As dating grows more challenging for young singles, Chabad shluchim worldwide are working to connect their young professionals through Met@Chabad, a dating platform combining community trust with technology, culminating in a record-breaking virtual speed dating event.
Alexa, a Chicago-based financial professional, exemplifies the frustrations many singles face today. After turning to dating apps to expand her social circle, she repeatedly encountered profiles that bore little resemblance to the people she met in person. "It's difficult when you feel like you're investing so much of yourself into the process, only to realize this isn't even the person you expected to meet," She said.
The disconnect has become widespread enough to spawn descriptive terminology. "It's incredibly frustrating that there's no accountability to make sure the person I'm meeting is actually who they say they are," Alexa explained. "This lack of credibility adds another layer of anxiety to a process that can already be uncomfortable for many."
Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, Chairman of Chabad Young Professionals International, framed the platform's approach differently. "The Rebbe taught us abandoning modern technology is not the solution," He said. "The shluchim are the global Jewish support system. They know their young professionals and understand them more than tech can ever. When you join that trust to the best matchmaking tools out there, we can help people build real, beautiful Jewish homes."
The concept emerged from a 2021 conference discussion among 50 Chabad Young Professionals shluchim about integrating trust into dating from the start. Met@Chabad combines Chabad's global network of shluchim with AI-powered, values-based matching. Each participant is personally verified by their local shliach before joining, and members receive ongoing guidance from their community rabbi.
Rabbi Beryl Frankel noted the distinction: "Met@Chabad stands apart from every other dating platform because it restores trust to the dating experience. When people know the information they're receiving is genuine and that there are trusted community leaders invested in their success, it changes the entire experience. It's truly a game changer."
Met@Chabad will host a Global Virtual Speed Dating Event on August 9, 2026, expected to be the largest synchronized Jewish virtual speed dating event held. The event will connect singles from over 30 countries and more than 1,000 Chabad communities through five rounds of one-on-one video dates with relationship coaching between sessions.