Listening for Signs of Love
Orthodox Union Plays Matchmaker for Jewish Deaf Singles

Many Jewish singles, frustrated with the process of going out on blind dates, scouring the personal ads and frequenting the usual "scenes" - only to meet people with whom they cannot communicate, have nothing in common, or just don't like - often lament that they will never find their true bashert (perfect match). But for Jewish deaf singles, especially those who live in communities or countries where there are few Jewish people, it's even harder to find someone who speaks their language - literally.

To combat this loneliness, the Orthodox Union's Jewish Deaf Singles Registry (JDSR) program for the Jewish deaf and hard of hearing will host its annual winter singles event on Sunday, February 18, 2001, from noon to 5:00 pm, at 8027 Castor Ave., in Philadelphia.  The event, including lunch and entertainment, provides an opportunity for singles to meet and allows people who haven't yet been involved with the JDSR to see that there really are other Jewish deaf singles out there.  

The JDSR links Jewish deaf around the world and provides a "community" for them to meet and get to know one another through an anonymous database.  Membership in the registry is open to the never married, divorced and widowed - all year long. 

Now an annual mid-February tradition, the JDSR singles event continues to draw men and women not only from communities in the New York metropolitan area but also from lands as far away as Australia, Israel and France. "People fly in for our events simply because there's nothing else," said Samuel Landau who, along with his wife Rachelle, coordinates the JDSR and all the singles events (both the Landaus are deaf).   For $10 a year, subscribers to the registry - who must be at least 18 years old and who must be Jewish according to Jewish law - receive an anonymous ID number and can prepare a brief description of their background, hobbies, level of religious observance, appearance, qualities sought in a mate and method of communication (American Sign Language, oral, etc.).  These descriptions are published, along with articles of interest to the deaf community, in a newsletter that is sent to JDSR members around the globe. Readers select from the profiles and write to those who pique their interest. All correspondence is forwarded confidentially through the OU.  

"Ninety percent of deaf people marry deaf people, and Jewish deaf are a very limited population," said Rabbi Eliezer Lederfeind, founder and director of Our Way. "In many aspects of their life, including their choice of spouse, the Jewish deaf person is constantly confronted with the question, 'Am I Jewish or deaf first?' Many choose the latter." 

That is why intermarriage - which has reached epidemic proportions in the greater Jewish community - is even more prevalent among deaf Jews, who are a minority within a minority. Mr. Landau explains that the JDSR aims to combat this situation, "not by preaching to young people to marry Jewish, but by helping them to marry Jewish."  

Pre-registration for the February 18th event is, before February 5, $12 for members and $15 for non-members; at the door, $16 for members and $20 for non-members. For more information, please contact the Landaus via TTY/Fax at 908.352.7395, or email samuellandau@juno.com. 

Established in 1969, Our Way is the only Jewish program that reaches out to the Jewish deaf and hard of hearing across the country and bridges the gap between the hearing and the non-hearing worlds. Through Shabbatonim, holiday celebrations, Torah study groups, summer tours, family retreats, conventions and special signing publications, Our Way provides spiritual and social opportunities for nearly 1,000 Jewish deaf, young and old, in 20 Our Way chapters across the United States.