A dorm-room shidduch gemach provides everything but the chemistry 

Photos: Avi Gass

Going on a date in Lakewood? Don’t forget to pop into Room 119 in The Irv, where you’ll find ice-breaker board games, watches to impress, Waze devices, and resource handbooks for the best venues within your price range and dating stage. And it’s all courtesy of the Dating Gemach, an initiative by then-dater Elimelech Weinreb (he’s since married) who still helps callers plan their evenings out

The door to Room 119 swings open, and a freshly shaved guy in his early twenties rushes into the dorm room, buttoning his shirt with one hand and holding a phone to his ear with the other.

His mother’s voice spills out of the receiver as he heads to the bookshelf, scrawls his name on a notepad, and grabs an E-ZPass tag out of a box before dashing out.

The door has barely shut when it creaks open once more, and another guy, younger and a bit more timid looking, peeks inside. He spots the shelf full of boardgames and walks over to it, examining Taboo, Codenames, and Bananagrams before settling on Perfect Matches. On his way out, he notices a large bucket of plastic straws and takes two.

Off in the corner, there is a confident-looking fellow walking in a circle, fielding phone calls. Snippets of conversations are audible; some callers sound more anxious than others.

“If you’re worried about seeing too many people at the TWA Lounge, take her to the Williamsburg Hotel,” he advises one.

“Topgolf can be a bit rowdy, especially on weekends, she may be uncomfortable,” he tells another.

On average, he’ll get around ten such calls daily — about 60 a week — even as dozens of visitors venture into this dorm room throughout the afternoon. Every so often, he’ll pull the phone from his ear, nod to a young man, and offer a word of encouragement.

“Don’t forget to take some water bottles. Hatzlachah!”