New dating site allows Jewish mothers to set up dates for their children
In addition to bringing parental matchmaking to the modern era, all the dates are pre-paid.
By AARON REICHVirtual relationships, online dating and social networking concept - woman sending kisses with computer monitor(photo credit: INGIMAGE)
A new dating site has been established to help singles meet the nice Jewish boy or girl they've been looking for by helping parents play matchmaker, the Atlanta Jewish Times reported on Wednesday.Called JustKibbitz, the new dating site helps parents catch up with the changing dating landscape, which has seen dating sites explode in popularity. Even before the coronavirus pandemic, hundreds of millions of Americans used dating apps and websites, especially many millenials. But as JustKibbitz CEO and co-founder Jeffrey Kaplan points out, the most common and successful way of matchmaking before dating sites was being set up through friends and family, with Jewish communities having a very strong matchmaking tradition that exists to this day.“We want to bring the oldest form of dating online,” Kaplan told the Atlanta Jewish Times. “And we’re starting with Jewish moms.” As for why the service starts with Jewish mothers, Kaplan humorously explained that “I have a brother who is single, and if I can’t find him a nice Jewish girl to date, my mom is going to plotz.”The humor behind the stereotype of a Jewish mother is clearly something Kaplan enjoys, especially when describing the origins of the site and what differentiates it from its competitors.“Other dating sites are investing in algorithms and artificial intelligence," he said, according to the Atlanta Jewish Times. "You really think a robot knows you better than your own mother? That’s meshugenah. Our site is powered by Maternal Intelligence!”A quick look at the website reflects this humor. "Let's Face It: Your Kid Sucks At Dating," the site reads, before listing reasons why and then stating that this new platform is available for mothers to use.Of course, children's consent is still of paramount importance, and many may be reluctant to consent to their mother setting up their dates. However, the site provides a number of resources to help with that. This includes studies, lists of dating fails and an article titled "The Best Jewish Matchmaker Is… Your Mom! 10 Reasons Why Your Mom Should Choose Your Next Date."But it isn't just humor and tradition that Kaplan is betting on for the success of his new venture – he has data to back up his claims.Kaplan and his team set up a survey to ask over 100 single millennials and 100 mothers a variety of questions, such as dating apps, family structure and whether they would go out on a date a parent had set up for them.It's the last question that's especially telling. When asked “would you go out on a date set up by your mom?” only 50% of millennial respondents said yes. When asked if they would go on the date set up by their mother if it was pre-paid, then 92% of respondents said yes.
A variety of reasons were given by respondents for this answer, with some highlights being: “The hard part of dating is done for you. All you have to do is show up,” “My mom probably knows me better than I know myself” and “Because moms are involved, you know he can’t show up and be a jerk. If he does, it’ll get back to his mom!”The site also is no parody, and has an effective, if not simple, process for setting up dates. Parents need only log in through their Facebook account and create a basic profile about their child. Like other dating sites, users can customize their specific parameters, including distance, hobbies, interest and level of religious observance. Of course, what makes it stand out is that it isn't the prospective singles chatting on the app, but their mothers.And then, the date is set up – and it's pre-paid, too. This is where the "Kibbitz" comes in to play. "Kibbitz means 'chit-cha' in Yiddish. Kibbitz is just talking, no big deal, don’t worry about it. So when you call your kid and say you found them a hot date, and they say, 'Ma! You did what?!' Just say, 'It’s no pressure, just kibbitz.,'" the website reads.This is to emphasize the "no pressure" aspect of the date, as the service is in fact a dating site, and not an arranged marriage service.“Tell your kid you are joining this community to meet other moms with single kids and you might find someone you think they should meet. But remind them, again and again, it’s no pressure, just kibbitz,” Kaplan explained, according to the Atlanta Jewish Times.Aside from all the joking, the site's "no pressure" approach while still focusing on Jewish mothers suits the company's tagline, which states that they will “help someone you love find someone they’ll love.”The site is still weeks away from going live, but it is open for pre-signups, which guarantees founding-member pricing for the pre-paid dates.“We hope you’ll join us to be the yenta you were born to be,” Kaplan told the Atlanta Jewish Times. “We can end with that or ‘Warning: JustKibbitz may lead to adorable grandchildren.”
