By Zelig Katzman
After successfully launching worldwide this past year, Met@Chabad is finally coming to New York at the annual CYP Encounter Crown Heights Shabbaton this weekend. The hundreds of like-minded young Jewish professionals converging for a Shabbos of inspiration and connection hopes to be the perfect setting for the launch of Met@Chabad in the big apple.
In addition to the unforgettable immersive Jewish experience, the CYP Shabbaton focuses on empowering young professionals with the proper tools to navigate the challenges they face living in today’s world. Workshops on topics such as balancing faith and career, self-improvement, and how to discover your soulmate are being presented by noted scholars, such as Rabbi Simon and Shaindy Jacobson. This year the Met@Chabad dating program hopes to take the Shabbaton’s lofty ambitions to the next level.
Geared towards setting up young Jewish professionals with their soulmates, the world-renowned Met@Chabad program is a bold and innovative attempt to help bring the Rebbe’s approach to Shidduchim and marriage to a broader audience. By encouraging a values-based approach to dating, singles are taught to look for a partner with whom they share a common outlook on life, marriage, and Jewish commitment. When contrasted with the typical dating apps and events, it provides a more effective path for singles who are frustrated with the results of the more conventional forms of dating, which can be unfocused and aimless, often leading to much heartbreak and disappointment.
The success of the Met@Chabad Social Mixer events worldwide can be attributed to the unique fusion of timeless Jewish matchmaking techniques and modern technology employed to pair up prospective couples. Through the pre-event value-based questionnaire and a special AI algorithm, the young adults are linked to those sharing similar life values, beliefs, and ambitions and are seen as compatible partners.
“I’ve been to many different Jewish dating events,” said David Russ, an Aventura, Florida native who works in digital advertising, “but Met @Chabad was by far the best I’ve ever been to. The group pairing made it easy to meet people with similar levels of Jewish values. Using a game to help break the ice made it easy to approach and meet new people. No other Jewish dating events I’ve ever attended had such meaningful elements, and it really puts Met @Chabad above the rest.”
The event’s New York debut will take place this Friday night after the young professionals enjoy an authentic Shabbos meal at the homes of their Crown Heights hosts. An all-star lineup of certified Met@Chabad Shadchanim will be present to facilitate the program, including Mrs. Chayi Vogel, Mrs. Sheva Tauby, Mrs. Tzirl Goldman, Mrs. Shaina Katz, Mrs. Gitty Webb, and Mrs. Chani Myhill. The Shadchanim will be on the ground meeting the young professionals, helping them identify their core values, answering questions, and breaking the ice, introducing the young adults to one another.
Confident that the fundamentals of a healthy relationship – common ground on the things that matter – are already there, Met@Chabad frees the young professionals to explore the necessary chemistry factor of the relationship without the fear that it is doomed to failure for lack of shared understanding on the essential topics. The entertaining games and engaging programming of the event set the stage for a relaxed environment in which these singles can become acquainted in a meaningful way.
“Since the launch of Met@Chabad, we’ve received so much heartwarming feedback from grateful young couples around the world,” says Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky, Vice Chairman of Merkos L’inyonei Chinuch. “The confusion that so many deal with on the quest to find their soulmate is real, Met@Chabad is bringing the Rebbe’s guidance and clarity to today’s youth, and we are seeing the results before our eyes.”
To learn more and to sign up your young professionals for the Met@Chabad NYC event, please visit cypshabbat.nyc, email [email protected] or click here to message CYP on Whatsapp.
Perhaps create a similar app for chabad bochurim and post seminary girls. Maybe this can resolve the “Shiduch Crisis”!
Exactly my thoughts. So necessary.
I don’t think the issue facing our community is a lack of singles with shared values
Women prepare for marriage since 12th grade. They are asking questions about it, talking to Mashpios, going to classes on dating, and working on themselves. The men? They’re winging it. Not asking for proper guidance in dating and the Yeshivos don’t prepare them.
Is bitachon for real? After a failed marriage, and not finding a soul-mate for many years after, my wife told me that she finally turned to HaShem and said: “I’ve tried everything. Now I need you to send me the right guy.” And me? After going through emotional pain in a previous marriage, I added to my prayers: “Please HaShem. I know that I’m getting older but I am not complete without a soul-mate. Please send my bashert.” My wife “just happened” to join a small Chabad congregation in upstate New York. And I “just happened” to do the same… Read more »