By Dvora Schulman, Vice President, International Shidduch Group Network
The London Shidduch Group welcomed over ninety ladies Sunday night at the Lubavitch Main Hall in Stamford Hill for an exciting event entitled: “Connect 4 Shidduchim.”
Leaders of the London Chapter of the International Shidduch Group Network, Mrs. Sukie Rubin and Mrs. Miriam Moses, brought Mrs. Elana Bergovoy, President of the International Shidduch Group Network, from her home base in Chicago, IL, to help take the UK Shidduch Groups to the next level.
Mrs. Bergovoy inspired and motivated the community to network and organize to both encourage more English to English shidduchim, and enable bocherim outside the UK to meet the beautiful, intelligent, mature and capable young ladies “across the pond. ”
The whirlwind of events began Shabbos afternoon with thirty post-seminary girls farbrenging at the home of Mrs. Miriam Moses. Mrs. Bergovoy spoke about Chai Elul, the Baal Shem Tov, and the Alter Rebbe. She told stories that illustrated the point that no matter where a person is, when it’s time for her to meet her bashert, Hashem will bring them together. The girls introduced themselves by age, name and what they’re doing now. Most were beautiful, lively 20 to 25 year-olds working in a range of different fields, including teaching, accounting,and the helping professions. They sang niggunim and danced and made “Lchaims!” Then it was time to head to Mrs. Rivkah Raskin‘s house for the 6 pm Stamford Hill Shabbos Shidduch Group meeting where they said many kapitellach Tehillim, read from “Eternal Joy,” by Rabbi Shalom Ber Wineberg, on the Rebbe’s advice about the period of engagement, and discussed the material.
On Monday, Mrs. Bergovoy travelled to Manchester where she spoke at a special gathering for members of N’shei Chabad at the home of Mrs. Yael Klyne, organized by Sora Baila Klyne, through the London Shidduch Group. This was the launching of the Manchester Shidduch Group and events are already being planned for after Rosh Hashanah, including a joint London/Manchester shadchan evening. Once again the atmosphere was festive, with exquisite balloon centerpieces and creatively laid tables.
On Tuesday, back in London, shadchanim, shluchas and community leaders met with Mrs. Bergovoy at the home of Feige Sudak and discussed ways to connect with other communities and improve networking. One of the points raised was that the Rebbe strongly encouraged bocherim to go to meet the girls, wherever they may be. In addition, bocherim are often much more flexible than working girls, to travel for shidduchim purposes. Plans can easily be made through shadchanim for bocherim to meet girls where they live. Meetings can also successfully be arranged, to enable men and women to meet initially by Skype.
On Wednesday evening in Golders Green at the home of the Prus family, Mrs. Bergovoy farbrenged with many more post-seminary girls about developing their characters at this crucial stage of life to promote continued growth and not to stand still because they have finished their formal education.
The week culminated in the ultimate simcha with the Dubov / Moscowitz chassunah in Wimbledon, London on Thursday evening. Rabbi Nissan Dovid Dubov, author of Mazel Tov: A Chabad Wedding Guide is on the Board of Directors of the International Shidduch Group Network and was the keynote speaker at last November’s Annual Shidduch Group Network Conference. His address was entitled, “Getting to the Chuppah.”
The committee in London would like to express its thanks to all the people who contributed their time and talents to make this Shidduch Initiative so successfully productive. For further information on the London Shidduch Groups, contact [email protected]
The UK Shidduch Groups will be sending delegates to the 2nd Annual Shidduch Group Conference in Crown Heights on November 9th. Registration is open and space is limited. Visit the website for more information and to register: http://www.shidduchgroupnetwork.com/events.html
So who are the wonder shadchanim?
Yashar Koach Illana. You planted a see and the fruit of your labor has blossomed.
we are in the Obama era ” our borders are open ” maybe they should just enter from mexico…
Yes it’s true that majority of singles meet in New York. However, it’s getting increasingly tougher to do so as time goes on. For people from LA or any other American state to move to Crown heights although annoying its legal for them. They can work legally and travel in and out as they please. But all non americans are in a real mess because of the constant tightening of immigration laws. They are not able to stay in the US for more than a couple months and cannot work legally. They need to give up good jobs, live in… Read more »
How about encouraging more shidduchim with both being English? Things have changed over the years . Plane tickets were affordable so boys could travel easier . How can a single boy afford 1000k to travel to london for what could be just one or two dates ? The problem also is that most English boys wind up in NY as there is no yeshiva or semicha program for them once they reach shidduch age. Perhaps if there were then there would be guys around to date these girls!
Are these Shidduch groups for the young singles or are there any Shuddchanim helping the widows/divorcees ?
Found that most dating sites of older people are really false, many concerned with money, location & looks. Very superficial sally
How do we connect the ny singles with the English.
Go Klynes!
Dvora you did a great job writing this article and capturing the wonderful work of the Shidduch group! May we have many simchas to enjoy!
“Singles shouldn’t feel the need to uproot themselves and move to Crown Heights indefinitely inorder to be considered dateable”. Let’s put it this way if ur from LA, Melbourne, London, Joberg, Sydney, Montreal etc u have no choice but 2 move 2 Bklyn being that those communities dont have the #z like Bklyn does, 4 example take LA the community is just 2 small 2 find local shiduchim not enough ppl & besides the bachurim come 2 Bklyn 2 learn & the girls come here 2 get jobs etc, so it winds up that Bklyn is the place 90% of… Read more »
Los Angeles has a large handful of great chassidish girls… they are not across the world!
Very true, english girls are really top notch! Boys should be willing to travel for a shidduch as it is the ideal way. Hope to see a big shift in the way people approach shidduchim and non Americans. Singles shouldn’t feel the need to uproot themselves and move to Crown Heights indefinitely inorder to be considered dateable. Good news and Simchos for everyone IY”H.
We gotta go & reach out 2 Melbourne & Los Angeles as well, very big Lubavitch communities out there. But anyway every1 winds up movin 2 Bklyn anyway. This is the hub if u wanna find the right 1. Yes there r exceptions u here of a couple that didn’t have 2 move 2 Bklyn 2 meet each other but that is very very rare.
In true Brit fashion – hear hear!
I have met a few recently, they have Middos and they are so real with their heads on straight – The American boys are missing out- Would you not pay $800 to possibly meet your other half?