Sex and the Synagogue

the reason why the bulk memberships were purchased was in response to the idea that parents had disowned their kids for intermarrying. while it's certainly appreciated that the Rabbis are offering JDate memberships to single congregants, it should not be viewed as a panacea to familial ties that have been damaged due to the parents' unwillingness to grasp the reality that their son/daughter fell in love with a non-Jew. most Jews who intermarry do not do so intentionally, and many parents often fail to see that because they are so focused on one thing. the best thing to do is multi-task. the Rabbis should continue to offer JDate memberships (but not to push it on people), and also counsel the parents who are currently estranged from their intermarried offspring by letting them know that things will only be worse if they continue to shun their kids for not finding a nice Jewish boy/girl. recent studies show that outreach is far more effective than ostracizing. this is not to say completely give up on Jewish dating sites because, yes they do work. but be aware that not everyone who uses them will meet their match on the site, and not everyone will meet a Jewish match.

In response to Rabbis Canaha and Emert ??? Gentlemen, the way to avert intermarriages is NOT by buying bulk-rate subscriptions to JDate. That misses the point! The way to do it is by sharing your knowledge of the Torah and the beauty of Jewish Traditions with your constituency in such a way that the importance of same-faith marriages truly resonates for them. I run a Jewish dating site called, MatzahMate.com (www.matzahmate.com), a destination for Jewish singles to come together and share their wonderful heritage so that it serves as a stepping-stone toward a lifetime of friendship and Jewish commitment, and I can attest to the power in this simple truth.

Respectfully Submitted,
Roberta ???The MatzahLady??? Hurwitz