Kids start school. Thoughts turn to the upcoming Yamim Tovim. Our weather becomes a bit cooler. At YUConnects, however, this month brings additional warmth: kindling new matches and warming the hearts of many dating couples.
Celebrating its 560th engagement, the YUConnects team continues to change the course of relationships through a combination of outstanding educational programming and innovative ways to create more meeting opportunities.
The YUConnects program is open to the entire Jewish community and recognizes that investing in healthy relationships will lead to substantial dividends ensuring strong and happy marriages. To that end, their popular CandiDate podcast offers its listeners candid conversations on the Jewish dating scene with experts and influencers in the field. Released twice each month with over 40,000 downloads and 37 episodes, CandiDate is educational, entertaining, and perfect for those who are dating or want to improve their own interpersonal relationships.
The most recent two releases are especially engrossing and feature Rebbetzin Slovie Jungreis Wolff on “First Impressions” and Rabbi Dovid M. Cohen on “Positivity and Perseverance” – both certainly relevant for this time of year. Many more insightful episodes will be released later this fall.
At the heart of the YUConnects organization is a cadre of nearly 100 volunteer matchmakers (connectors) who work tirelessly making suggestions and mentoring the thousands of singles within the network. Part of the continuing mission of YUConnects is to maintain standards of professionalism and sensitivity of its matchmakers. “Seven Habits of Highly Effective Shadchanim,” a Zoom class, was offered this week by master matchmakers Malky Galler and Kim Solomon as a continuing series of helpful courses.
Dr. Efrat Sobolofsky, director of YUConnects, commented that these classes “bring our connectors together to learn, exchange tips, and hone their own skills as they guide our daters into meaningful relationships.”
A growing presence in Israel, this month also includes a midrashah for women daters in partnership with the OU Israel and Alit and YUConnects’ own YS (Yeshiva Seminary) Links program.
And, one week before Rosh HaShanah, a major world-wide event, the Global “Meet the Matchmaker” initiative is unveiled. Men and women will have the opportunity to have personal Zoom meetings with dozens of devoted matchmakers, from California to Israel. “The better our Connectors know members and those wishing to date, the more targeted suggestions can be made,” pointed out Mindy Eisenman, YUConnects Staff Connector. “It’s simple. It’s productive. It is yet another example of how we look for multiple ways to build relationships!”
The Yamim Nora’im are often referred to as “Days of Awe.” May the actions and work of YUConnects turn the upcoming weeks into days of dates, engagements, and days of smiles and “aahhs!”
To learn more about these programs and the many resources of YUConnects, please visit www.yuconnects.com, follow on Instagram, Facebook, or LinkedIn, and search “YUConnects CandiDate” wherever you get your podcasts.