Page 19 - Perspective 2022 - 11.9.22

SHAGRIRIM B’LEV:
AMBASSADORS WITH A HEART

Shagririm B’Lev began 10 years ago as a grass-roots
effort by students to help their friends get married using
a database they built themselves. Today it is a shidduch
“plus” platform that transforms lifelong friends into
professional matchmakers, and its success has been a
revelation.

For many students their next big milestone comes before

graduation - their wedding. The potential for family

building and lasting community growth is on everyone’s

mind as they chip away at their degrees and build toward “It’s very important that each matchmaker is discreet
their future. and selective when choosing candidates for their

In 2019 it became clear that this simple database was participants,” the program’s chief technical officer, Rami

not enough to help the growing number of diverse Treistman, explains. “On the other hand, these are not

participants who craved a personalized experience and necessarily professional matchmakers, they just want to

discretion. Eli Ninio - an alumnus of the college, and see their friends get married.”

member of JCT’s Board of Trustees – recognized this shift The power of the Shagririm B’Lev has inspired community
in the student body and their hesitation when it came to involvement beyond the matchmaking arena with
the shidduch process, and Shagririm B’Lev as we know it volunteers from the program setting up a very special
today was born. Pesach event for the less fortunate, along with community

Rather than putting the fate of those ready to date at the events featuring psychologists and dating professionals.

hands of a “stranger”, Shagririm B’Lev ELI NINIO SHARED ‘WE WANTED Under the auspices of JCT’s Rosh
turns your closest friend Yeshiva, Rav Yosef Zvi Rimon, a
into your dating coach and
advocate. TO MAKE A SPACE FOR ALL conference was held recently to discuss

The volunteer, ambassadors KINDS OF STUDENTS, EVERYONE the challenges of older singles and
receive monthly training to matchmaking in the national religious

IS INVITED.’ sector. Organized by Shagririm B’Lev, over

navigate the sensitivities that 250 Rabbis and Rabbaniot gained insights and

come with setting up your friends. practical tools to improve the response to matchmaking

From managing expectations to providing perspective, challenges in their communities.

ambassadors learn how to have the hard conversations Rav Doron Perez of World Mizrachi and Rav Avi Berman of
while keeping their friendships intact. OU Israel, have also joined this exciting project. Now, with

With 1,200 ambassadors volunteering to represent their the addition of an English-language platform, originally

friends, Shagririm B’Lev has attracted almost 7,000 singles intended to include JCT’s international students, Shagririm

in Israel alone. “At any given time 200 dates are being B’Lev is positioned to open up a global dating network

organized through Shagririm B’Lev, with approximately at the hands of those who know the “dater” best - their

10% ending in a wedding,” says Ninio. friends.

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