MATCH ME IF YOU CAN
Matchmaking has officially trickled back into the Zeitgeist.
While it may be true that “you don’t find love, it finds you”, many Gen Zs are getting a bit concerned that love isn’t even looking for them. In fact, 41% of Gen Zs tell us that they find dating hard. And they’ve also grown weary of dating apps and their algorithms’ ability to help them on their search. Instead, more and more, young people are intrigued by the old fashioned concept of a matchmaker, an expert to help them find a partner and to offer dating advice and generally guide them through all the steps of finding “the one”. With over 331 million views of #matchmaking on TikTok and a flood of shows from “Indian Matchmaking,” “Married at First Sight,” to “Bridgerton” it would seem that matchmaking is hot again. Ahead, we take a look at a few other influencers that are fueling this trend and potentially ushering in a monumental shift in how today’s young people meet their partner(s).
“JEWISH MATCHMAKING” & NETFLIX
Jewish matchmaker and dating coach Aleeza Ben Shalom became the go-to expert on Netflix's new series "Jewish Matchmaking." Through various clients, we see what the life of a modern-day Jewish matchmaker is like. From Tel Aviv to Los Angeles, Aleeza works with anyone who identifies as Jewish, no matter how observant or what subculture they’re a part of (Ashkenazi, Mizrahi, and Sephardic) with reform, conservative, and all Jews. Aleeza herself, however, is Orthodox and wanted to include a glimpse of Orthodox life in the show.
— Joshua, 18, OH (Cassandra Collective)
ROSE WEISSMAN — THE MARVELOUS MRS MAISEL
Throughout recent seasons of Amazon Primes’ The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, ‘trad wife’ Rose Weissman (Maisel’s mother) starts a lucrative business using her time and intuitive knowledge of the eligible men and women of her community by becoming a matchmaker. Matchmaking, especially the social connections and gossip that come with it, is a way for Rose to stay in the loop with the upper-class housewife circle of New York, and as such, gains recognition for her unique talents along with the attention of a group of matchmakers who accuse Rose of overstepping on their territory.
— Danielle, 25, AR (Cassandra Collective)
PEAR RING
In the DIY category, Pear Rings were recently launched with a mission to bring about the demise of dating apps by helping people make real life connections. The simple green band, essentially the opposite of an engagement ring, signals to others that the wearer is open to meeting new people. The “world’s biggest singles social experiment” as the company calls it, aims to help people make organic IRL connections. With nearly 225k followers on Instagram since launching this spring, the company says they’re nearly sold out of their initial stock after launching in the U.S., UK, Canada, Germany, and Australia. They have plans to launch in other countries soon.