Sea Change: The Conversation Continues

The new shidduch proposal outlined in Issue 1054 has elicited a wave of reactions. Many voiced enthusiasm and optimism, but there were many who expressed concerns, doubts, and questions. Here is a sampling of some of those responses, followed by the perspective of the Novominsker Rebbe (Rav Yisroel Perlow), one of the gedolim intimately involved in the initiative’s development, who shared much-needed answers, thoughts, and clarifications.

Let the Boys Jump First › Rochel Levy, Woodmere, NY

I read with great interest the article about the “girls’ freezer” and shared it with the 12th graders in my public speaking class at Tichon Meir Moshe (TMM) High School in Far Rockaway.

Many were confused. Here we are spelling out a disaster that’s been 20-plus years in the making… and then asking our girls to be Nachshon.

There were six yeshivos listed as willing to send their bochurim to Eretz Yisrael earlier, and I’m sure it was a very weighted decision on their part.

Yet on the other side of the mechitzah, we’re asking hundreds of individual girls to weigh this same monumental move. The feedback from our high school seniors was: We want to do the right thing, but this feels so beyond our scope!