Why Is This Project Necessary?
All prior efforts to end the so-called “Shidduch Crisis” have failed. This fact, which is evidenced by the ever-burgeoning number of religious singles and the rising percentage of failed marriages, must be recognized.
Here is a brief but rather complete list of current attempts to address the “Shidduch Crisis”:
- Matchmaking (“professional” or otherwise)
- Singles events and activities (Shabbatonim, NCSY, Shiurim, etc.)
- Wholesale introductions (mass socializing, Speed Dating, online dating)
What do these have in common? They are all designed to help singles meet one another. Different methods cater to different personalities and religious idiosyncrasies (that’s all they generally are), but the bottom line is always the same: bring singles together in some fashion and hope for the best. There are success stories, but not nearly often enough to consider any of these attempts an actual solution.
If helping singles meet was all that was needed, there wouldn’t be any “Shidduch Crisis”. Difficulty in meeting is not the problem, but one of the symptoms. All efforts to solve the problem by concentrating on a symptom are doomed, and serve only to confuse people.