@WIY: I have to agree and then add some. As an older single, I have B”H found my beshert and zivug after many years of searching, but never giving up.
But before I found my beshert, and I would meet with Shadchanim and after finding out my age, they would give me that fake smile (but their eyes always told the truth)and tell me that it would be difficult to find someoneoe for me, meaning: lady, you are too old, why are you bothering me or for that matter bothering at all? I would always smile and thank them for their help knowing full well that there is only ONE ultimate Shadchan and I put all my bitachon in Him.
Perhaps if the Shadchanim would open their eyes a bit more and remember their mission, we wouldn’t be in this mess.
Unfortunately, we are also the cause of this crisis: the Rabbaim telling their students to marry younger women–I understand Asay lecha rav, but to give that much power to another human being that affects the lives of so many people? If you have to ask someone who to marry, then you are NOT mature or old enough to get married.
Asking if the family in question uses a white table cloth on its shabbos table, asking if the family in question scrapes or stacks its plates after a shabbos meal. What kind of nonsense is this?
No wonder we are in a crisis. I really don’t think HaShem cares what color our tablecloths are or if we stack or scrape.