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Monday, June 08, 2009

Matchmaker, Matchmaker

This piece by Racheli Geizhals at 219 Magazine is worthwhile watching if you'd like an introduction to the world of shidduchim; as Bad4 notes, a slight disclaimer for the crowd here: This piece was produced to explain the shidduch system to people who know absolutely nothing about it. It wasn’t meant to go too in-depth.

Fun for the readership here: Two friends of ours are in the video - Bad4Shidduchim herself and one of my best friends from when I was 2 until today, who's been mentioned a number of times on this blog in the past. Nice job, Sal. :)

Personally, I thought that the piece was excellent, giving a really fair portrayal of the shidduch system and some of its criticisms from a basic level. It's rare that we get to see a balanced portrayal of anything in the Orthodox world, so a Well Done is due to them.

17 comments:

  1. You guys make me so excited to get out and get dating *rolls eyes*

    Actually I am terrified. I realized with my rolodex and my changes of behavior, I am officially Bad for Shidduchim.

    Gevault. Do I have to go on Dates? I tend to avoid them....They really do make me miserable.

    How do you find someone really kick of your shoes special?

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  2. Rabbi Auman!!!

    Bad4!!!

    Yay!!!

    :D

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  3. I'm always a sucker for seeing "the community" portrayed for the public. I thought it was well-done.

    Line that made me smile, although this wasn't what they meant at all - right at the beginning - "But today . . . there are real-life Yentas.."

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  4. Nice Video!!!
    HOCKER YEHUDA FROM EINSTEIN!!!

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  5. Considering that I almost never go to weddings, it's pretty impressive that I'm on there. :-p

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  6. In all seriousness (now that it's no longer seven in the morning) - well done on the video. Nice and simple.

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  7. I'm not proposing a revolution here, but doesn't the way the need for a "yenta" is presented suggest the solution of changing the system? The reason for the need explained twice in the video is that the singles would not otherwise get to meet. So, you can keep up the shidduch system with the "crisis" admitted in the video (like putting on band aids) or try a different system (and try for a cure).
    BTW Did Bad4 let herself be filmed from the back, or was the young woman typing and putting on mascara in the mirror a stand-in.

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  8. Awesome video Rachaeli! And Bad4, excellent voice cameo.
    At least it ended with the fact that the shidduch system does work for those who want it.

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  9. Shana - S'ok, B4S isn't a bad thing. :)

    R' Auman - You've met Sal, too.

    RM - Yeah, I liked that too.

    Jameel - Hip, hi...

    RN - Welcome back. :P

    SD - Hehe!

    Erachet - Yeah.

    Ariella - Agreed 100%. Not her, she claims...

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  10. Ariella - I did the typing, but not the mascara.

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  11. Hi all,

    Thanks for your comments on my video. That mascara shot (of someone else - not bad4) was a poor choice. I was going for a generic female-preparing-for-a-date shot, but clearly that one did not work. Anyway, I may be looking to do some followup pieces, not necessarily video - audio, text, photo, etc. - about this topic. If you have any suggestions or you're interested in writing, being interviewed, etc., I'd love the contacts. Please email me at rgeizhals@yahoo.com

    Thanks.

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  12. NMF -- Not to put a downer on a fine presentation, but your comment "...the fact that the shidduch system does work for those who want it" -- ?!

    Some fact. As much as I want to use the shidduch system, and I'm very eligible by their standards, I haven't gotten one date from a shadchan in three years.

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  13. Anon- I meant that if you truly pursue it (harassing shadchanim, doing all the shtick, not being 'picky'- then if you want the shidduch system, then you can manage to get married through it. I'm surprised that you haven't gotten a single date (not even a suggestion?).
    Feel free to email me privately.

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  14. I haven't seen Rabbi Auman in YEARS, so thanks for that, he was our first Rabbi as a married couple.

    As far as the video, it was well done, but my overall reaction is "oy". It's a miracle anyone gets married these days. This system doesn't work that well...and my (few that are left) "MO" friends have kids who would like to "meet on their own", but there aren't to many kids out there doing that, or events for them, so they aren't meeting anyone either.

    It's a mess....and my own kids are not that far away from this whole thing.

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  15. oh sure, when I want to leave a comment all of a sudden the video doesn't work

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