looking to be happy. He gave detailed instruction as to how to create, present, and market a successful ‘singles’ event.
It leaves me wondering what the next step is. Time will tell if the folks in that room can really cooperate properly and work together to provide a major effort devoted to helping singles.
Thoughts from the peanut gallery?
Singles events suck. There is no such thing as a good one, unless you define standing around in a room with ackward, desperate people as a good time. I personally prefer to meet people by being introduced by a rabbi or a friend. That IMHO is the way our community should focus on introducing marriage minded folks to each other.
AmeRiCaN JewIsh women are nuts, they should all be sent to the army (IDF). They are all out of their minds, seriously, I dont think they know what they want anymore,
Somebody is obviously not getting laid. (Let me guess…you are a “Wild and Crazy Guy”.)
Mike from the dating theory blog should have been at this event. The site is obviously a joke, but hes very on the mark
(www.datingtheory.blogs pot.com)
Also, Isaac Galena is in no position to give shidduch/singles advice to anyone. He has a huge fear of commitment.
What singles say they want and what they really want, are often to different things. For ex. A martial counselor worth their salt will tell you that a husband and wife presents with sexual problems and their goal is to start having sex again. However what most couples, those who are having problems, are afraid to admit is, that their biggest fear is that things will improve and they’ll have to do the necessary work to make the marriage successful. In other words, the very thing they claim they desire is the very thing they fear the most.
Most single men I know want it all and with a cherry on top. It’s a sign of the times and there ain’t much “single events” are going to do to change the socio-economic realities (along with the whole Peter Pan syndrome) that we’re living in today. It’s really up to the individuals and their own existential pain, or not, about remaining single.
so Ms black Jew that.yada yada yada, when u takin me out for a Shawarma and reinstill my faith in American Jewish women
Im not sure if this is funny or sad
it would help if the girls were as pretty as the shiksas. i suggest more plastic surgery to promote more marriages, etc.
I’ve contemplated this concept for so long now that I’ve come to the point where I’d just prefer myself and everyone else to remain permanently single as long as neither coupledom nor frustration need ever again be mentioned.