Chabad House communities worldwide are preparing for a large-scale Jewish virtual speed-dating event as Met@Chabad expands its platform into three new languages to serve growing demand for a values-based matchmaking service.
The global initiative has added Russian, Spanish and French to make its platform accessible to more Jewish communities. According to Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, executive director of Merkos 302, "Many young Jewish professionals are among only a handful of singles in their communities. When shluchim connect their communities across countries and languages, the circle of possibility expands dramatically. A person who once had few meaningful options can now meet someone who speaks the same language, shares Jewish values and holds a similar vision for the future."
Met@Chabad was launched in 2021 by Chabad Young Professionals International at Merkos 302 to bring marriage-oriented dating to a generation navigating contemporary dating culture. The platform combines AI-powered matchmaking with Torah values, trained matchmakers and guidance from local shluchim. It grew from pilot events in Miami, Los Angeles and New York into a worldwide network of thousands of Jewish singles.
The platform operates on principles distinct from conventional dating apps. Members are personally verified by a local Chabad rabbi before joining, and participants remain connected to someone who knows them personally throughout the dating process. Rabbi Beryl Frankel, director of CYP International, stated: "The goal is not simply to create more matches. It is to help young Jews approach dating with purpose and a clear vision of the home they hope to build, so they can recognize when the right person is sitting across from them."
Met@Chabad's Global Virtual Speed Dating Event is scheduled for August 9 and is expected to bring together over 12,000 Jewish singles from more than 30 countries and over 1,000 Chabad communities. The event will feature five rounds of nine-minute one-on-one video dates powered by the platform's values-based AI matching system, developed in consultation with Yale researchers. Between rounds, participants will receive dating guidance and practical insights.