Make Me A Match

Make Me A Match

Selected for the Melbourne International Film Festival
Winner of Award of Distinction from The Videographers Awards
Aired on local PBS in 2002
Aired in Israeli Television

From the filmmakers, Allen Mondell and Cynthia Salzman Mondell, who brought you West Of Hester Street, a new and exciting film…

Do I have a nice Jewish boy/girl for you? That’s the question filmmakers Allen and Cynthia Mondell address in their latest film Make Me A Match. This insightful 59-minute documentary takes a look at the institution of Jewish matchmaking and the traditional and contemporary ways Jewish singles are searching for their soul mates. Filled with hope and humor; trials and tribulations, Make Me A Match is a film for everyone who has ever been single, along with the family and friends helping them make a "love connection."

From Morristown, New Jersey to San Diego, California; Crown Heights, Brooklyn to Dallas, Texas, Make Me A Match introduces viewers to different styles of matchmaking. Witness a rabbi and rebbetzin’s probing questions as they interview prospective clients; sit-in on a session with 24-enthusiastic matchmakers as they ponder the dating lives of their patrons and see how other Jewish singles are searching for their beloveds over the Internet. The film takes you out on the dance floor at the Jewish Singles Convention and to the unlikely community of Aberdeen, South Dakota (population 20,000 - 13 Jews and one eligible bachelor!) where an operator at a telephone call center for Jewish singles is learning Yiddish. Make Me A Match goes beyond the festivities of the "Matzoh Ball" and gets singles thinking realistically about their potential life-mates.

Make Me A Match addresses the issues of Jewish identity and continuity – issues some rabbis say are the greatest concerns facing the culture today. The film uses the personal stories of Jewish singles to address these issues and explores programs available in Jewish communities to match singles and encourage them to maintain their Jewish identity.

This makes a delightful evening with the filmmakers who can tell the story of the making of the film. And do they have stories. They are also available for press interviews to help get publicity for the event.

To discuss financial arrangements call 214/826-3863 or email us at mail@mediaprojects.org

“Bravo! I just wanted to let you know that I screened your film at our synagogue this past Sunday night, and it was a HUGE success. Everyone LOVED the film!” – Harvey Cyngiser, Beth Tzedec Congregation (Calgary, Canada)

“It was a total delight. I was also amazed at how viewing the film evoked so many wonderful stories from the audience...Your ease with an audience shows through.” – Barry A. Abels, Executive Director, JCC Corpus Christi (TX)

“...took its full-house audience on a rich, entertaining ride while providing insights into the wisdom of maintaining a sense of Jewish identity and continuity in a world that encourages assimilation.” – Phillip Wuntsch, Film Critic, The Dallas Morning News

“I wish all my single Jewish girlfriends had come with me to see Make Me A Match...The documentary...offers a very entertaining and upbeat look at the search for a Jewish mate – in other words it's the perfect antidote to our reality.” – Susan Mandel, Washington Jewish Week

“ … a film that provokes thought about fun and romance … ” – Stefanie Shulman, Director of Performance and Visual Arts, Sid Jacobson Jewish Community Center (East Hills, NY)

“ ...is a beautiful film and it was a pleasure to show it...” – Rabbi Mark Kaiserman, Temple Emanu-El, Dallas

“I had more fun than I have had at one of our programs in a long time ... ” – Karen Stern, Aaron Family Jewish Community Center, Dallas

“The audience of about 150 Jewish singles was of all age groups - from mid 20s to late 70s - and everyone equally enjoyed the film. Many of the singles told me how great it was, that it made them laugh, and that they saw it as uplifting.” – Esther Mazor, Singles Director, JCC on the Palisades (NJ)

“We all had a good time, it was the perfect entertainment for our Sisterhood...” – Joan M. Applebaum, Adath Israel Sisterhood, Lawrenceville, NJ

“For all its humor, Make Me A Match has some loftier objectives: to educate non-Jews about Jewish culture, to provoke discussions about what Jewish communities can do to ease the process of finding a mate, and, more roundaboutly, to broach the touchy subject of intermarriage...it succeeds as an entertaining, interesting slice of Jewish life.” – Liz Stevens, Fort Worth Star-Telegram

“Though told with a lot of humor, the story behind Make Me A Match is one of a culture trying to fight the 'silent Holocaust' of assimilation by helping Jewish singles find each other.” – Terri Jo Ryan, Dallas Jewish Week

“They’re known for their ability to capture sincerity in any situation, and you’ll be verklempt over this one as well.” – Annabelle Massey Helber, Dallas Observer