A 26 year old in the USA advertised on Craiglist for pretend parents who, for a payment of $8 an hour would be pretend to be concerned parents for 48 hours over Xmas. Surely lots of religious organisations have communal meals for the single, divorced and widowed? If not, communities could pair up families willing to take in a stranger, perhaps for a small contribution towards the food.
I am writing a novel which starts in Ukraine and the Jewish End End of London. In the old days a rabbi held a communal seder at his home for all single Jewish - or non-Jewish - people who came to the Friday service. Synagogues organise communal seders (passover meals) for Jewish families in the UK. The same is done in Israel. Also in Singapore so expats in foreign countries can get together at homes. Outreach Jewish organisations organise festival meals, mainly for students but open to anybody.
But has this young American lady identified a new need, not just food and the hope that talking to somebody sitting next to you will give you the chance to talk about yourself, but a group where people are paired up with listeners?
As a student I was alone in London for Xmas one year. My parents were on a holiday which ran over the Xmas period and I was on a ski trip starting the day after boxing day. I did not want to stay home in a spooky empty house.
I think I went to a communal meal somewhere but didn't connect with anybody. Maybe people should be paired up at communal meals, or even given a kind of speed-dating introduction so that you have something to tell and ask or everybody. Along with badges saying, 'Ask me about my college degree/job/hobby/hope for the future'.
I am writing a novel which starts in Ukraine and the Jewish End End of London. In the old days a rabbi held a communal seder at his home for all single Jewish - or non-Jewish - people who came to the Friday service. Synagogues organise communal seders (passover meals) for Jewish families in the UK. The same is done in Israel. Also in Singapore so expats in foreign countries can get together at homes. Outreach Jewish organisations organise festival meals, mainly for students but open to anybody.
But has this young American lady identified a new need, not just food and the hope that talking to somebody sitting next to you will give you the chance to talk about yourself, but a group where people are paired up with listeners?
As a student I was alone in London for Xmas one year. My parents were on a holiday which ran over the Xmas period and I was on a ski trip starting the day after boxing day. I did not want to stay home in a spooky empty house.
I think I went to a communal meal somewhere but didn't connect with anybody. Maybe people should be paired up at communal meals, or even given a kind of speed-dating introduction so that you have something to tell and ask or everybody. Along with badges saying, 'Ask me about my college degree/job/hobby/hope for the future'.
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