By Shaya Levin
As you know, I am very involved with the 10KBatayYisroel.org project. Quite simply, the goal of this website is to change the mindset of Klall Yisroel as it relates to making shidduchim. Until now the common attitude among Yidden has been that we leave the job of making shidduchim primarily to the Shadchonim in Klall Yisroel. However, the facts on the ground that everyone universally recognizes is that there is a backlog of older singles whose needs are not being addressed because quite simply there are a limited number of shadchonim and the overwhelming majority of those shadchonim do not focus on finding shidduchim for the older singles. B”H there is a new crop of young singles coming on the scene on a steady basis and if they do not find their shidduch in a timely fashion as they compete against so many others for the attention of the few shadchonim, they too end up before they know it as another older single. The solution to this problem is really quite simple. We all change our mindsets and undertake the responsibility to help out our singles in Klall Yisroel by thinking of shidduchim for them. In case you think that this solution is not doable, I invite you to visit our website 10KBatayYisroel.org. You will be amazed to see that since the petirah of my son Yisroel and his Kallah Elisheva we have been averaging 175-200 suggestions a week from primarily regular members of Klall Yisroel who have focused on thinking of shidduchim as a zchus for the Chosson & Kallah who sadly left the world so young and in such a tragic oifen and also to help out the singles in Klall Yisroel. There are currently over 3500 suggestions which have resulted in 425 first dates and 11 engagements have been registered. There is a tab on the website called “impact” and when you click that tab you will see in real time how every few minutes another suggestion is being made. It is very exciting to see how fast the suggestions are coming in and it shows the ages of the boy and girl and their locations as well. There is also a tab called “10K stories” and some of the regular people who have now made a successful shidduch tell their story and how motivated they are and how emotionally rewarding it is to make a shidduch.
Bear in mind that 99% of Klall Yisroel has not yet heard of the project or the website. We are currently embarking on a major advertising campaign on social media which will hopefully introduce vast numbers of Yiddin to the concept and the website. This should cause our suggestion count to go up dramatically as many more people start getting involved and it will then cause the engagement rate to accelerate as well.
As we are now rapidly approaching the Yemei Hadin and all Rabbonim are working on their droshos which will contain suggested kabballas to undertake as zchusim for the coming year, I would like to make a proposal. Could all Rabbonim please advocate a theme for Tof Shin Eyin Tes – The Year of the Shidduch. Let us all be mekabel that this year we will start to focus on making ourselves responsible to make shidduchim and not to rely solely on the shadchonim as we have done till now. When the mispallelim ask their Rav, what kabbala can we take upon ourselves to garner zchusim for the new year, the answer should be – making shidduchim. You don’t have to look further than the two sides of the mechitza in your own shul to see all the singles that are in need of our hearts and minds. Upstairs in shamayim Yisroel & Elisheva are holding on to the kisai Hakovod and being mvakesh for all the singles in Klal Yisroel. Let us be their partners down here and really make the shidduchim happen.
Thank you so much for your anticipated help in this very important matter and may we all be zocheh to a Gut Gbenchte Yohr with bracha vhatzlacha.
Kol tuv.
Shaya Levin
R’ Shaya, I do not know you personally, but I knew Yisroel and am very close with many members of the extended Levin family. I just want to let you know that I have heard more besuros of older singles getting engaged since Pesach than I have heard in a number of years. It is clear to me that these simchos were in the zechus of Yisroel a”h and your plea at the levaya which no doubt pierced the highest heavens. Just think! Every shidduch will iy”H produce a family of children who will, in due time, each build their own families – generations of frum yidden, generations of Torah and tefillah, generations of tefillin and neiros Shabbos, all in the zechus of your “afikomen”. The impact you have made for klal Yisrael is truly unfathomable. Your strength is an anspiration, and I wish you only the most incredible hatzlacha with this undertaking.
Chazak v’ematz,
Yaakov Klein
Beautifully said.
As a parent who has, had and iy”H will have kids, nieces and nephews in the shidduch parsha, this initiative is greatly appreciated. May the knowledge of the tremendous chessed that’s being done in the names of Yisroel and Elisheva be a nechoma for their families.