What is the purpose of this site? Why was it created?
This site was created out of a deep desire to help others in the Mid-Atlantic areas experiencing the challenges of shidduch experience.
Most shidduch sites are geared towards singles in the magic triangle of New York and New Jersey, and are of limited to utility to Jews in the Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, D.C. and Pennsylvania areas.
Event listings are almost always in New York or New Jersey, shadchanim listed are almost exclusively located far away - ultimately, there was nothing out there for the local Jewish singles in these areas to support their efforts to find their bashert. Even something as seemingly simple a finding how to contact the local shachanim in the area often proved an ordeal.
So, to adddress the challenges of the Mid-Atlantic Orthodox observant single, I created this site to gather together all sorts of useful information for the shidduch-dating single, to help ease the shidduch experience and increase our chances of success.
Also, in keeping with the dictum that when one prays for another with the same need, the supplicant's need is answered first, I figured (quite selfishly :-)), that by helping others in my same position to find their spouse, perhaps I would merit the same same. (See below)
Why does this site only contain Mid-Atlantic area information?
There are a deluge of sites focussed on the New York and New Jersey area, and it is a simple matter to find out information about them. This site is geared to the less available information about the Mid-Atlantic region, as it relates to shidduchim. Everything on the site is from that perspective.
Although the occasional non-local site or event is included, it is only non-local sites that have local relevance (such as shidduchim sites with regional membership and like) who made the cut. Rather than overload the site with excess information, by limiting the site's scope, it is hoped that it will result in a better, more relevant focus and, therefore, a better site.
Is that a polite way of saying that it's kind of ugly?
Well..couple of reasons. Firstly, this is strictly a spare-time endeavor, a pure labor or love. So, there's only so much time I can devote to the site and I prefer quality content over aesthetics, if I only have time for one. (That explains the typos, too. :-))
Secondly, I'm woefully unskilled as far as graphic design goes. Heck, I'm still trying to figure out Macromedia Fireworks! So - if someone would like to donate some graphics to the site, especially a nice logo, I'd be eternally grateful.
Lastly, it does give it a certain every-man character and charm. We're not some slick operation here. We're just a guy with a dream who wants to change the shidduch world in whatever way he can, and help out all the single folks out in the same boat. (OK, a weak justification - but very true, nonetheless! :-))
Because this site is about shidduch dating resources and information. It is not a dating site per se. Also, there are already many other sites which do that better than I can (see Shidduchim Sites) and I'd rather focus my resources providing things that can't be found elswhere and improving the site overall.
Nonetheless, I do hope to add, in the future, a electronic shidduch profile submission mechanism compatible with the Baltimore Shidduch Network's format, as well as those of other local shidduch groups, allowing singles to submit profiles directly to regional shadchanim. I will also be posting various shidduch group's "profile" forms, to make it easier getting started with the shidduch process.
Uh...because I started it, but never quite got around to finally sitting down and finishing it. OK. My bad. I apologize. But won't the day when it goes live be grand? :-)
Why is there an inappropriate link on a page on the site?Because external sites come and go, and very rarely do they notify us if they let their domain name lapse. At the time we added it, it was appropriate. But, likely in time since we last reviewed links manually (which is a time consuming, personally done process), the domain name or IP addresses has been re-used for something else, or snapped up by another site manager (often with no relation to the original site maintainer). Unfortunately, sometimes the new sites that claim their domain name or IP address even contain wholly non-kosher material.
If you see something that you think is amiss, please let us know and we'll try to take care of it. But please don't send us nasty letters. You try keeping track of hundreds of links and checking them regularly, hmm? We all have regular jobs, OK?
Submit questions to us at: webmaster@shidduchim.info