“Back in the day, we didn’t have this problem. Everyone married,” exclaims my Jewish grandmother unequivocally and very much unapologetically. She swipes her thumb on her phone, an old (by Apple standard) iPhone I no longer use. At the time, she begged and pleaded for my sister and I to teach her the mechanics of using an “Ephone” as she would call it sophisticatedly, proud she could keep up with the next generation of millennials. I opened my mouth to respond, I wanted to elucidate the concept of modern dating, but didn’t have the heart to spoil the moment.
I have no doubt that back in the day, as my dear grandmother would say, the idea of running marathons with your fingers was virtually unheard of. But now, we all need a little help to navigate the modern dating world, and especially the Jewish one. This is exactly what Irina, the founder of Meet Mazal, an online Jewish matchmaking group with already 7000 members worldwide does. Starting the group as a pastime, she quickly realized the demand for matchmaker was present, and went deeper than the average jswipe apps, at least for those committed to marry.
Irina, much like her group Meet Mazal, is one of kind, and does things the artisanal way, setting up singles based on their compatibility, location and age, rather than apps or algorithms. She started hosting at least one event a month, recently in the heart of Tel Aviv, to grow what she calls “the community.” Two years into the game of dating, and a dozen engagements later, the group is growing at an astronomical rate by the day with members adding friends, and so on. The idea may seem old school, but in a world where the Jewish community is spread worlds apart, connecting a society has never been so important as it is today. Old-school matchmaking is leading the way in the crowd of those sick of swiping their phones to no end. This is where Jewish matchmakers come in.
As Patti Stanger, host and creator of Bravo’s Millionaire Matchmaker says “religion is the number one deal breaker” in relationships.
Help comes in many different ways, even with a passionate, forward and bold Jewish matchmaker. But at least she’ll have your best interest at heart.