Seven Ways to Find Your Jewish Soulmate

You're Jewish and you're single. We all understand that finding 'your person' is far from easy. Is it really important to marry a Jew or marry a Jewish woman?

Great question. It is essential to build a family with a Jew, born Jewish or with Jewish roots or who has sincerely embraced Judaism. Why? Here are three main reasons:

1. In a Jewish family, you'll have far fewer disagreements (holidays, religious or secular education of children, etc.). Marriages between people of the same faith are initially predisposed to greater happiness and more success than interfaith relationships, whether Hindu-Muslim, Protestant-Catholic, or Jewish-Christian;

2. Children in marriages where parents belong to the same faith usually grow up with a clearer sense of identity and higher self-esteem;

The chances of Judaism being preserved in a family where both the husband and wife are Jewish are immeasurably higher than in a family where one of the parents is not Jewish, even if he or she agrees to allow the child to be raised Jewish.

Moreover, there are so many single Jews in the world that in most cases targeted dating among Jews does not limit or narrow the circle of potential acquaintances.

With all this, how are you planning to meet your other half? Here are several time-tested tips on how to do it soon.

In almost every major city today, there are neighborhoods that are considered 'more Jewish' and 'less Jewish'. Live where Jews live. Besides increasing the statistical probability that you'll encounter a Jew in the local cafeteria, this significantly simplifies all types of Jewish activities.

Jewish education is continually expanding today. In every city with a large Jewish population, there is Jewish adult education. Often, classes are designed for specific age groups. Find out which classes are attended by single and young unmarried individuals, and join them. Torah study courses at the Jewish Agency, or in youth Jewish centers like Hillel located in many major cities (Kiev, Kharkov, Dnipro, Odessa, Simferopol, Lviv, Chisinau, Minsk, Tbilisi, Baku), are perfect places to meet many suitable single people and incidentally learn about Torah and Jewish traditions. Just in the branches of the Jewish Agency, thousands of single Jews attend events annually.

It's wonderful to have friends from various strata of society. Just do a quick count: if most or all of your friends are not Jews as of today, it's likely difficult for you to meet other Jews. Therefore, try to make Jewish friends.

The old-fashioned way: a shadchan or shadchanit - a Jewish matchmaker! Sounds archaic? Do not dismiss a centuries-old system - today, in every major city, there are personalized Jewish dating services catering to Jews of any background. You can learn a lot about a person before going on a date, thus saving emotions, time (and money!). Moreover, ask your friends and family to help you in the search. Clearly define for yourself whom you are looking for and inform your relatives and close ones - people often hesitate to 'interfere', unless you specifically ask them to (though among Jews, it often happens the other way around :).

Taglit is an absolutely free ten-day educational trip to Israel for young people with Jewish roots aged 18 to 32 years. The trip is a gift from the Jewish organization Taglit. Ten memorable days in fantastic Israel in the company of your single peers and absolutely free are highly likely to bring you new acquaintances with your Jewish peers!

Visit a Jewish bakery and a kosher supermarket. Browse through books in a Jewish bookstore. Visit a synagogue, where you can always meet a large number of young people. Sign up for a Friday night Shabbat meeting and invite friends - the more you go where other singles are, the more people you will meet potential candidates for dating.

Last but not least - use the Internet. Jewish dating sites have already achieved notable success and are undoubtedly the fastest-growing - and largest - means of meeting other Jews. It's a relatively simple way to meet Jews from all over the world. Millions of Jews have already tried online dating and found each other through online Jewish dating services, including our Jewish dating site MeetMazal.com.

Good luck!