Friday, March 14, 2014
Elder of Ziyon(Shadchan=matchmaker, shidduch=match, shtetl=small Jewish village)
The shadchan in a small shtetl went to the wealthiest man in the shtetl and offered to arrange a shidduch (match) for the man's son. The wealthy man was scornful: "I am the wealthiest man in this entire shtetl, and in the surrounding four shtetlach. I have four cows and a horse, and my own barn. I need someone like you to make a shidduch for my son???!!!"
The shadchan explained: "This is not just any young lady. The girl I have in mind is Baron Rothschild's daughter."
The wealthy man was suddenly interested: "If you can arrange that, it's worth 100 rubles!"
The shadhan then went to Paris. After great difficulty, he finally got an appointment with Baron Rothschild himself. "Baron, I have a wonderful shidduch for your daughter."
"Ha," the baron exclaimed, "I need a shadchan like you from some tiny shtetl to get a shidduch for my daughter? I am Baron Rothschild; my daughter can have her choice of young men from any major city on the Continent!"
The shadchan replied: "Ah, Baron, this is not just any young man. The young man I have in mind for your daughter is a vice-president of Chase Manhattan Bank." The Baron replied: "If you can arrange that, it would be suitable, and worth thousands of francs."
So the shadchan traveled to New York. Again, after great difficulty, he managed to get an appointment with David Rockefeller of Chase Manhattan Bank.
"Mr. Rockefeller, I have a wonderful candidate for a vice-presidency of your bank."
Rockefeller was shocked. "I have executive training programs, and recruitment programs, and one of the finest personnel offices in the entire finance industry. Do you think I need suggestions from some shmendrik from the shtetl?"
"Ah," replied the shadchan, " this is not just any young man I am proposing to you. This is Baron Rothschild's future son-in-law!"
And that, my friends, is the definition of a good shadchan.
