This past Sunday, June 20, hundreds of Spanish-speaking young professionals from Chabad communities all over Latin America, and the United States, took part in a groundbreaking opportunity.
Following the success of the English-speaking Met@Chabad speed dating program, Chabad Young Professionals (CYP) International created a tailor-made version for Spanish-speaking singles.
“It’s an issue that keeps coming up in conversation with many of our young professionals, “ says Rabbi Chai Kohan, Director of Merkos 302 Spanish Department. “Finding a partner that is both compatible and desires to grow in Judaism is challenging enough for everyone. However, the Spanish-speaking communities face a more acute challenge as they are smaller and more scattered. After the success of the English-speaking event several weeks ago, we knew we had to find a way to offer this opportunity to them.”
Participants signed up through their local Chabad Rabbi and filled out a questionnaire with questions ranging from personality type to level of Jewish observance. Then the Met @Chabad algorithm went to work, generating compatible matches based on the data input, and off they went. The evening exceeded expectations with over 500 dates, 90 of them requesting to meet again. Young men and women from all over Latin America and Spanish-speaking communities worldwide now have a unique opportunity to find their life partner, which would not have been possible without this program.
The participating Young Professionals hailed from Spanish-speaking communities all over the globe, including Argentina, Uruguay. Chile, Paraguay, Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, Mexico, Spain and the United States.
“The event exceeded my expectations,” one participant related. “To have this was really a blessing, especially to know in advance that your match is compatible in so many ways. I can’t wait to participate in future events like this”
“For us, this is just the beginning,” says Rabbi Beryl Frankel, Director at Chabad Young Professionals International. “In addition to more speed-dating events, we are creating platforms to educate and guide our community members in the path to find a life partner. We hope it can give them as much clarity as possible in what can be a very complex journey”.
With the help of many experienced Chabad Rabbis and Rebbetzins, Chabad Young Professionals (CYP) International is setting out to educate on three elements of dating and marriage: (1) Education, namely shifting people’s mindsets away from dating for fun to purposeful, “dating for marriage”; (2) Training matchmakers to personally meet each candidate and gather real-life data, and (3) Investing in an advanced algorithm software that can mine the extensive data and suggest matches.
“This incredible success just goes to show how much this program is needed by the global Jewish community,” says Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, Executive Director of Merkos Suite 302. “The fact that so many participants took part in our initial pilot gives us hope regarding the state of Jewish singles today and is telling about the major role Met @Chabad will play in the future.”
For more information regarding Met@Chabad and to be updated about future events, visit us a metatchabad.com
Chai Kohan doesn’t stop!
BH for such beautiful programs, and thank you for the good news in fight against intermarriage!
Another amazing event by Rabbi Chai Kohan of merkos spanish department! Kol hakavod!
This is so desperately needed! Thank you! Don’t stop. Where are you off to next?
I loved the idea!