Star K's #1 Priority is to Marry Off Single Women in Baltimore -- Higher Priority Then Addressing Sex Offenders In The Community

SHIDDUCH INCENTIVE PROGRAM

Star-K’s Shidduch Incentive Program offers a cash gift of $2500 to those who successfully match its hometown Orthodox single women, by Chanukah, 2006. A local attempt at remedying the universal Orthodox singles problem in Baltimore, its widespread impact has become a motivating factor in matching single Orthodox women around the world.

Click here to view full article.

According to Dr. Avrom Pollak, President of Star-K, “What we are hoping to accomplish is to get anyone--living in any community--who knows a Baltimore single woman, to make that extra effort in arranging an introduction with a suitable eligible man.”

For the shadchan of a successful shidduch to qualify for this gift, the following conditions apply:

• The single woman must be at least 22-years and 2-months old at the time the engagement is announced. There is no upper age limit.
  
• Widows and divorcees are included.
  
• The couple must be committed to observing the laws of kashrus, Shabbos, and taharas hamishpacha.
  
• Parents, grandparents, children, siblings, sibling-in-laws, and aunts and uncles of the single women are not eligible for the gift. Cousins and other relatives who arrange a shidduch are eligible.
  
• A Baltimore woman is defined as:
  • Her parents must have lived in Baltimore for one year and have purchased a house there, or have rented a dwelling there for two years. If she lives in Baltimore alone, without family, she must have lived in Baltimore for two years (student years do not count).
    
  • A Baltimorean living in New York or elsewhere, for less than two years, whose parents are presently living in Baltimore, is eligible.
    
• Requests for payment of the Star-K gift must be made, in writing, by the shadchan to Star-K (122 Slade Avenue, Suite 300, Baltimore, MD, 21208), within 30 days of the engagement. Both sets of parents, or both the choson and kallah, must confirm who the shadchan or shadchanim are.
  
• If more than one person was involved in the introduction of the couple, the $2,000 award will be divided amongst the parties according to traditional guidelines. For example, if one person thought of the idea and asked a professional to arrange it, the one who thought of it gets 1/3 of the shadchanus and the professional gets 2/3 of the shadchanus.
  
• If the shidduch breaks up, chas v’shalom, before the wedding, Star-K is exempt from paying the gift.
  
• Payment of the gift will be made by Star-K within 30 days after the chasana.
  
• The initial introduction of the couple (i.e., the first meeting of the couple) must not have been made prior to the starting date of this program, the first night of Chanukah, 5765 (December 7, 2004).
  
• All disputes, e.g., who is the shadchan, questions regarding eligibility, etc., will be settled by Star-K Rabbinic Administrator, Rabbi Moshe Heinemann, shlita, whose decision will be final.