OVERVIEW: 

Tu B’Av is holiday of love that happens 6 days after Tisha B’av, a day when we commemorate loss.  We need comforting and joy after the pain of Tisha B’Av and Tu B’Av can do just that.  As it’s a holiday of love and hope, it can offer a fun tie into a dating program. 

MATERIALS:  

• Green, Yellow, Red solo cups 

• Snacks 

• Text sheet with facts of Tu B’Av  

PROGRAM OUTLINE:  

• Start the program with the telling of the story (from sheet) about how hard it can be to arrange matches 

A Roman Matron asked Rabbi Yosi ben Halafta, “In how many days did God create the world?” He said, “In six, as it is said, ‘Since six days God made…’ (Exodus 20:11) “And since then,” she asked, “what has God been doing?” “God sits [on the Heavenly Throne] and makes matches: the daughter of this one to that one, the wife [i.e. widow] of this one to that one, the money of this one to that one,” responded R. Yosi. “And for merely this you believe in G!d!” she said. “Even I can do that. I have many slaves, both male and fe male. In no time at all, I can match them for marriage.” R. Yosi, “Though this may be an easy thing for you to do, for God it is as difficult as splitting the Sea of Reeds.” Whereupon, Rabbi Yo si took his leave. What did she do? The Matron lined up a thousand male and a thousand female slaves and said you marry you, and married them all off that night. The next day, one slave had his head bashed in, another had lost an eye, while a third hobbled because of a broken leg. She said to them: “What happened to you?” and they each said to her: “I don’t want this one” [with whom you matched me].” Immediately, she sent for and summoned R. Yosi and she said: “There is no God like your God, and your Torah is true, pleasing and praiseworthy. You spoke wisely.” He said to her, “Didn’t I tell you, if it appears easy in your eyes, it is difficult for the Holy One Blessed Be He like splitting the sea.” “What do you think? That The Holy Blessed One, is marry ing them against their will but not for their benefit?!?” (Bereshit Rabbah 68:4) 

• Then, explain how the evening works.  If someone has a green solo cup it means they are good to go, “interested in meeting someone.”  A yellow solo cup means “it’s complicated but ask me more.”  A red solo cup means, “taken – but I make a great wing person.”   

*A fourth cup (ie, blue) can indicate “I’m looking for an LGBTQ+ partner. “Or, you can stick with yellow so no one is othered/outed. 

• Put the texts from the sheet and accompanying questions on quotes on the wall, or on little slips of paper that people can use to make conversation.   

• Invite people to mingle and use questions to get to know one another.    

• In addition to texts from the sheet, other get to know you questions can break down barriers.  Here are a ton of fun suggestions Get To Know You Questions: The #1 List for Fun 

On colorful pages on the wall or on tables have creative reminders about consent, respect, communication, boundaries, so that every person can mingle and feel respected and allow Moishe Houses to be safe/fun places to meet people.