48. Your Unfiltered Shadchan Interview: What Merissa Gross Wants You to Know About Dating Today
Chai on LifeShow Notes
Hi everyone! Welcome back to another episode of The Chai on Life Podcast. I’m Alex Segal and today, I am speaking with Merissa Gross, a shadchan, or matchmaker, extraordinaire. Merissa is a ball of energy, just so much fun to be around with is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to dating. This is a full raw, real, tachlis conversation. We really get into it. Even though I’ve interviewed other dating experts on the podcasts, I think this one is the most insightful in terms of the behind-the-scenes aspect that happens for a matchmaker. She does not hold back — she shares it all with stories and details so even if you’re not currently in the dating scene, this is an interesting one to listen to.
We speak about: -Her day-to-day schedule and what goes into working with a couple -How she sets parameters around who she sets up -How the payment system works with her and other shadchanim — this was really interesting to see how it’s evolved -How she decides who to pair up — if it really is a gut feeling or there is a system -Addressing mistakes matchmakers make and clearing up misconceptions about the reputation so many unfortunately get -Why you may feel frustrated with the matches that you’re getting -How to make the best impression at a meeting with a matchmaker -What to do if you feel like you’re not getting the best matches and how she has handled certain situations -Red flags to look out for in dating -The concept of settling versus not -How to know when you’re ready to get engaged and what that feels like ...and sooo much more.
As you can see from that list, we cover A LOT of ground and even if you’re married, this is a super engaging conversation to listen in on just from a place of personal interest and as a way to help any single friends find THEIR match.
If you'd like to get in touch with Merissa, you can email her at [email protected] When email is not possible: Israel work only number, which includes WhatsApp: 058.500.8820 Official work hours: 9am-3pm IST
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