If you’re Orthodox and female and live on the Upper West Side, how old do you have to be to qualify as “over the hill”?

“If you’re not married, let’s say, by the age of 24, 25, there’s something wrong with you,” explained one of the talking heads featured in the trailer of J.J. Adler’s recent documentary, “Unattached” — a selection of this summer’s Rooftop Films series. The short film centers on the often-overwhelming pressure placed on young, Orthodox women to wed — an issue that I dealt with some years ago in this article.

Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis, who heads up the Orthodox outreach organization Hineni, and also makes an appearance in the film, provided a slightly more generous over-the-hill timeline. “You reach the age of 26, 27, people start wondering, ‘How come she’s still around?’” she said.

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

Adler spoke with Heeb magazine’s Web site this week about the origins of the so-called shidduch crisis that was the impetus for her film:

The situation is a crisis because the older [women] get, the fewer options they have for dating, because the pool of men is so small. They feel more marginalized and that they don’t have any options, as opposed to the men, who feel like they become more valuable. You’ve got the same situation in the regular world. The difference is, the community is so tiny. If these women are hoping to stay within the community, they can reach a point where they’ve dated every eligible man.

Read the eye-opening Q&A in its entirety here.

Watch the “Unattached” trailer below.

The Forward is free to read, but it isn’t free to produce

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward.

Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda.

At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and polarized discourse.

Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.

This is a great time to support independent Jewish journalism you rely on. Make a gift today!

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.

$90 $180

$360

Other amount