“Of course, this is not, chas v’shalom, a criticism. You have to look into every match. Which is why you have a chance to let people know that their reputations could suffer if they are known not to be God-fearing.”

“What do you mean?”

“I am talking about how they welcome a baalas teshuva to the community, and especially if they take it so far they are willing to hurt poor orphans who lost their mother so recently.”

“People are hurting your grandchildren? People in Boro Park? Our people? What does this mean, Fruma Esther?”

“Some people won’t let their children come to Yaakov’s house to play with the children anymore.”

All her red flags went up. “But they must have a reason.”

“What reason could they have?” Fruma Esther demanded, pulling herself up to her full height and adjusting her head covering. “I want you to know I intend to get to the bottom of it, Suri Kimmeldorfer. I want you to know I’m going to knock on the doors of all the neighbors to find out who’s behind this wicked thing, and then I’m going to talk to every rabbi and every rebbitzen, every admor and every rosh yeshiva in the neighborhood and their wives and daughters.”

Suri Kimmeldorfer listened in amazement. This was a real tzimmes Fruma Esther was cooking up. It could ruin reputations, pitch neighbor against neighbor. The more turmoil there was in the neighborhood, the more her bride-and-groom pool shrank: this one not talking to that one, this rebbe not approving of that rav’s talmidim or the daughters of certain families … A frisson of terror like an electric shock coursed along her varicose veins. “But Fruma Esther, isn’t it better to bring peace and love to our community than stir up conflict?”

“Ah, so it is, so it is. I see that you understand me perfectly, Suri.”

“You think so?” The confused matchmaker stared at her.

“Yes, we must bring peace to the community. You can help by telling all the families you are working with that all the rabbis in the community are now very involved in kiruv, in bringing newcomers into the fold, and that no one will marry into a family that treats newcomers shamefully.”

“I haven’t heard of that.”

“Well, believe me, the rabbis are all going to be making speeches about it this coming Shabbos. Trust me. Just imagine how impressed your clients will be when they hear it first from you!”