08/08/2008 Jewish Singles Find the Real Thing through Local Matchmaker
08/08/2008 Another Success Story - July 2008
08/08/2008 Success Story
08/08/2008 Charlotte's matchmaker - she helps Jewish singles find love in all the right places
08/08/2008 Jewish and single? This news is for you
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08/08/2008 Jewish Singles Find the Real Thing through Local Matchmaker
by Brooke Neal
For two years now, Laurie Berzack has been looking for love. Real, true, this-is-finally-IT love. And it appears as though she`s found it twice in the past six months.
Laurie Berzack is the matchmaker extraordinaire behind two newly engaged couples. "I`m so happy I can hardly stand it," Laurie says. "It warms my heart every time I think about it. This is why I do what I do."
She`s the founder of Chai Expectations, a personalized singles service that caters exclusively to the Jewish community. Aptly named (Chai is the Hebrew word for life), Chai Expectations services Jewish singles of all ages in search of their Bashert, or Jewish soul mate.
Happy Couple number one, Geoffrey and Meredith give Laurie absolute credit for helping them find each other. "Our lives changed a year and a half ago when Laurie introduced us. She made our first date so easy, we ended the night already looking forward to the second date," remembers the couple. "We bring love, laughter, and excitement to each other`s lives, and we have Laurie to thank for all that awaits us in the future." Geoffrey, 33, and Meredith, 26, will make it official in 2009.
"I knew very early those two would make it," says Laurie. "They just fit. I knew the match worked on paper before I ever introduced them. But after their first date, when I heard each one talk about the other, I knew it was a done deal."
Laurie makes inspired matches between clients based on an extensive application and interview process. It`s a friendly alternative to meeting successful Jewish singles in a traditional, confidential and personalized way. "I spend time with my clients to establish what he or she is looking for in a relationship, where his or her strengths and weaknesses lie, and what dating behaviors are ingrained. Then, I go to work." Laurie pours over all of her clients files in search of a potential match. "This process is very important, because a match has to have real promise," Laurie says. "I don`t ever force it."
Consequently, Happy Couple number two seems to be a match made in heaven. This success story came fast on the heels of the first, although Leah and Bernies introduction was later in life, and longer in the making. Their story began two years ago, when Laurie first launched Chai Expectations. She received a call from Leah asking for help finding her Jewish soul mate. She promised to keep Leah on file and contact her as soon as she`d found a match.
Over a year later, as Laurie sat in synagogue, Leah stood up to give a d`var torah before the congregation. A friend`s father who was seated next to Laurie commented on Leah`s words and how they resonated with him. "I knew immediately that these two were a match," Laurie says. "I knew her history and what she was looking for, and I knew how powerful it was for Bernie to have been struck by her commitment to Judaism."
During the dessert hour that followed, she walked him over and made the introduction. And as they say, the rest is history. "Oftentimes, we forget that God works in mysterious ways and our simplest act of kindness can produce miracles," says Leah. "If Laurie had not acted on her intuition, Bernie and I would not have met when we did. We are very grateful and overjoyed at connecting with our true soul mates." Laurie and her husband and children will attend their wedding in August.
Chai Expectations caters to Jewish singles of all ages and all affiliations. "Regardless of our age or how often we go to synagogue, we all crave the essence of the Jewish culture, the sense of family, the food, the festivals, and the connection you feel knowing you and your spouse share the same background," Laurie says. "My mission is to bring Jewish souls together."
Chai Expectations is based in Charlotte but now services Jewish singles across both Carolinas, Georgia, Florida and beyond. The database of eligible men and women continues to grow by the day.
Still in search of your bashert? You may want to give Chai Expectations a shot. After all, Laurie has a proven track record now. For more information, visit ChaiExpectations.com. or call 704-957-4704.
08/08/2008 Another Success Story - July 2008
Another engagement for Chai Expectations!
I am so pleased to share my latest engagement story. It warms my heart every time I think about it.
This success story came fast on the heels of the first that I reported in last month's newsletter, although Leah and Bernie's introduction was later in life-and longer in the making. Their story began two years ago, soon after I launched Chai Expectations. When I received a call from Leah asking for help finding her Jewish soul mate, I promised to keep Leah on file and contact her as soon as I'd found a match.
Over a year later, as I sat in synagogue, Leah stood up to give a d'var torah before the congregation. A friend's father who was seated next to me commented on Leah's words and how they resonated with him. I knew immediately that these two were a match. I knew her history and what she was looking for, and I knew how powerful it was for Bernie to have been struck by her commitment to Judaism.
During the dessert hour that followed, I walked him over and made the introduction. And as they say, the rest is history. "Oftentimes, we forget that God works in mysterious ways and our simplest acts of kindness can produce miracles," says Leah. "If Laurie had not acted on her intuition, Bernie and I would not have met when we did. We are very grateful and overjoyed at connecting with our true soul mates."Â
And this, friends, is why I do what I do. Regardless of our age or how often we go to synagogue, we all crave the essence of the Jewish culture-the sense of family, the food, the festivals, and the connection you feel knowing you and your spouse share the same background. My mission is to bring Jewish souls together.
Mazel Tov again to the happy couple!!!! My husband, children and I look forward to attending their wedding in August.
Visit us at www.ChaiExpectations.com to find your bashert!
08/08/2008 Success Story
June 2008
"Thanks for changing our lives by introducing us a year and a half ago. You made our first date easy and the evening ended with us both looking forward to our second date. The second date led to many subsequent dates and countless days and nights spent getting to know each other. We bring lots of love, laughter, and excitement to each others life and have you to thank for our amazing time together thus far and all that awaits us in the future!" ~Meredith & Geoffrey~
Congratulations to Chai Expectations' first engagement, Meredith & Geoffrey! I am thrilled to have played a part in helping you find each other. Mazel Tov!Â
This is the part of my business I love most- helping two people find the person they've spent their lives searching for. And even more exciting is the promise of so many more engagements to come!
Serving Atlanta and the Carolinas, I bring one-on-one, personal attention to all of my clients. Every match is thoughtful and well planned. Actually, your match is inspired after carefully getting to know the real you and exactly who you're looking for.Â
It's simple, and it works. Just ask Meredith & Geoffrey!!!
Visit us at www.ChaiExpectations.com to find your beshert!
08/08/2008 Charlotte's matchmaker - she helps Jewish singles find love in all the right places
Charlotte Observer, December 2006
Looking for a romantic candlelight dinner -- over a menorah?
For single Jews tired of their mothers asking them when they'll find a "nice Jewish" boy or girl, Laurie Berzack has made it her business to help.
Berzack launched her personal matchmaking service, "Chai Expectations," in September. Chai (pronounced "High" with a guttural H) is Hebrew for "life," so the play on words goes two ways.
"I just want to see Jewish people marry Jewish people," Berzack explained. "It's about Jewish continuity."
It's already hard to meet people between the demands of work or family, Berzack said, and it's even harder if you're looking in the small pool of Jews scattered throughout the Bible belt.
"If people don't ever see each other, chances are greater that they're going to marry out of the faith," Berzack said, pointing to a Jewish Federation study showing that Charlotte Jews reported an intermarriage rate of 47 percent. Of those intermarried couples, only 34 percent raised their children Jewish. The intermarried couples were also less likely to be involved with synagogues and Jewish rituals.
That doesn't mean there aren't single Jews looking for each other in Charlotte, Berzack said, and more are moving here every day. Her client Eve Koenig, 30, who came from New York seven years ago, is one of them.
"I'm not necessarily a very religious person, but I do want to raise my children Jewish," Koenig explained. "It's part of who I am; it's part of where I come from. I don't want to lose my history."
Personalized touch
Berzack, 38, caught the matchmaking bug after successfully setting up a couple about a year ago. She decided to use her master's degree in social work to do it professionally.She'd spent the past 11 years in Charlotte writing grants, fundraising and taking care of her two boys, ages 5 and 8.
"Maybe it's the social worker in me, but I just want to help people reach their potential," Berzack said. "I want other people to be happy like I am. I want everybody to find love. Everybody deserves that."
Berzack said she hopes to reach singles who want a more personalized, private experience than they would get online. Theoretically, that should mean better chances of a good match -- or at least a good date.
And, as client Koenig pointed out, it feels safer. You don't have a picture or contact information out for anyone to see. Berzack knows all her clients and even background-checks them.
"You know where they come from," Koenig said. "You're not having people lie to you about their age or various other things."
Berzack goes so far as to check into pet allergies that might be problematic, Koenig said.
Both clients are supposed to call Berzack within 24 hours of the date to tell her how it went. She asks what worked or didn't, and handles rejection if that's needed.
After a few good dates, Berzack steps back and lets the couple arrange more on their own.
Unlike online services, Berzack does one match at a time.
"This isn't a dating service. This is really a marriage service."
A small group of singles
Benjamin Schwartz is holding out hope that Berzack will be successful once more people find out about her -- for his sake.
Schwartz, 37, returned to his native Charlotte about five years ago to help run his family's steel business in Gastonia.
He went to whatever Jewish events he could find in Charlotte and ran into the same small group of singles. Same thing with Jdate, the Jewish dating Web site. He even took a quiz on Eharmony, a customized online dating service.
Finding a Soul Mate
Jewish people seem to have a special penchant for matchmaking, from the famous "Matchmaker" musical song to speed-dating parties believed to have started for Jewish singles to the Jdate.com Jewish online dating service.
Because Jews are a minority, it takes more effort to find other single Jews. An estimated 10,000 to 12,000 of the 1.8 million people in the Charlotte region are Jewish. (No current figures are available on how many of those are single.)
Then there's "beshert," the idea that all Jews have a destined Jewish soul mate. The Yiddish word means "fate."
It's like the completion made between two Jewish souls, said Charlotte Torah Center Rabbi Mordechai Roizman.
If all that's not enough reason to matchmake, Jewish law offers a reward: Jews who match three Jewish couples together are promised a place in the afterlife.
"I guess there's a higher incentive that we're internally programmed with," says matchmaker Laurie Berzack. "It's in our blood."
Visit us at http://www.ChaiExpectations.com.
08/08/2008 Jewish and single? This news is for you
From: Charlotte Observer, October 29, 2006
A new business opened recently to help Jewish singles in Charlotte meet.Founded by Laurie Berzack, Chai Expectations makes matches between clients based on an application and interview process.
Chai Expectations is the first of its kind to hit the Charlotte area -- a market that, until now, has lacked resources for Jewish singles, Berzack said.
"For a thriving city that is home to so many successful professionals, there really was no resource specifically for Jewish singles who want to meet and foster relationships with other Jewish singles," Berzack said. "I decided to build a business doing what I love most -- helping people connect with each other."
Chai is the Hebrew word for life. Berzack's client list ranges in age from 23 to 70, and in profession from doctors, lawyers and bankers to psychologists, social workers and entrepreneurs.
Clients submit a detailed application online and agree to a background check; once approved by Chai Expectations, new clients meet one-on-one with Berzack. She works with each client to establish what he or she is looking for in a relationship, where his or her strengths and weaknesses lie and what dating behaviors are ingrained.
-- Karen Cimino
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