Our Team
Rivka Sarah Jaffe
Shidduch Liaison
Rivka Sarah Jaffe brings with her many years of community involvement, as well as a keen understanding of people and human nature. She works to ensure that people are serviced in a timely, comprehensive manner, availing themselves of all of Simcha Link's wide-ranging services, as well as to help with follow-up with shadchanim on behalf of shidduch prospects and their parents.
She can be reached at 224-536-0461 or jaffers@chicagochesedfund.org during afternoon or evening hours.
We have a great team of shadchanim
who are eager to get to know you.
Please contact one of our shadchanim below.
Shelly Adler
Shelly Adler has been with Simcha Link since its inception. Her previous positions as a limudei kodesh teacher, in both elementary and high school levels, have prepared her to focus on the particular needs of each one coming to her for help with shidduchim. Shelly works with eagerness and devotion to be a good shaliach in the holy work of arranging shidduchim. She is happy to work with singles of all ages and backgrounds.
A Word From Shelly:
“Simcha Link is on my mind day and night. It is a great privilege and enormous responsibility to be involved in this most important part of the lives of my clients. I daven daily for siyata d’shemaya.”
Rochel Leah Krystal
A long-time shadchan in the Chicago community, Rochel Leah has been making shidduchim for many years. She is open and available to meet any boys or girls from across the spectrum of backgrounds and ages.
A Word From Rochel Leah:
“The close kesher we have with Rabbi Fuerst, who is passionate about the work of Simcha Link, motivates all of us. We feed off his energy to help others.”
Miriam Gross
Lakewood
Miriam Gross is proud to join the Simcha Link team and help make shidduchim for singles from her hometown, Chicago. Currently located in Lakewood, NJ, Miriam is focused not just on setting up the singles, but on coaching them throughout the entire process. She makes it her business to understand the needs of the singles she is working with, and to help them every step of the way.
**Miriam works mainly with working boys, as well as some short-term learners. She also has experience working with sensitive shidduchim.
WhatsApp or Text:
732-814-2651
A Word From Miriam:
“I take shidduchim very seriously. I try to be a shaliach in doing Hashem’s work. I’m a big believer in making sure the single goes out with an open mind and doesn’t get stuck on the small things in making a life decision.”
Naomi Homnick
Naomi Homnick was in high school when she made her best friend’s shidduch. One 40-year-education-career later, and Naomi is still making shidduchim for the people she knows and loves. Recently, she celebrated the marriage of 2 of her former first grade students! Guided by her “small-town” warmth and genuine Ahavas Yisroel, Naomi is dedicated to the people of the Midwest and happily works with singles of all ages.
A Word From NAOMI:
“Ultimately, it’s the Ribono Shel Olam who is really making shidduchim, but I’m honored to play a role in the process. I love people; I love seeing them happy; And I love when I get to watch them walk down the aisle!”
Hilary Kahn
Hilary Kahn has more than 30 years of teaching experience in both secular and frum environments. Her forthright and intuitive personality has made her a much sought after mentor and educator. She brings Torah wisdom as a parenting mentor, dating and relationship coach, and a Jewish woman, to women of all stages and ages. She has successfully matched 22 couples and hopes to match many more.
A Word From HILARY:
“It is an honor and a privilege to help facilitate shidduchim for Simcha Link. Rabbi Fuerst is a model of selflessness and dedication to the klal, and to be involved in one of his myriad projects is very special. ”
Estie Karman
Working as a kindergarten teacher in the local Bais Yaakov, Estie is devoted to helping the Chicago community. For over three years, Estie Karman has been a dedicated shadchan of Simcha Link. As a native Chicagoan herself, Estie loves working with Chicago girls. Estie networks with boys from all over, but specifically focuses on the Beth Medrash Govoha crowd in Lakewood, NJ.
A Word From ESTIE:
“My goal is to help as many people as I can and to make the process as smooth and comfortable as possible.”
Tzodek Katz
Lakewood
One of Simcha Link’s dedicated East Coast shadchanim, Tzodek Katz, works closely with us to ensure Simcha Link’s presence is felt by our East Coast neighbors. His many years of matchmaking experience and helping many families and singles throughout the dating process is an invaluable service to the Chicago Jewish community.
A Word From Tzodek:
“Asserting themselves into a new market with unfamiliar faces was not a simple task, but Simcha Link’s innovative approach, excellent communication skills and willingness to work with everyone, no matter the situation, has resonated with the community.”
Etty Klein
Lakewood
Etty Klein has been a dedicated shadchan for many years. In the past few years, she’s used her skills to branch out and become a dating coach as well. Though she only makes shidduchim part-time, in addition to her teaching career, she has seen much success and gets real pleasure from helping singles find their basherts. Etty has connections in many places, but she mainly focuses on matching girls with the boys learning in BMG.
Easiest to reach by text: 732.998.6648
eklein5695@gmail.com
A Word From Etty:
“I visited Chicago a few years back and I was so impressed by the girls there. I have a real appreciation and love for the Chicago girls and I’m happy to use my connections to help them find their basherts.”
Sora Krupenia
A shidduch Sora Krupenia made over 20 years ago turned out to be a foreshadowing of her eight years of work with Simcha Link. Sora, a Chicago native and current Lakewood resident, is heavily involved in the shidduch scene and has played a vital role in Simcha Link’s efforts to expand outside of the windy city. She is well-known for her insightful dating advice, and for being a valuable resource for parents and other shadchanim inquiring about singles in the Lakewood and Chicago communities.
A Word From Sora:
“Being able to work with Rabbi Shmuel Fuerst and his relentless commitment to helping others, as if they were his own children, is worth all the time in the world. It is an honor to work with the Chicago Chesed Fund and Simcha Link.”
Rivkie Levitin
As a preschool teacher at JDBY and art teacher at Hanna Sachs High School, she has established a rapport with a lot of the mothers and students in Chicago. She and her husband are both columnists for the Yated Neeman newspaper, and have contacts with people in many cities. Rivkie uses her warm and sensitive approach to shidduchim. Her focus is on the “black hat Chareidi” hashkafa and long and short term learning, but works with other types as well.
A Word From Rivkie:
“I enjoy working with people and hope to ease the plight of so many singles who are struggling with the shidduch process. I daven each day for hatzlocha in this avodas hakodesh, as one can only redt shidduchim with mega doses of Siyata Dishmaya!”
Shani Leiman
Shani Leiman is a well-known shadchan and dating coach based in Silver Spring, Maryland. She dedicates her time around the clock to making shidduchim for klal yisroel’s singles. She has met much success b”H both in making shidduchim and in coaching countless couples. She is also known for her weekly column, “Ring Me,” in the Mishpacha. Shani works with singles from all walks of life and all over the country. She has been instrumental in helping couples understand when to work on a relationship and when to walk away. With her insights and objective relationship advice, she has seen much success through this stressful and confusing time in life.
Easiest to reach by text: 240.274.7652
shaddchancoachshani@gmail.com
A Word From Shani:
“It is crucial in dating to keep an open mind, be receptive and flexible. We never really know what the outer trappings of the person intended for you will look like”
Faith Shabat
45 years, over 40 shidduchim made, Faith Shabat has been instrumental in helping Chicago’s Jewish boys and girls find their bashert. Holding a master’s degree in special education, she has had a wonderful teaching career spanning 35 years and keeps close connections with students she taught 30 years ago, who still refer to her as “Morah Shabat.” Her time spent as an educator has given her the skills to help people achieve their own success dependent on their own personal strengths and challenges, and has made it her duty to assist singles find partners who will complement those attributes.
A Word From Faith:
“I simply love setting up others and live by the credence that the strengths that Hashem gives us must be used for the good. The selflessness of R’ Fuerst and his devotion to his community is unmatched.”
Nina Siegal
Nina Siegal has been helping men and woman find their soulmates for over 20 years. A mother of eight beautiful children and experienced grandmother as well, Nina brought her knowledge and expertise to Simcha Link in 2009. She is well-known for her dating and relationship advice and her various work within the community helping Jewish singles all throughout Chicago.
A Word From Nina:
“What I like most is seeing the Hashgacha Pratis that’s involved in Shidduchim, helping singles achieve their goals, and working with Rabbi Fuerst , who’s incredibly devoted to the klal.’”