Sunday, March 23, 2008

Rabbi Casts Wide Net in Matchmaker Role - In the News

Very often when I am doing a divorce mediation, I ask myself, "Why did this couple ever get married? They were always incompatible." I sometimes even ask the couple why. I remember a client saying that she knew it was mistake from the beginning but the other person was persistent or he was embarrassed not to get married. The March 17, 2008, article in the Arizona Star by Stephanie Innes entitled "Rabbi Casts Wide Net in Matchmaker Role"reminded me of the question of incompatible couples. See the entire article at http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/mailstory-clickthru/229978.php The article discusses Rabbi Robert Eisen of the Conservative Congregation Anshei Israel who is offering his congregants free subscriptions to JDate — an Internet dating service for Jewish singles. He's tapping into his own bank account to fund the endeavor. He says, "We're a fractured society. I want to encourage people to take a look at the big picture and give them a chance to meet people with the same values, same approach to life." Eisen is a proponent of marriages between two people of the same religion, saying they have a much lower divorce rate than couples who marry outside their faith. "Marriage is hard enough. If you start with a common vocabulary and values, it's easier to maintain that marriage," Eisen said. "It's the Jewish mother coming out in me." One of the things Rabbi Eisen is promoting is more compatible marriages and thus fewer divorces. As always, you can post a comment about this blog, Divorce Mediation, or Tucson Arizona by following the directions at the right in the green column or at the bottom of this website or participate in our Presidential poll located below the directions. WM 3/23/08