Home › Forums › Shidduchim › 100% Solution to Shidduch Crisis–Goral
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November 10, 2009 11:37 pm at 11:37 pm #667610mybatMember
The marriage goral would never work however a goral for going on dates would probably be a pretty good idea because people would have to go out with people who they wouldn’t initially consider and they might be pleasantly surprised.
November 11, 2009 12:08 am at 12:08 am #667611AZParticipantCherrybim: Correct a certain percentage of girls never had a shot. WHICH girls is anyone’s guess. Certainly money looks yichus etc. give certain girls an advantage over others. At the end of the day brainwashers or not. If there are 100 boys and 120 girls. Can’t get married. Not other way to slice it. Even if all had money looks etc, there are still 20 who can’t get married.
YW-Moderator (and PY): If PY means to say that through a gorel boys will be forced to marry close in age, than there is what to talk about. However so long as the boys 30+ are getting dates with 26 yr olds why in the world would they enter a goral. PY premise it there are just as many older boys as girls and the younger girls aren’t interested in the older guys and therefore perhaps the older guys would enter a goral with same age girls. I believe he is not living in reality.
However the attempt at creative solutions is where the community needs to go. Any and all effective solution to close the age gap should be on the table athough some will probaly get shoved under the table quickly (polygamy, goral). But you never now where the breakthrough idea might come from.
positiveaynayim: You hit the nail on the head. Hopefully through proper davening the Ribbono Shel Oilam will guide the community to implement the necessary and appropriate steps to alleviate the crisis. To think that the solution will come without OUR changing what we do, is to rely on a neis which is forbidden.
November 11, 2009 12:51 am at 12:51 am #667612Pashuteh YidMemberMod42, Thanks for the hesber on the frum dating sites. As far as the math goes it is very tricky, and every time I think about it, I get dizzy. What we know is that biologically there are the same number of men and women in every age bracket until retirement years.
The tricky part is that AZ’s claim is that each younger bracket is slightly bigger than the next older bracket because frum families have lots of children and this causes population growth. So in some town, in the 20-25 bracket there may be 105 men and 105 women, while in the 25-30 bracket there may be 100 men and 100 women. Now because guys like younger girls, the 100 guys in the 25-30 bracket may swoop down and take 100 girls in the 20-25 bracket, leaving 5 of these younger girls with no men. These remaining girls then get older and have less and less chance of finding guys.
It is very confusing because sof kol sof there are the same numbers of each in each bracket at any time, so it basically boils down to a preference issue, not an actual physical shortage of people. In theory I guess it is no different than guys wanting a very rich girl, or a girl wanting a very successful guy. I don’t think you can really argue that it is anything more than a preference, such as preferring thin or good looking or tall or short or what have you. It is not a physical shortage.
Also, wouldn’t the guys from two brackets ahead (say 30-35) swoop down and take the 5 remaining 20-25 yr old girls and claim a major prize. (Like the old joke goes, my wife just turned 50, so I traded her in for two 25 yr olds.) So I literally get dizzy every time I try to evaluate the merits of AZ’s claim.
But my goral system would theoretically be immune from this since there must be the same numbers of singles. The only thing it could not do is to create guys in the 20-25 year old bracket because they may not be going out, and they would not enter. This may create an imbalance in the total number of available singles.
One thing to keep in mind is that by the non-Jews, it seems they are always having trouble getting women to attend singles events, so they always host ladies nite at bars and ballgames where they go for free to get them to show up. Non-jews also like younger women, so that is a bit of a kashya on AZ.
Another thing to find out would be how many of each gender show up at the usual frum single’s shabbatons and get-togethers. That ought to be representative of the number of available men, as well. I don’t think they are swamped with women only, but I could be wrong.
November 11, 2009 1:41 am at 1:41 am #667613tzippiMemberAZ, I’d have felt a bit more reassured had you written that some of these out of the box suggestions SHOULD be swept under the table, not “will.”
November 11, 2009 2:33 am at 2:33 am #667614bein_hasdorimParticipanthaifagirl: Now that you apologized, I can answer your question. 🙂
The Problem with Eating Stuffed Cabbage with Chopsticks.
When grabbing the stuffed cabbage with your chop sticks,
if you grab it from either end, the heavy meat filling weighs down upon the
folded cabbage causing it to open plopping the delicious stuffing out on to
your plate, table, lap, or friends lap, depending on your schlemiel, or schlemazel status. If you grag it in the middle, it causes it cases the stuffing to fall out from both sides, leaving you more room to breath, as the person’s sitting on your immediate right and left go to the restroom to wash off the stuffed cabbage off their pants or skirts. Hence the dilemma of eating stuffed cabbage with chop sticks.
November 11, 2009 3:13 am at 3:13 am #667615YW Moderator-42ModeratorPashuteh Yid Wrote:
Mod42, Thanks for the hesber on the frum dating sites. As far as the math goes it is very tricky, and every time I think about it, I get dizzy. What we know is that biologically there are the same number of men and women in every age bracket until retirement years.
Thank you. I get dizzy too but I once thought about it for awhile and it seemed that AZ was right with the numbers claim and how closing the age gap can alleviate the problem. There was an ad in one of the frum newspapers with a graphical representation of the way it is and the way it should be. If you study the ad for awhile you might understand. Having a brain for learning gemara helps too 🙂 Of course, if you read all these threads here people have ways of refuting the whole age gap thing but I don’t want to get into that now as it will just get both of us more dizzy.
The tricky part is that AZ’s claim is that each younger bracket is slightly bigger than the next older bracket because frum families have lots of children and this causes population growth. So in some town, in the 20-25 bracket there may be 105 men and 105 women, while in the 25-30 bracket there may be 100 men and 100 women. Now because guys like younger girls, the 100 guys in the 25-30 bracket may swoop down and take 100 girls in the 20-25 bracket, leaving 5 of these younger girls with no men. These remaining girls then get older and have less and less chance of finding guys.
It is very confusing because sof kol sof there are the same numbers of each in each bracket at any time, so it basically boils down to a preference issue, not an actual physical shortage of people.
According to your numbers, when the 20-25 year olds become 25-30 year olds there will be 105 boys (assuming that they start dating at 25 for this example so none are married yet). But, let’s say there are 110 girls in the new class of 20-25 year olds and we add in the 5 from the previous class that didn’t get married so there are now 115 girls for 105 guys, 5 of those girls are older so will probably be part of the 10 who get left out so they will just get older. With each passing generation the numbers get further apart. So in a higher age bracket, let’s say 35-40, there will not be the same number of single boys as girls. There will be more single girls than boys because of what I explained earlier and AZ has been trying to explain. So even in your goral system some girls will be left out. But as I said in my previous post, at least some will get married that wouldn’t have otherwise.
Also, wouldn’t the guys from two brackets ahead (say 30-35) swoop down and take the 5 remaining 20-25 yr old girls and claim a major prize. (Like the old joke goes, my wife just turned 50, so I traded her in for two 25 yr olds.) So I literally get dizzy every time I try to evaluate the merits of AZ’s claim.
In theory this could happen but people are picky even at an older age so the five 25-30 year old girls will not want to marry the guys from the older bracket, they will only want to go out with guys in their age bracket. And even if they did go out with the older guys it would just exacerbate the problem because in the 30-35 bracket there are already fewer boys then girls and now 5 of them will be marrying girls from the younger bracket – exactly the problem that NASI is trying to solve by having people date within their bracket.
But my goral system would theoretically be immune from this since there must be the same numbers of singles. The only thing it could not do is to create guys in the 20-25 year old bracket because they may not be going out, and they would not enter. This may create an imbalance in the total number of available singles.
As I said above, no there will not be the same number even within the bracket becasue of what happened in the previous years. Your imbalance by guys not going out until they are older is exactly the problem NASI is trying to solve.
One thing to keep in mind is that by the non-Jews, it seems they are always having trouble getting women to attend singles events, so they always host ladies nite at bars and ballgames where they go for free to get them to show up. Non-jews also like younger women, so that is a bit of a kashya on AZ.
Non-Jews don’t have as many children as Jews so there is less of an imbalance between the older and younger generation. Also, non-Jews don’y necessarily date for marriage. When they finally do settle down and marry many times it is with someone closer in age (I am guessing here)
Another thing to find out would be how many of each gender show up at the usual frum single’s shabbatons and get-togethers. That ought to be representative of the number of available men, as well. I don’t think they are swamped with women only, but I could be wrong.
I think that these events are usually planned to have the same number of boys and girls. I guess it depends on the event but many will require reservations and they will only take X number of boys and S number of girls. I don’t know the mitzius with these events so, like you, I might be totally wrong.
November 11, 2009 3:47 am at 3:47 am #667616shaatraMemberARE U CRAZY???? Seriously!! Omg!
November 11, 2009 4:07 am at 4:07 am #667617liddleyiddleMemberAs I recall, the proposition laid out here is in direct opposition to a Gemara in Kiddushin (41a) Mem Amud Alef.
November 11, 2009 4:39 am at 4:39 am #667618bein_hasdorimParticipantYW Moderator-42; Talking about dizzy……..
November 11, 2009 5:59 am at 5:59 am #667619haifagirlParticipantbein_hasdorim: I would never try to pick up an entire cabbage roll. I would use the chopsticks to cut it into smaller pieces, as I do with egg foo yung.
November 11, 2009 6:12 am at 6:12 am #667620melechalmakloMemberthat is the most bizarre solution i have heard in a long time! no single will ever consider entering a goral unless he/she is extremely unattractive or has some other deficiency which is preventing him/her from getting married. Who would want to end up with someone who agreed to marry anyone??
November 11, 2009 6:21 am at 6:21 am #667621ronrsrMemberMelech, that is the best point of all.
November 11, 2009 9:05 am at 9:05 am #667622A600KiloBearParticipantBS”D
Any type of goral system would work only for dates. Using it for marriage is tantamount to asking Sun-myung Moon YMS to act as your shadchan.
November 11, 2009 2:19 pm at 2:19 pm #667623cherrybimParticipantAZ – I think first you’ve got to make the point that there are more girls than boys available. Just because they are not married, does not mean that they want to get married.
Also, even if what you are saying is true; in the area of shidduchin, Hashem is the authority over that; He is m’shaddeich z’vugim and He made the reality what it is today. We think that hishtadlus is in order for shidduchin, but unlike parnosa, that’s not the case. The torah does not teach us that the Avos were mispallel for shidduchin.
So don’t double guess how and why Hashem wants things done.
November 11, 2009 2:35 pm at 2:35 pm #667624lgbgMemberPashute yid,
I don’t know if you remember but I came up with such an idea around a year ago… and everyone said it won’t work!
November 11, 2009 3:00 pm at 3:00 pm #667625AZParticipantCherrybim I would follow the lead 70 R”Y in this area. Not saying you have to. HE did not make the reality that is today. HE allowed US to mess things up. We have no right to blame the Av Harachamim for problems that are self inflicted. And to say it’s HIS problem let HIM solve it while we sit back is frankly a cop out.
Cherrybim: With your line of thinking I Suppose you would close down Chai Lifeline, Bonei Oilam, Hatzalah and all the myriad of organizations in Klal Yisroel doing unbelievable work. After all. HE decides who should be sick. HE decides who should have children etc. etc. And those are areas that are NOT self inflicted.
November 11, 2009 6:14 pm at 6:14 pm #667631AZParticipantCherrybim: last I checked no one was forcing you to do anything to encourage close in age shidduchim but why are you so cynical. Especially in light of
a) 70 calling for it
b) Anecdotally (shadchanim/mothers of boys/ single girls etc) it DOES seem to be working.
November 11, 2009 6:33 pm at 6:33 pm #667632liddleyiddleMember“Kiddushin (41a) Mem Amud Alef”
That would be Mem Alef Amud Alef, naturally.
November 11, 2009 7:08 pm at 7:08 pm #667633yishtabach shemoParticipantThe real question here is what does Hashem want from us. I dont know if he wants us to do scientific research on age gaps to force people to get married to people older than them. I dont know.
But i think the main focus should be thinking of ways to get these singles worthwhile dates. Which is mostly done by people who know them well. Just because we aren’t an “offical” shadchan we think we have to be “best friends” with a person to think of a shidduch for them.
My idea was that every couple, EVERY COUPLE has an obligation to have a list in their pocket at all times of five woman and five men that they know “well”. they should know these 10 people well that when they meet someone they can easily describe them and what they are looking for correctly. here’s the fun part, if one doesn’t know 10 single people this well, they are obligated to “find” single to fill up their list. by asking their married friends if they have any other single friends etc. and then meeting them and getting to know them. For getting names of the oppsite gender they will have to work together with their spouse.
I think this is a good way to get average people more involved. and the dates that come out of this are going to be less random than your classic shadchen.
November 11, 2009 7:19 pm at 7:19 pm #667634ronrsrMember600Kbear, Reportedly, the Rev. Sun Myung Moon did not randomly match up his mass marriage participants. For one mass marriage involving 35,000 people, he personally made the matches himself over a two month period by scrutinizing the applications and photos of those involved.
His followers believe that he has the ability to correctly match destined mates, sort of like a super-shadchan.
Also, most of those mass-marriage figures were inflated. Many of the participants were already married, and were just renewing their vows.
November 11, 2009 7:23 pm at 7:23 pm #667635cholentkugelkishkeMemberyishtabach shemo – you are 100% right. We realize that there is a problem of an age-gap. But, if each & every person tries to redd shidduchim – that’ll be a huge help.
November 11, 2009 7:43 pm at 7:43 pm #667636cherrybimParticipantronrsr – “most of those …figures were inflated”
Hmm AZ, where did I hear that before?
AZ – “70 calling for it”
Oh, tell me again AZ, which of the so called 70 had their boys marry older girls and girls marry younger boys?
What, not even one; can’t be! What are they actually calling for?
November 11, 2009 8:07 pm at 8:07 pm #667637artchillParticipantcherrybim:
You seem to be into trivia. Here’s another question:
Which Rosh Yeshiva who signed the Wedding Takanah document refused to attend a wedding where the bill came close to 100K for a night of gluttony?
Not one.
Signatures on Age-Gap Documents are merely signatures. Dictating policy is simple, following your own decree is the tough part!
November 11, 2009 8:12 pm at 8:12 pm #667638AZParticipantyishtabach shemo: what you are saying is very very nice. HOWEVER the boys are getting by and large with the present system. So please explain how that will help more girls get married. (I actually have a answer how it helps slightly, but only slightly).
cherrybim: Do you mean to call the 70 R”Y liars or hypocrites. If you are then you are treading in dangerous waters. I will not sit here and defend people who absolutely don’t need me to defend them. But YES plenty of them have and imy”h will continue to do so.
Cherrybim: what figures are you accusing are inflated?? Have you done any research??
November 11, 2009 8:15 pm at 8:15 pm #667639AZParticipantArtchill: there was no policy attached to the letter because one can not dictate marriage only encourage and thus facilitate more close in age.
Your point being??
FYI in response to a question of yours from a previous thread. The shadchan from shaar hatorah has recieved ZERO NADIR NOTHING from the NASI Project despite having made numerous close in age shidduchim. He chose not to apply for the grant even while it was active.
November 11, 2009 8:20 pm at 8:20 pm #667640Pashuteh YidMemberHere is a paradox:
According to the age-gap theory, we could completely solve the problem by simply telling girls to wait until 22 to start dating, the same age as the boys. Presto, the playing field is now level. For every girl there is one boy. So to maximize the girls’ chances, they should start dating later.
However, if it were your daughter, you would tell her to start dating as early as possible to maximize her chances, and not to wait. This gives her a few more years to find a guy while she is still young. She can get quite a few dates in during those years from 19-22.
How do you explain the contradiction? The answer seems to be that everybody knows that to really be fair to everybody, the girls would need to wait. However, because they care more about their own personal situation, each wants to jump in as soon as possible, although that will actually cause some to be left out. Each one acts thinking it won’t be me who is left out, so why should I wait….
November 11, 2009 8:22 pm at 8:22 pm #667641Pashuteh YidMemberLgbg: I don’t remember reading your post on that subject. But anyway, how is married life treating you?
Rabbosai, please let’s not get into a big fight here so they will close the thread. Say whatever you want, but be civil.
November 11, 2009 8:57 pm at 8:57 pm #667642AZParticipantPY: The long term solution is in girls starting to date SLIGHTLY later and boys SLIGHTLY earlier. There is no need for them to be exact same age. Long term AVERAGE gap of one year is fine. For the short term w/o having implemented any MINOR structural changes yet the effective course of ages has been to have more close in age marriages which essentially accomplishes the same end.
Please note that not a single push has been made to the girls and their parents to push off dating – because they WON’T listen at this juncture. However if more boys marry girls 21-25 obviously fewer girls 19/20 will be getting married.
November 11, 2009 9:25 pm at 9:25 pm #667643cherrybimParticipantAZ – “But YES plenty of them have and imy”h will continue to do so”
OK AZ, name one.
November 11, 2009 9:56 pm at 9:56 pm #667644ronrsrMemberI am wracked with guilt over my recent marriage, now. I was 53, she was only 49. A gap of over four years! I didn’t realize at the time that by age-gapping, I was depriving some other unfortunate woman of a chance at a happy marriage.
November 11, 2009 10:05 pm at 10:05 pm #667645AZParticipantI will name one and ONLY one because the question is absolute chutzpa – but for the sake of emes
Rav Dovid Shustal Shlita
cherrybim: pls explain what ur difficulty is. Is it the R”Y trying to help single girls? Is it NASI? Is it me? Is it because you think the whole concept of age gap is not accurate? Or do you not approve of the various attempts to close the age gap.
I honestly would love to have you on board
November 11, 2009 10:31 pm at 10:31 pm #667646artchillParticipantDear Rabbi AZ,
Besides for the dubious statistics and obvious data manipulation already discussed here ad nauseum:
1] The problem is/was/and always will be the monetary incentives offered by NASI. Simply put, HaKezona Yaaseh Es Achoseinu? How low can an organization stoop?
2] NASI bosts “760” shidduchim to date, that is nothing to be proud of. Quality is far more important than quantity.
3] Letters to the Editor and ads sent in by NASI to the media are misleading, but acceptable. Having a representative sitting online twisting like a pretzel to advance an agenda takes the entire NASI project to an entirely new level of deception.
Whatever minimal points NASI scored in the media was lost by your constant bending of the truth and pitbull tactics of ignoring ANY other attempt to suggest another possible cause.
November 11, 2009 10:41 pm at 10:41 pm #667647AZParticipantArrtchill: Thanks for smicha
1) I’m sorry if you don’t approve of the Monetary incentive that launched the awareness campaign. To bad that your sentiments are not in line with the R”Y who encouraged it. Next time I’m sure they will ask you first. What does encouraging a shadchan to make a close in age shidduch have to do with the pasuk you qouted??
2) The feedback that the project has received from the parents and couples was very very positive. Is there any hard data or even anecdotal evidence that you can provide to indicate that the close in age shidducim that have come as a result of the awareness are lacking quality?? Your post from a couple of months back not withstanding. Please back up your serious accusations with some of evidence.
3) What is wrong with a believer in the Project trying to further the awareness. Please clarify what if anything has been “twisted like a pretzel”. AND what has been misleading about the ads.
November 11, 2009 10:54 pm at 10:54 pm #667648AZParticipantArtchill: I apologize, there was one point I didn’t respond to-ignoring other attempts to suggest another possible causes.
a) when 70 R”Y sign on to something being the primary cause that should motivate people to focus on that issue. Especially since it is clearly identifiable and eminently solvable (see jonathon rosenblum article in this last weeks Yated).
b) there are certainly other factors at play that determine whic girls get married. There are certainly boys who don’t get married and if they did then obviously that many more girls would get married. However the other causes to the best of my knowledge fit into two basic categories.
1. Dervitaves of the numerical imbalance, e.g. out of town, tall girls, fair girls, poor girls, difficult family situations, etc. etc. in a boys market obviously these girls will have a tougher time. Solve the numbers and these girls get a much fairer shake. Without solving the numbers it’s going to awfully difficult to help these girls.
2. Specific issues related to individuals. There are certainly people that had plenty of quality dates (mostly boys but probably some girls fit this category as well) and are still not married. That INDIVIDUALS not yet being marreid is certainly not numbers related and each person is a yachid with their own situation. Even so, for the girls in this category as they get older (i will not speculate on a specific age) the same girl who had plenty of dates at 20 finds herself in a very difficult situation when she is closer to 30. THAT does have to do with numbers inequality.
The numbers issue is so overwhelming and far reaching and SOLVABLE that I have chosen to focus my energies on that.
November 11, 2009 11:59 pm at 11:59 pm #667649tamazaballMemberhey good idea about, the goral!!!
November 12, 2009 2:49 am at 2:49 am #667650cherrybimParticipantartchill – You’re probably right about the Rabbi part. And you’re also right that any Shidduch that comes about because someone is offered a little money; that Shidduch has problems.
And even the “760” that NASI claims; anybody in the community verifying that? And at $2,000 per marriage, that’s about $1.5 million doled out to the couples. In addition: overhead, salaries, advertisements, transportation and air fare, meetings, hotels, restaurants, studies, so now you’ve got a “budget” of several million. Not a bad business and getting funds off the fear of loneliness.
Az – when it comes to yichus and money, age is not a factor. But i don’t see these roshei yeshiva instituting ant rules for their yeshivos nor their families.
There have been rabbonim who married older girls who came from yichus and were worthy but that is not the norm and the hamone om doesn’t go for it and never will.
November 12, 2009 1:35 pm at 1:35 pm #667651AZParticipantcherrybim: why the vicious motzei shem ra
In two years The Project has a budget of around 160,000. That is correct. ALL that has been accomplished has been on a relatively MINISCULE budget.
No transportation, no meeting, no hotels, no restaruants, no salaries. Paid out to shadchanim on average 1,000 per shidduch. Paid out for more than 100 shidduchim after which that part of the program was put on pause. The rest of the money went towards other very effective marketing to raise awareness and thus encourage more close in age shidduchim.
For the record the goal of the shadchan incentive was NOT to get shadchanim to redd specific shidducim, but rather as a VERY effective marketing method to put the issue (age gap) on the map. It probably was the best spent $100,000 marketing campaign in a very long time.
The money was never given out to the couples. It seems like you are quite unfamiliar with the project and yet you have such a strong opinion on it. NASI is more than willing to show any serious person where EVERY LAST penny was spent as they have NOTHING to hide
WHAT IS YOUR ISSUE. Why are you so antagonistic.
November 12, 2009 2:28 pm at 2:28 pm #667652lgbgMemberpashute yid,
was way back in time…
great b”h, actually I had a baby boy recently 🙂
November 12, 2009 2:32 pm at 2:32 pm #667653lgbgMemberon this topic,
If I’m not mistaken in the Yated or Hamodia there was a page that had a letter from the gedolim for shadchanim not to redt boys girls under 20-21.
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