Shidduch crisis


The shidduch crisis is a commonly observed and discussed phenomenon in the Orthodox Jewish community whereby eligible single persons, especially women, have difficulty finding a suitable spouse, or a shidduch. Debate exists as to whether the crisis actually exists or is a new phenomenon.

Causes and solutions

Several causes have been cited for the shidduch crisis, but it is most commonly attributed to the average age gap between Orthodox Jewish women and men at which they get married. However, this is widely disputed. Several initiatives in various Orthodox Jewish communities exist which try to close the age gap by offering rewards for shadchanim who set up men with women of the same age or older.
Other causes cited include the increased scrutiny placed on eligible women and the shidduch system in general.