Spiritual Dating

Am I Too Picky When Dating?

Tue, 27 May 2008 23:14:34 -0800

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<image id="1" flush="primary" alt="Rabbi Shmuley Boteach"/>

<block_quote><emphasis>Dear Rabbi Shmuley</emphasis>, I am 30 years old, and would love to meet someone, fall in love, and get married. My problem is that I'm too picky -- or at least my friends tell me I am. ...

7 Steps to Improving Relationships

Wed, 06 Feb 2008 20:30:48 -0800

Conflict is an inevitable part of life, but it need not always be painful. In fact, we all have within us the ability to sustain relationships even when we deeply disagree. When we reach our breaking point (as we all do), and need to walk away, we can do so in ways that make it more likely that we will come back together.

When Should I Talk About My Past?

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 22:35:10 -0800

I am in a relatively new relationship (2 months) with a wonderful man who I'm developing strong feelings for. I've had a lot of unsuccessful relationships in the past, and I want this one to go right. My question is, how much should I share about past relationships, and when? For example, I'm divorced, which is something that my boyfriend knows. But he doesn't know that my ex-husband was unfaithful to me, and many other details of my marriage and other past relationships. Can I disclose things like that to him without seeming like I'm testing him next to these other men? When is the right time to share the "biggies" of your life, both good and bad?

Should I Call in a Pro?

Wed, 09 Jan 2008 18:14:24 -0800

I'm 32 years old, and I'm really ready to have a serious relationship and move forward in my life. I'm doing online dating, but I'm also considering trying a professional matchmaker. I know that there are Jewish matchmakers, and secular ones like I see on TV, but I'm Catholic--do you think this is a viable option for someone like me? Is it worth the time and money, or should I just be pumping up my social life on my own?

How Will I Ever Date Again?

Wed, 09 Jan 2008 18:05:06 -0800

I am a 32-year-old widow who lost her beloved husband to cancer last spring. We had no children. Most of the marriage, he battled with cancer, and I took care of him. He is forever in my heart. While I know I am definitely not ready to date yet, I know it will happen someday. What advice would you give a young woman like me?

Be Fearless: Date in December

Wed, 05 Dec 2007 19:28:10 -0800

I am a single, 34-year-old woman, and I am dreading the holidays. I recently got up the nerve to start trying to meet someone online, but I am feeling all of this pressure as December approaches, and I'm wondering if I should put dating on hold until after the New Year. I consider myself to be a Christian, though I don't go to church all that often. Meeting someone now means getting to know them during this religious time of year, which feels heavier somehow than meeting them at a time when you can choose whether or not to disclose your religiosity to a new date. Maybe I'm just suffering from holiday blues, because really what I am worried about is that I've started this new approach to dating, but if it doesn't work, it will really hit me hard when I'm sitting home alone on New Year's Eve. Can you help me turn around my attitude?

'My Brother's Widow Has a Boyfriend'

Wed, 05 Dec 2007 19:19:22 -0800

My brother passed away just over two years ago at just 32 years of age. His wife has remained connected to our family throughout the terrible period since, but lately she has begun to spend less and less time with us. Then, last week, she told me that she's begun dating and has met someone she cares about. Now, we've all said since my brother died that she is a young woman and deserves to find happiness again. But now that it's happening, I find myself feeling sad and even angry that my brother's wife is seeing another man. How can I deal with these feelings while still telling her I want her in my life?

"I Used to Be Promiscuous"

Tue, 16 Oct 2007 16:52:37 -0800

I had a promiscuous period during college. I am a new woman today, and would never behave this way again. During the end of my "bad period", I began a friendship/courtship with my current boyfriend. After getting to know each other slowly, we fell in love and began dating. We waited a good long time to have sex.

A Soldier Worries That His Wife May Stray

Wed, 10 Oct 2007 16:13:27 -0800

My wife and I got married in January. We have known each other for 12 years, and dated in high school. We broke up once, years ago, because of a rumor that I later confirmed to not be true. We have one of the most blessed marriages. Honesty and trust top the scales.

'I Lost the Weight, But Now I Hate Men'

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 18:24:10 -0800

I am a 37-year-old female who has never really been in a relationship with a man. Until recently, I had been overweight all my life, but not obese. Men were always cruel to me and ruined my self esteem. Now that I've lost the weight guys are always looking at me, and I get so angry--almost violent--because I know that men will always be superficial. I have never been sexually active (thank God) and have no desire too. I am considering marrying a man that is much older or somebody that has no interest in sex for whatever reason. I would love to have male companionship without all the "red tape" that comes with it. I really don't want anything to do with men, but I would like to know how to forgive or at least get over my severe hatred for them. I feel that my hurt is only doing more harm to me than them because just the sight of them makes me physically ill--dizziness, feeling as if I want to vomit, and sometimes anxiety attacks. If there is any advice you can offer, it will be greatly appreciated.