How Jewish couples meet today, and what the numbers say

Jewish couples meet through friends, family, shidduchim, apps, work, study and community. A shidduch is an introduction suggested by someone else, usually with marriage in mind. There is no one way that suits everyone. Here are the options and what the numbers tell us.

The La'ad team · Updated November 10, 2026 · 6 min read

In short

In the US about 40% of couples met online by 2017; in Israel, the average age at first marriage among Jews is about 27 for men and 25 for women.
Friends and family are still important ways to meet, especially in close-knit communities.
Shidduchim are the main approach in the Haredi world. Religious Zionist and traditional Jews also meet through friends, community and apps.
Choose a way to meet people who want the same kind of relationship you do.

What the numbers say

In 2023, 48,025 couples married in Israel, 33,285 of them Jewish. The average age at first marriage among Jews was 27.0 for grooms and 25.4 for brides. The share of never-married people aged 25 to 29 has grown: among Jewish men from 57% at the end of 2000 to 64% at the end of 2022, and among Jewish women from 36% to 51% (Israel Central Bureau of Statistics).

The gaps between communities are large: the share of never-married men aged 25 to 29 ranges from 19.4% in Bnei Brak to 88.3% in Tel Aviv-Yafo. How people meet, and when they marry, depends a great deal on their community.

How couples meet has changed worldwide. A Stanford University study found that in the United States the share of couples who met online rose from 2% in 1995 to 39% in 2017, making online the most common way to meet; over the same years the share who met through friends fell from 33% to 20%. There is no equivalent official Israeli figure, but in a 2022 survey of 1,000 Israeli singles commissioned by Bumble, 51% of religious respondents said they use or have used dating apps, against 77% of secular ones, and the most common reason to rule out a date was a different religious lifestyle (39%).

Friends, family and acquaintances

"Someone set us up" is still one of the most common answers to how a couple met. The advantage is clear: the person suggesting knows both sides, and trust is built in. The drawback: the circle is limited, and people whose circles are small or very alike can wait a long time for a suitable suggestion.

Shidduchim and matchmakers

A shidduch (Jewish matchmaking introduction) starts when someone suggests that two people meet, usually with marriage in mind. A shadchan is a matchmaker. In the Haredi world, shidduchim are the main way to meet. In religious Zionist communities, matchmakers, friends, relatives and rabbis all make introductions. What a shidduch is and how it works.

Dating apps and websites

Apps can introduce you to people outside your community, city or usual circles. But feeds and swiping can also mean judging people by a photo before having a conversation. Some services focus on particular communities, while others borrow from shidduchim and offer one introduction at a time. Matchmaker or app: how to choose.

Community, study, work and events

People also meet through synagogues, community events, yeshivot (Jewish study institutions), seminaries, university, the army, national service and work. Shabbatonim, group gatherings over Shabbat, and singles events offer more chances to meet. You get to know someone in a setting you share, though meeting the right person still depends on timing.

Different worlds, different ways

In the Haredi world the shidduch is the accepted way, and families and matchmakers play a central part.
In the religious Zionist (Dati Leumi) world people combine shidduchim through acquaintances and matchmakers, sites and apps for religious singles, and community events.
Among traditional and secular Jews many meet through friends, studies and work, and increasingly through apps.

How to choose your way

Think about what you're looking for. Do you want to meet someone with marriage in mind? Would you prefer someone to suggest introductions, or to search on your own? How important is privacy? You don't have to choose just one route. You can tell friends you're looking, stay involved in your community and use a service that fits your intentions.

Where La'ad comes in

La'ad takes the Jewish approach to matchmaking and opens it to everyone looking for a serious relationship. An AI matchmaker gets to know you first and suggests one introduction at a time, with a reason. There is no feed or swiping; photos are revealed only when asked. La'ad pauses on Shabbat, works in Hebrew and English for Israelis and olim, and joining is free. Religious and community matching rules still apply, including no matches between Jewish and non-Jewish members.

Questions

Where is the easiest place to meet someone serious?

Start where people are looking for the same thing you are. Friends, community introductions, shidduchim and services for serious relationships can all work. Choose what makes it easier to get to know someone properly.

Are dating apps suitable for religious Jews?

They can be, if the service fits what matters to you: privacy, respectful conversation and an intention to marry. Some pause on Shabbat and keep photos private until people choose to see them.

Which is better, a matchmaker or an app?

It depends on what you prefer. A matchmaker can use personal knowledge to suggest someone. An app can widen the circle. Some services combine that reach with one considered introduction at a time.

Want to try a shidduch the La'ad way?

Start with a conversation, then meet one person at a time. Open to everyone, and joining is free.

I want to join La'ad

There is also an Android app on Google Play