Shidduch crisis
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The shidduch crisis is a phenomenon in the Orthodox Jewish community whereby eligible single persons, especially women or Sephardim, have difficulty finding a suitable spouse, or a shidduch.{{Cite web |url=http://www.mishpacha.com/uploads/pdf/rechnitz.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2015-05-11 |archive-date=2014-08-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140816231411/http://www.mishpacha.com/uploads/pdf/rechnitz.pdf |url-status=dead }}{{cite book |isbn=978-9655240061|title=The Shidduch Crisis: Causes and Cures |last1=Salamon |first1=Michael J. |year=2008 |publisher=Urim Publications }}{{cite web|url=http://www.mikvah.org/article/shidduch_crisis|title=Shidduch Crisis - Mikvah.org - Mivtza Taharas Hamishpacha|publisher=mikvah.org|accessdate=2016-07-28}} There is some debate about the severity of the crisis and whether it is a recent development or a long-extant issue.{{cite web |url=http://www.thelakewoodscoop.com/news/2012/12/opinion-there-is-no-shidduch-crisis-mazal-tov.html |title=Opinion: There is NO Shidduch Crisis – Mazal Tov! |date=24 December 2012 |publisher=thelakewoodscoop.com |accessdate=2016-07-28}}
Causes and solutions
Several causes have been cited for the shidduch crisis, but it is most commonly attributed to the average age gap between Orthodox Jewish women and men when they marry.{{cite web|url=http://www.yated.com/understanding-the-shidduch-crisis-answering-the-nisayon.0-1090-7-.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518102424/http://www.yated.com/understanding-the-shidduch-crisis-answering-the-nisayon.0-1090-7-.html |archive-date=2015-05-18 |url-status=dead|title=Yated Newspaper - Understanding The Shidduch Crisis-Answering The Nisayon|accessdate=2016-07-28}} Some members of the community dispute this as the root cause.{{cite web|url=http://matzav.com/the-matzav-shmoooze-why-solving-the-shidduch-crisis-with-the-age-gap-misses-the-boat|title=The Matzav Shmoooze: Why Solving the Shidduch Crisis With the Age Gap Misses the Boat |author= |publisher=matzav.com|accessdate=2016-07-28}}{{cite web|url=http://thepartialview.blogspot.ca/2013/08/the-shidduch-crisis-is-not-result-of.html|title=The Partial View: The Shidduch crisis is not a result of the age gap or numbers.|date=13 August 2014 |publisher= |accessdate=2016-07-28}}{{Cite web|url=http://orthonomics.blogspot.com/2010/05/guest-post-age-gap-theory.html|title = Orthonomics: Guest Post: The Age Gap Theory|date = 10 May 2010}} Several initiatives in various Orthodox Jewish communities exist to close the age gap by offering rewards for shadchanim who make matches between men with women of approximately the same age.{{cite web|url=http://shidduchproject.com/project/nasi-project/|title=The Shidduch Project – NASI Project|date=16 September 2014 |publisher=shidduchproject.com|accessdate=2016-07-28}}
Other possible causes include the increased scrutiny placed on eligible women{{cite web |url=http://lifeaftersterncollege.blogspot.ca/2010/05/different-approaches-to-shidduch-crisis.html|title=Life After Stern College: Different approaches to "The Shidduch Crisis": Analyzing the causes and solutions|date=26 May 2010 |publisher=lifeaftersterncollege.blogspot.ca |accessdate=2016-07-28}} and the shidduch system in general.{{cite web |url=http://www.yutorah.org/yuconnects/ems1.cfm |title=YUTorah Online|publisher=yutorah.org|accessdate=2016-07-28}}
Pandemic and online shidduch
During the COVID-19 pandemic, prolonged lockdown, and popularisation of mobile apps and online video calls, in-person dating and meeting new people became more challenging.{{Cite web|date=2020-05-15|title=Safety Guidelines for In-person Dating During COVID-19 |url=https://kolhacovid.com/safety-guidelines-for-in-person-dating-during-covid-19/|access-date=2021-02-03 |website=KolHaCovid |language=en-US}} In these circumstances, the internet-based shidduch regained its popularity not only among Orthodox Jews, but also among non-religious Jews.{{Cite web|date=2020-09-08|title=How the Pandemic Shaped Jewish Dating |url=https://yucommentator.org/2020/09/how-the-pandemic-shaped-jewish-dating/ |access-date=2021-02-03|website=The Commentator}}{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Matchmakers in an age of pandemic|url=https://www.thejc.com/lifestyle/features/the-matchmakers-in-an-age-of-pandemic-1.502070|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2021-02-03|website=www.thejc.com}}{{Cite web|title=Opinion {{!}} Coronavirus lockdown meant a break from shidduch pressure — until it didn't |url=https://forward.com/opinion/445752/coronavirus-lockdown-meant-a-break-from-shidduch-pressure-until-it-didnt/|access-date=2021-02-03|website=The Forward|date=8 May 2020 |language=en-US}}{{Cite web|last=Walters|first=Louisa|title=Tradition! In a time of pandemic, singletons ditch dating apps for matchmakers|url=https://jewishnews.timesofisrael.com/meet-the-pandemic-matchmakers-2/|access-date=2021-02-03|website=jewishnews.timesofisrael.com|date=15 October 2020 |language=en-US}} This new dynamic has been referred to as "the Shidduch Revolution".{{Cite web|date=2020-05-11|title=Coronavirus Spurs Jewish Dating Revolution |url=https://themedialine.org/people/coronavirus-spurs-jewish-dating-revolution/ |access-date=2021-02-03|website=The Media Line |language=en-US}}
See also
External links
[https://rmbhcharities.com/yeshuos/shidduchim/ways-to-deal-shidduch-crisis/ Shidduch Crisis: Possible Causes and Practical Solutions]