Jdate is an online dating service aimed at

Jewish Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...

singles Singles are people not in a committed relationship. Singles may also refer to: Film and television * ''Singles'' (miniseries), a 1984 Australian television series * ''Singles'' (1992 film), written and directed by Cameron Crowe * ''Singles'' ...

. The service is one of a number of demographically focused online match-making websites operated by Spark Networks, Inc. Because of the focus on relationships between Jewish singles, Jdate is considered a special-interest online dating site. Former CEO Adam Berger calls this type of service "niche" dating. The website is available in

Hebrew Hebrew (; ; ) is a Northwest Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Historically, it is one of the spoken languages of the Israelites and their longest-surviving descendants, the Jews and Samaritans. It was largely preserved ...

and western European languages like

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

, Spanish, and

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

History

Jdate was founded in 1997 by Alon Carmel and Joe Shapira. After the launch, membership grew rapidly by word of mouth in tight-knit Jewish communities. The site won a 2006 Webby award for

social networking A social network is a social structure made up of a set of social actors (such as individuals or organizations), sets of dyadic ties, and other social interactions between actors. The social network perspective provides a set of methods for an ...

. On November 10, 2014, Jdate launched a dating app designed for Jewish singles.

Members

Jdate has members worldwide, with users concentrated in the USA and Israel. Individuals do not have to be Jewish in order to join Jdate. While Jdate is oriented towards the Jewish population, it has also attracted those seeking Jewish mates. The reasons cited often have to do with perceived cultural traits, whether stereotypical or true: "nice" or wealthy Jewish men who treat women well; take-charge, and independent Jewish women who hold on to tradition. While many Jdate members respond in kind, others view the phenomenon as an intrusion that defeats the purpose of the site. Members can mark their Jewish affiliation on their profile. Options include

Conservadox Conservadox is the term occasionally applied to describe either individuals or congregations located on the religious continuum somewhere between the Conservative and Modern Orthodox wings of American Jewry. The epithet "Traditional" is also spari ...

, Conservative,

Hasidic Hasidism, sometimes spelled Chassidism, and also known as Hasidic Judaism (Ashkenazi Hebrew: חסידות ''Ḥăsīdus'', ; originally, "piety"), is a Jewish religious group that arose as a spiritual revival movement in the territory of contem ...

, Orthodox (

Modern Modern may refer to: History * Modern history ** Early Modern period ** Late Modern period *** 18th century *** 19th century *** 20th century ** Contemporary history * Moderns, a faction of Freemasonry that existed in the 18th century Phil ...

, Baal Teshuva and Frum), Reconstructionist, Reform, and "Culturally Jewish". Members can also select options like "Willing to Convert". Jdate members have the option to seek heterosexual or homosexual relationships on the site. Profiles include options like "men seeking men" and "women seeking women" to help users connect with their desired matches. Past and present celebrity Jdate members include: * Steve Rothman, American politician,

U.S. House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

, from New Jersey * Brad Sherman, American politician,

from California * Jesse McCartney, American musician

Operations

Previously based in

Beverly Hills Beverly Hills is a city located in Los Angeles County, California. A notable and historic suburb of Greater Los Angeles, it is in a wealthy area immediately southwest of the Hollywood Hills, approximately northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Bev ...

, Spark Networks is now based in

Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...

, Germany, with additional offices in

Lehi Lehi (; he, לח"י – לוחמי חרות ישראל ''Lohamei Herut Israel – Lehi'', "Fighters for the Freedom of Israel – Lehi"), often known pejoratively as the Stern Gang,"This group was known to its friends as LEHI and to its enemie ...

Utah Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...

In 2013, the company authorized the repurchase of $5 million of its outstanding common stock as a reflection of confidence in the long-term business. On November 2, 2017, Spark Networks SE (NYSE American: LOV) announced the successful completion of the previously announced merger of Spark Networks, Inc. and Affinitas GmbH in a stock-for-stock transaction.

References

External links

* {{Organized Jewish Life in the United States , Communal activities Online dating for specific interests Jewish websites Online dating services of the United States