Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Modern Orthodox Dating in Washington Heights


In continuation of my last post, Corinne Ramey has an article, "In Search of a Modest Proposal," about Modern Orthodox dating. The article focuses on the dating scene in Washington Heights and particularly the Mount Sinai synagogue. I lived in Washington Heights for five years while attending Yeshiva University and spent many Friday nights going to Mount Sinai and participating in the "meat market" that Ramey describes. From an Asperger perspective this was an absolute nightmare. It relies on the type of scenario which puts me at the greatest disadvantage compared to neurotypicals, a room full of strangers and I am supposed to try to talk to someone in the hopes that I will get my foot in the door and they will wish to talk to me again in the future. (Not that most neurotypicals are particularly good at this game either.) To make the article really special for me, it features my good friend Evan "Tex" Rosenhouse and his wife Susanne Goldstone (The roommate that he exchanged me for). Rabbi Yosef Blau is also quoted, talking about the Orthodox "shidduch Crisis."

Hat tip to Material Maidel for posting this article.

2 comments:

SusQHB said...

I'm glad you liked Benz. The point I had tried to make (although it came out on paper totally ineloquently) was that people with a disability of any kind should be honest and open in the profiles. Why put yourself in the position where someone finds out about it later on and turns down the match because you weren't honest to begin with. Or they're not a big enough person to see beyond it. You know? Also, if someone has a problem with you because you are unique in any way, they don't deserve you!

Izgad said...

I have been very open about my Asperger syndrome (not a disability, but often functions as an inconvenience particularly within the context of dating). I have gone back and forth with various people close to me as to whether this is a good thing or not.