LOS ANGELES, April 29 (JTA) — When two world-class self-promoters such as Roseanne and Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, the author of “Kosher Sex,” play off each other, expect a really great match. The match, in this case, is planned for the TV host’s three single daughters and “three strapping British lads” of the Jewish faith, to be supplied by Boteach. The idea for a trans-Atlantic shiduch, or match, evolved on a recent installment of “The Roseanne Show,” when the young Orthodox rabbi dropped in to boost sales of his best seller. Roseanne suggested that since the rabbi counsels Jewish students at Oxford University through his L’Chaim Society, it shouldn’t be too hard to find suitable suitors for her daughters. Boteach, who knows a mitzvah — not to mention a great publicity gimmick — when he sees one, immediately agreed and fired off a news release to share the good news with the rest of the world. Come May 12, TV viewers in 30 countries will tune in as the men and the women — Brandi, 27, Jessica, 23, and Jennifer, 22 — meet on “The Roseanne Show.” Roseanne’s pursuit of potential sons-in-law began last fall, when she invited candidates to send in five-minute videos stating their qualifications. In an on-air sales pitch, Roseanne said she was looking for “Three normal, healthy, Jewish single men who are psychologically sound, mentally stable, do not smoke” and have most of their teeth. She promised suitors, “If you like girls who never get up, always complain and who are lazy and smoke, I’ve got the girl.” Remarkably, this motherly endorsement failed to draw an adequate response, but Roseanne is confident that Boteach can do better. In turn, Boteach, or the “Relationships Rabbi,” as he describes himself, has nothing but admiration for Roseanne. “She is an incredibly proud Jew,” he writes, “and I think it is wonderful that she emphasizes to the world how her hope is that her daughters marry some really nice Jewish guys. Her courageous and wonderful example should be emulated.” Roseanne’s recent embrace of the Jewish mystical tradition of Kabbalah has drawn widespread publicity.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
