Today's Jewish Singles Dating Scene

Jewish singles all over the world are looking to meet their soul-mate (bashert in Hebrew). How does one go about meeting that special someone? In today’s hi-tech, hi-stress world, dating has been taken to a new level.

One can go online and try out the JDate.com site. JDate.com’s mission is “to build and promote a globally accessible community in which Jewish singles of all ages, interested in meeting and marrying within the faith could comfortably find romance and friendship.”

It is easy to use JDate.com to search for your ideal date. First you list the specifics you are looking for in a mate - age range, location, and education level. Then you fill in a profile of yourself, which includes information such as religious affiliation, whether you keep kosher, your political views, what type of relationship you are looking for, and more. You put online as many as five photos of yourself. The chances of getting contacted are higher when you have a photo posted. Your email address remains anonymous since initial contact is done through Jdate. It is up to you to decide if you want to write to someone. The JDate.com site also provides chat rooms where you can interact with other members. General membership is free, but there are fees if you want to contact other members.

Another modern dating scene is SpeedDating, where you can stop by your local cafe to meet eligible singles your age and learn about their hopes, dreams and goals in a short time. Started by Aish.com, a Jewish resource center, this dating technique has become their number one program for singles. It's so successful that the center is licensing it to other cultural and religious groups. SpeedDating is open to Jews of all ages and affiliations.

SpeedDaters pair up at coffee tables and then have just seven minutes to get to know each other. Participants are given suggested topics to help break the ice. A bell rings after seven minutes, and the men rotate to the next table. It's like musical chairs for singles, and the prize is a chance to meet your soul mate. At the end of the evening, if a special someone -- or two or three -- has sparked your interest and wants to see you again, the organizers help to reconnect you within 48 hours. To find a SpeedDating location, check out this SpeedDating Schedule.

If you are not up to in-person SpeedDating, there is always online SpeedDating. To participate online, you must be a registered member; membership is free. Once you are a member, you can log on and join a round of online SpeedDating, where you will be in a chat room and see a photo of your date. The same seven-minute rule applies to online dating. There are seven rounds in each event. At the end of each round, you are asked if you want to share your email address with your date. Results of each round are sent out immediately by email.

Living in the fast-paced, hi-tech world that we live in, it is no wonder that dating has evolved into something to suit our frenetic lifestyle.