Sometimes the search for your bashert feels more like looking for the needle in a haystack. Online dating sites and apps, Synagogue, friends of friends… you’ve tried everything, but nothing clicks. You need to expand your Jewish dating options. But time is a scarce, precious resource. Hiring a Jewish matchmaker to do all the legwork for you makes sense, but how do you find a good one?
These 7 popular Jewish matchmaking sites and services should get you started in the right direction:
Carolinas Matchmaker
Helmed by Jewish matchmaker Laurie Berzack, Carolinas Matchmaker is based out of Charlotte, North Carolina. She used to have a separate Jewish matchmaking service called ChaiExpectations, but it was rolled into her mainstream business.
Laurie’s matchmaking database is 5,000 singles strong and spans across the United States. But the majority of the potential matches live in the Carolinas and Georgia.
There are two ways singles can use the service – as a paying client, or as an available match.
Joining the database as an available match is free. It only requires filling out an online application form. Becoming a paying client also requires filling out an online application, as well as “passing” an in-person interview process.
Laurie only accepts a limited number of paying clients at any given time. Her fees range from $15,000 to $20,000 per year depending on your individual situation.
Sara's World
Sara Malamud has been in the Jewish matchmaking business since 2001. She is based out of Jerusalem, but works strictly with North American and Canadian Jews.
Potential clients are prescreened via Skype, phone call, or in person while she’s in NYC. She focuses on 15-20 active clients at any given time, and her fees typically run several thousand per year and include coaching services.
Clients are able to say “yay” or “nay” to a prospective match after viewing photos and profile information, and will speak to the match on the phone prior to going on a date.
Simantov International
Simantov International™ is a “boutique” Jewish matchmaking firm based in London. They have been in the business for 40+ years, and focus on matching professional, intelligent Jewish singles.
All of Simantov’s professional matchmakers have a Master’s degree (or higher). They are mainly based in London, but have a small presence in a few other international cities like New York City, Miami, LA, Tel Aviv, and Paris.
Joining the service requires submitting an application and then paying for a screening interview. Once your application’s been approved, you will choose from four membership levels: Courtesy, Discovery, Cosmopolitan, and Premier.
The Courtesy level is designed for people who can’t afford the premium services, and provides one introduction for approximately £250.
The Discovery level allows your profile to be searchable in the database. But it does not come with an active search. The Cosmopolitan level includes a search within a specified radius of your location, while the Premier level is an international search.
Prices for the premium membership levels start around £10,000 a year, with additional fees for coaching, mentoring, etc.
Elegant Introductions
Elegant Introductions™ is a matchmaking service for busy professional singles that's headquartered in South Florida. Their reach is international, with clients throughout North and South America.
Barbara Black Goldfarb and Dr. Nancy Gold Zimmer founded the company in 2013. Zimmer is a psychologist who had a private practice for more than 35 years, and Goldfarb is a philanthropist and community leader who sits on many national boards. They focus on quality over quantity, with thousands of singles in their database.
Joining their database of singles is free, and starts with completing an online form. Potential paying clients also start by filling out the online application.
All potential clients meet with the founders in person prior to joining the matchmaking service. Memberships start at $15,000 and vary in price depending on the particulars of each client's search. Services include feedback after each date as well as coaching.
Saw You At Sinai
SawYouAtSinai® isn’t a high-end Jewish matchmaking service like the others in this article.
Instead, it’s more of a platform or, or as they call it, “online matchmaking network.” SawYouAtSinai unites 350+ volunteer matchmakers from around the world with thousands of Jewish singles who register on the main Jewish matchmaker site or one of its 11 affiliated local sites.
Members will have up to 2 matchmakers chosen for them based on location, age, and religious orientation. After filling out a comprehensive profile and exchanging “get to know you” phone calls and/or emails, matchmakers will select profiles to show each member.
How It Works
The site does not allow profile browsing like you'd find on dating sites; profiles are only visible to both halves of a proposed match. Members have 10 days to accept or decline the potential match. If both parties accept, the matchmaker forwards contact information so that a conversation can be arranged.
Men are advised to call the woman within 3 days of getting her phone number. Members can update their status with each match in the website’s database, i.e. “spoke on phone”, “went on first date”, etc.
Because it’s a large online platform run by volunteer matchmakers rather than a more boutique group of highly experienced matchmaking professionals, experiences with SawYouAtSinai vary significantly. Yours will be highly dependent upon your specific online matchmaker(s).
Creating a profile on the site is free, but you must be a “Gold” member to receive matches. Here are the “Gold” membership costs (subject to change):
- 6 months: $65.70 ($10.95/mo)
- 3 months: $44.85 ($14.95/mo)
- 1 month: $18.95
It is customary under the Shidduch Laws of Jewish matchmaking for a successfully matched couple (i.e. a match resulting in marriage) to pay their shadchan. The going rate is approximately $2,000, with the actual amount to be discussed between the couple, their rabbi and the matchmaker.
Serious Matchmaking
Janis Spindel’s matchmaking business doesn’t exclusively cater to Jewish singles. But she is one of the most successful high-end Jewish matchmakers in the NYC area. She started out in the business over 20 years ago, and now works with her daughter Carly Spindel to find attractive matches for her ultra-elite clientele.
Spindel offers multiple membership levels, with the least expensive being their “Flash Match” package for $6,000. This service schedules 6 high-quality mini dates for you, all on the same night, at an upscale NYC venue.
The private matchmaking services start at $25,000 to work with Carly, and $50,000 to work with Janis. The most expensive service is Janis’s “Global VIP” package, which will set you back a cool million.
To learn more about her matchmaking service, check out these Serious Matchmaking reviews.
Jenny Apple
Founded by Jenny Applebaum, a Jewish matchmaker with 10+ years of experience, Jenny Apple® is a boutique matchmaking agency based in Southern California that works with professional Jewish singles of all observance levels.
Although Jenny focuses on the Los Angeles area, searches in other parts of North America, Europe and Israel are possible according to her website.
The least expensive package starts at around $1800, but specific package pricing is discussed after a client is accepted into the program.
Another Way To Meet High-Quality Jewish Singles Fast
When it comes to finding True Love, the more people you have helping you search, the more likely you’ll find your bashert.
Your yenta, your mom, even your best friend can help! If finally meeting your perfect match is important to you, adding a team of dedicated experts into the mix could be a very wise decision.
VIDA Select is ready to help you find True Love by combining the art of matchmaking with the unlimited potential of Jewish dating sites and apps.
The best part is our expert matchmakers will do it all for you, from creating your profile to generating interest in you online and setting up dates with amazing Jewish singles in your area.
To see if we’re a good fit to start making introductions for you, please take the next step and schedule a low-key, completely confidential consultation now.
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