But, isn't it an important responsibility as a Jew to settle down, get married and have kids? You bet it is! So what to do? Enter Sara Blum, modern matchmaker extraordinaire. Sara, along with two other friends has formed Ha Be'er, or The Well. Orthodox Jewish singles in Israel between the ages of 25-42 can now attend a wide variety of events that will put them in front of other like-minded singles, and then...well...who knows!
Sara recently was interviewed on Israel National Radio's Stutz and Fleischer Show, and explained the program. Click here to listen to the interview.
In a singles world that has spawned such enterprises as speed dating and other such gimmicks, Ha Be'er offers something a little more civilized and relaxed.
"Nothing against speed dating, but that's a very contrived environment, and you're sitting there, and you're talking, and you only have five minutes, and it's a little bit pressurized, " says Blum. For some people, taking your time and looking for the right person cannot and should not be rushed. "When you're in a relaxed environment, and you're walking around a museum and you're enjoying yourself, it's a little bit less intimidating," she says.
In this modern world, it's tempting to jump online and try finding a match through one of several Jewish dating services; however Blum explains why the personal touch seems to be the way to go these days. "There are some people who are still a bit afraid of getting into that, because it's an unknown...we create opportunities for people to meet each other, because there aren't so many," says Blum.
Is it an emergency when you are single, and the clock is ticking? "We are in a bit of a crisis. I wouldn't go as far as to say it's an emergency situation. But the problem is growing. Everyday we hear of more and more people who are getting discouraged. They're not meeting someone. That's why we are trying to do something different" says Blum.
"I think people are sad, and that's a problem. People think if you get to a certain age, and are still single, you must be weird, or have a problem, or whatever. But we're talking about nice, normal people here," she adds.
While some of the old fashioned 'networking' methods still hold promise, relying on family or friends can be an unwitting delay tactic. "I think we all know that when someone says 'I think I have someone for you', well, it could be a year before you get around to calling, so it's not a system. It's not reliable. It's not easy to put yourself out there and say 'I'm looking for someone', and ask people for help. Meeting in university, hey, that's great. You're taken care of. Meeting in high school. Great. But, what about people who don't have that in place?" asks Blum.
Ha Be'er singles events are relatively new, but to highlight just how important it is to help people find their Besheret (soul mate), there have already been some matches. "We've already had, thank G-d, quite a number of successes from our various events. It's really great. We're having a great time doing it, and meeting people, and getting people paired up, which is the point," says Sara.
Perhaps the best form of advertising for Ha Be'er is found right in the Torah. After all, meeting around "the well" seems to have worked pretty well for Jacob and Rachel, as well as Moses and Tzipporah. Maybe you're next!
To contact Ha Be'er, you can email Sara at sara_blum@hotmail.com. Good luck!
Listen to the interview with Sarah Blum on Israel National Radio
Sara recently was interviewed on Israel National Radio's Stutz and Fleischer Show, and explained the program. Click here to listen to the interview.
In a singles world that has spawned such enterprises as speed dating and other such gimmicks, Ha Be'er offers something a little more civilized and relaxed.
"Nothing against speed dating, but that's a very contrived environment, and you're sitting there, and you're talking, and you only have five minutes, and it's a little bit pressurized, " says Blum. For some people, taking your time and looking for the right person cannot and should not be rushed. "When you're in a relaxed environment, and you're walking around a museum and you're enjoying yourself, it's a little bit less intimidating," she says.
In this modern world, it's tempting to jump online and try finding a match through one of several Jewish dating services; however Blum explains why the personal touch seems to be the way to go these days. "There are some people who are still a bit afraid of getting into that, because it's an unknown...we create opportunities for people to meet each other, because there aren't so many," says Blum.
Is it an emergency when you are single, and the clock is ticking? "We are in a bit of a crisis. I wouldn't go as far as to say it's an emergency situation. But the problem is growing. Everyday we hear of more and more people who are getting discouraged. They're not meeting someone. That's why we are trying to do something different" says Blum.
"I think people are sad, and that's a problem. People think if you get to a certain age, and are still single, you must be weird, or have a problem, or whatever. But we're talking about nice, normal people here," she adds.
While some of the old fashioned 'networking' methods still hold promise, relying on family or friends can be an unwitting delay tactic. "I think we all know that when someone says 'I think I have someone for you', well, it could be a year before you get around to calling, so it's not a system. It's not reliable. It's not easy to put yourself out there and say 'I'm looking for someone', and ask people for help. Meeting in university, hey, that's great. You're taken care of. Meeting in high school. Great. But, what about people who don't have that in place?" asks Blum.
Ha Be'er singles events are relatively new, but to highlight just how important it is to help people find their Besheret (soul mate), there have already been some matches. "We've already had, thank G-d, quite a number of successes from our various events. It's really great. We're having a great time doing it, and meeting people, and getting people paired up, which is the point," says Sara.
Perhaps the best form of advertising for Ha Be'er is found right in the Torah. After all, meeting around "the well" seems to have worked pretty well for Jacob and Rachel, as well as Moses and Tzipporah. Maybe you're next!
To contact Ha Be'er, you can email Sara at sara_blum@hotmail.com. Good luck!
Listen to the interview with Sarah Blum on Israel National Radio