When increased compensation is offered, it usually means there’s complexity involved; it may indicate desperation
Shani Leiman with Zivia Reischer
About three years ago, I got a call from Mrs. Silver. She was distressed that her daughter Aliza wasn’t married yet.
“She’s exactly what every boy should want,” she told me forcefully. “And she’s already 25 and still single. I can’t understand it!” We talked about her daughter for a few minutes and then she said, “If you make her shidduch, I’ll pay you $7,000.”
“Ma!” Apparently, Aliza was nearby.
“Aliza, I really want you to get married, and if this is what it takes, so be it!”
Such propositions weren’t new to me. There are parents who will send me a check — here’s $500, or $1,000, or even $2,000 — the unspoken message being: please prioritize my son or daughter.
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