Netflix unveils first peek at upcoming ‘Jewish Matchmaking’ show
Set to premiere May 8, dating series featuring Israel-based ‘shadchan’ sees singles of varying religious backgrounds looking for love across continents
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleAmy Spiro is a reporter and writer with The Times of Israel
Netflix on Thursday unveiled a first look at its upcoming new reality series, “Jewish Matchmaking,” which is slated to premiere on May 3.
The show, which will comprise eight episodes, features a series of Jewish singles seeking love through the somewhat old-fashioned method of a matchmaker.
That matchmaker, known in Hebrew as a “shadchan,” is Aleeza Ben Shalom, an author, relationship, dating coach, and Times of Israel blogger — who lives with her husband and five children in the northern Israeli town of Pardes Hanna.
Netflix commissioned the series as a spin-off of its popular show “Indian Matchmaking,” which premiered in 2020 and aired a second season last year.
Similar to that show, “Jewish Matchmaking” features a variety of Jewish singles across both the US and Israel who are looking for love — and who have come to Ben Shalom for help.
“Will using the traditional practice of shidduch help them find their soulmate in today’s world?” Netflix asks in its promotional release for the new series.
Those featured on the show come from a variety of different backgrounds, ages and religious levels, but have all turned to a matchmaker — and reality TV — in the hopes of finally finding “the one.”
Netflix’s most recent foray into Jewish reality TV, “My Unorthodox Life,” drew a wide audience but also a fair amount of criticism from many in the Jewish community over the portrayal of religious Jewish life.
The Times of Israel Community.