Last night, an important meeting took place in Chicago, where over 50 esteemed roshei yeshiva, roshei kollelim, and rabbanim gathered to discuss the urgent matter of the shidduch crisis.
The meeting, part of an ongoing effort to find solutions, marked the first of four stops on a Midwest trip led by prominent rabbonim: Rav Henoch Shachar, rov of the East End Shul in Lakewood; Rav Uri Deutsch, rov of the Forest Park Shul in Lakewood; Rav Dov Kahan, rov of the Arlington Shul in Lakewood; and Rav Binyomin Cohen, rosh kollel of Kollel Gur Aryeh at Yeshivas Rabbeinu Chaim Berlin, rov of Khal Talmidei Hayeshivos of Flatbush, and author of Chelkas Binyomin.
The Chicago gathering follows a similar one held just days earlier in Brooklyn, which drew over 30 rabbonim, including Rav Elya Brudny, rosh yeshiva of Mirrer Yeshiva; Rav Yisroel Reisman, rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva Torah Vodaas; Rav Mendel Slomovits, rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva Toras Chaim of Lakewood; the Novominsker Rebbe; and Rav Binyomin Cohen.
Similar gatherings have also taken place in Monsey and Far Rockaway as part of a broader effort to address the ongoing shidduch crisis.
The series of meetings are part of a larger, structured plan to combat the growing challenges within the frum dating world. At the core of the discussions is the plan formulated by Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Slabodka in Bnei Brak, who has been at the forefront of efforts to address the underlying causes of the crisis. The proposed solution, which has gained widespread support among the rabbinic leadership, focuses on addressing the shidduch age gap, which is seen as a primary factor exacerbating the crisis.
The central aspect of Rav Hirsch’s plan involves a significant adjustment in the timing of both boys’ and girls’ learning paths. Under the new proposal, bochurim would leave to learn in Eretz Yisroel earlier than the current timeline allows, while girls would delay starting their shidduchim by approximately one year after finishing their seminary studies.
The goal of these changes is twofold: to provide bochurim with the necessary time to focus on their Torah learning and growth in Eretz Yisroel, while also addressing the difficulties that young women face in navigating the shidduch process.
While the path forward is not without challenges, there is a growing sense of optimism that the combined efforts of the rabbinic leadership, together with the support of the broader community, will help alleviate the shidduch crisis and lead to lasting, meaningful change.
WATCH – Rav Binyomin Cohen addressing last night’s meeting in Chicago:
The siddich crisis would end if chasunas are made free. The cost should be covered by our gvirim. If you can afford a Tesla then you can afford to pay for our wedding.
It’s that simple.
U don’t have to fly in 50 rabbis- a lot of money. The airfare would pay for 10 weddings in Lakewood njd.
????
U make no sense!
U make no sense!
If the parents interrogation of the other side would wait until AFTER the 2nd date, you would make so many more marriages. It’s the endless FBI investigation into every פרט ופרט of the boy and girl before they even go out that is causing the so-called shidduch crisis. Until the Rabbanim/askanim address this issue NOTHING WILL CHANGE! They are just rearranging the chairs on the deck of the Titanic.
the shidduch crisis would end if not every boy would go to kolel
your sense of entitlement is stunning!
Its all nice. Talk is cheap nothing is changing. Maybe the boys going earlier can help. No girl is waiting to start shidduchim( I have 5 daughters).
Let’s daven more and have more bitachon. Hashem runs the world and is in charge of shidduchim. If a shidduch is meant to happen , by hook or by crook hashem will make it happen.
@Full Time Renter – Leaving the logical and halachic aspects of your well voiced points aside, HKB”H, in His great and caring hashgachah, and only Him, has placed these Rabbonim at the helm of our community. When either you or I will be picked, we may, or may not, see the issue and the solution differently. Hatzlachah rabba!
I wonder if anyone will ever put together real actuarial data on this topic? Wouldn’t that be wonderful??
Amazing how we only get to hear snippets of the video audio and not the whole thing or most of it.
Maybe some people said stuff that doesn’t fit their agenda.
Long Time Shadchan
Teslas are the cheapest new cars in NJ, and have been for some time.
Because they are uncomfortable to drive, and they are junk. Stick with a Lexus.