A Milestone 12,000 Signups Reached Ahead of Historic Event
Shluchim across the globe spearhead record registration ahead of largest virtual Jewish dating event this Sunday.
Across more than 1,000 Chabad House communities, shluchim are calling local singles. They are sending messages, answering questions and encouraging community members to take the next step.
That effort has helped the initiative pass 12,000 signups. The milestone comes just before its global dating event on August 9.
Singles from more than 30 countries will take part. Each person will meet five matches through nine-minute video dates. Every participant is checked by a local rabbi.
“The Rebbe charged us to reach every Jew and use every tool to help build the next generation,” said Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, executive director of Merkos 302. “Technology can help people find each other. Shluchim bring the trust, care and support that help those connections grow.”
The idea began in June 2021. About 50 shluchim who serve young professionals met in Stamford, Connecticut, for their annual Kinus. They were all hearing the same question on the ground: Where should a Jewish single go to find someone who wants marriage?
Their answer was a global system built around local Chabad Centers.
Singles fill out profiles about their values, Jewish life and family goals. A local shliach or shlucha confirms each person’s identity. Shluchim and matchmakers then help guide the process to make sure that the algorithm’s suggestion adds up in real life.
“Today’s young Jews are looking for more than another dating app,” said Rabbi Beryl Frankel, director of Chabad Young Professionals International. “After everything happening in the world, many want someone who understands them, shares their values and wants to build a Jewish home.”
The system uses matching technology developed with input from Yale researchers. Still, the work starts with people. Shluchim know the singles in their own communities. They encourage them to join. They also speak with other shluchim when a match may live in another city or country.
Together, they form a worldwide support network that can connect singles far beyond their own communities.
Since 2021, the network has led to more than 23 engagements and marriages. Many of those couples lived far apart when they first met.
“Each signup starts with a real conversation,” said Dassi Gansburg, who leads Met@Chabad. “A shliach knows the person behind the profile. If a match lives elsewhere, another Shliach can step in. That gives both people support from the first call onward.”
“Technology can point to a strong match,” said Gansburg. “But people still need someone who knows them, follows up and can guide them.
On August 9, screens will light up across six continents. Thousands of singles will wait for a new face to appear. Behind each date will be a shliach or shlucha who believed one more introduction could lead to a Jewish home.
Registration is still open at metatchabad.com.
