A clandestine undertaking on behalf of Israel, the Jets and the Jews.

 
Shidduch Dating At The Meadowlands

A peculiar yet common practice of some young, single Orthodox Jewish males - generally on the right - is to take their dates to a hotel lounge.

In 1996, my class of summer associates at a large law firm was taken to the Marriott Marquis in midtown Manhattan for dinner. The Marriott Marquis was a popular lounge for the discerning frum single and after witnessing the phenomenon, I was sure never to go on a date at a hotel lounge. Even after I was married, I could not accede to my wife's request to have a drink at the lounge of the Bellagio in Las Vegas.

Hotel lounges do, however, provide a quiet place for people to privately talk without violating the Jewish laws relating to yichud.

For most of the 1990's, another opportune public locale for quiet chats was weeknight New Jersey Nets home games. Often an entire row and most of a section could be secured for the modest price of two tickets. If one's date was uninteresting, a mediocre basketball game was more enjoyable and less exhausting than trying to go hours without ordering a second drink.

All this changed three years ago, when the Nets suddenly became one of the NBA's elite teams and played perhaps the most exciting basketball in the league. Even though Continental Airlines Arena wasn't usually filled, it had become full of life, noisy and the game provided too much of a distraction to those trying to have a serious discussion. Not only that, ticket prices more than doubled.

Alas, the golden age of the Nets is gone, thanks to owner Bruce (The Rat) Ratner, whose malicious dismantling of the team is one of the more disgraceful acts in sports history. Not only are the Nets 2-5, but they are boring. The only interesting aspect of the team is the clear demand by Alonzo Mourning, and the slightly more subtle demand of Jason Kidd, to be bought out or traded as soon as possible.

Once again, the Meadowlands is dead quiet during Nets games, the main noise being the clang of missed Nets foul shots. Furthermore, The Rat is now running a promotion in which tickets are being sold for low prices. It is also not difficult to obtain seats for very little on eBay and craigslist. It is quite possible that young people - even those who are observant Jews - might be lured into temptation by their evil inclination, and, heaven forbid, go on a date to a Nets game.

It is therefore necessary to make absolutely clear that as long as The Rat owns the team, it is simply not appropriate to go to any games. Even if tickets are free, one would be giving money to The Rat by parking in the complex. Even if one takes a bus, he or she would probably get thirsty and buy a drink. The only time it might, arguably, be permissible to go to a Nets home game is on a religious fast day if one were to take the bus. Even then, lest an uninformed observer form an erroneous impression that attendance is generally acceptable, it is preferable to be strict and avoid going to the game.
posted on 11/16/2004