The “look” he was attracted to didn’t quite align with the hashkafos he was looking for
Shani Leiman with Zivia Reischer
Ari had everything going for him. He was tall and good-looking, with a ready smile, and carried himself with an easy grace. Wherever he went, people were naturally attracted to his easygoing personality and can-do attitude.
He’d been raised in a Modern Orthodox community, but had gradually grown more to the “right.” By the time he had graduated high school, he was deeply passionate about Yiddishkeit, and followed his more yeshivish friends to the Mir and then to Lakewood.
He’d started dating at 23, with an eye to long-term learning. There was no reason to think it would be hard for him to find the right one, but here he was, 27, single, and very frustrated.
“Basically,” he said, “every single girl says no after the fifth date.”
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