By a relative of Shimshon Stock

This Pesach, when you’re sitting around the table and chatting with family and friends, try something different. Instead of chatting about the news or sports during Shulchan Orech, talk about your single friends and relatives.

Our shidduch system isn’t just struggling, it’s missing one huge piece: people sharing ideas. And that’s something every single one of us can fix, without any training, without any title, just by being willing to speak up.

Sit around the table and start throwing out names. You’ll be surprised how quickly connections and ideas come up. One suggestion leads to another, and suddenly people realize how many possibilities were sitting right in front of them the whole time. Even if something feels like a long shot, say it anyway. So many matches start from a “maybe this is crazy, but…”

Think about it:
You have a close friend who’s single.
Your cousin or brother-in-law knows someone great.
Your neighbor mentioned a name once that stuck with you.

What if you just said it out loud?

Too often, people hesitate. They assume someone else will make the suggestion, or they convince themselves it’s not their place. But that hesitation is exactly what keeps good ideas from ever being explored.

Now here’s the part that really matters: Follow up after Yom Tov. Text your friend or relative your ideas. Make the introduction. Ask a question. Push it one step further.

Ideas are powerful, but only if we act on them.

Shadchanim can’t do this alone. They don’t know everyone, and they’re not sitting at your Seder table. We are the missing network, the informal connections that can open doors no system can replicate.

So this Pesach:

• Think about singles
• Make lists
• Share ideas
• Be bold and proactive

Pretend you’re the shadchan. Because honestly, you are.

And don’t underestimate it. One conversation, one suggestion, one follow-up message could quietly set something in motion that changes a person’s entire life.