The CCLJ has published an article on the International Marriage Agency Simantov, managed for the last 27 years by Jose Weber, professional «chadkhan», who has recently joined forces with a new partner.
Together, they speak French, English, German, Russian, Hebrew and Spanish, which allows them to work in Europe, but also in Israel, the United States, Latin America and Russia, where demand is growing.
The agency claims an average of ten couples matched each year, but demand has been rising in the last few months and Simantov now has 3,000 subscribers. Singles are 25 to 55 years old on average, from all professions and all religious tendencies.
In just a few steps, using new technologies, candidates fill out a form to create a personal profile and make a first appointment (with no obligation) in order to get listed. The agency uses a «reverse web process». In fact, on most dating sites, each member can see whole pages of profiles with pictures like «shopping». Here, on the contrary, only after a questionnaire is completed and an interview has taken place does the Agency suggest a possible match. The client, therefore, must willingly delegate the search to the Agency which has global resources and expertise. This expertise recently led to the marriage of Stephane, a French Analyst, and Marina, a professor from Siberia. Without going into details, the cost will be the same for all, regardless of the duration of the search, «an average of one to three years, sometimes longer,» said Jose Weber, «with additional charges for man and woman in case of success. «And he assures that the contract may be terminated at any time: «People are not married to us!” Weber smiles as he discusses financial arrangements. «As long as there are lots of clients, there are opportunities for everyone. Our work must be compensated, but the people who trust us are equally indispensable.»
