Dear Jewish Mom,

 

 

My husband and I joke that we met the old fashioned way…on Jdate!  Over half of the married couples we know also met online, many of them met on Jdate like we did. Needless to say we are big believers in online dating.

 

It’s true, online dating, and dating in general can be quite frustrating. It seems that you have to kiss a lot of frogs to find a prince. Online dating used to be the alternative to meeting people in places like bars, but now it seems that all those pub crawlers are finding their way online too.

 

The trick to online dating is all in the marketing – creating a profile that realistically portrays who you are while making you stand out from the rest of the crowd.  

 

Here are some tips we learned along the way:

 

1- Never post a picture of yourself that makes you appear better looking than you are.  While this may work for you in the short run by attracting potential suitors, you do not want your date to be disappointed with the real you once you meet in person!  Our advice: post three photos. One realistic photo that looks like you on an average day, one photo of you all dolled for a special occasion in a suit or dress, and one creative photo or action shot. This last photo should show you partaking in your favored hobby like hiking, scuba diving, etc.  I posted a photo of myself blowing bubbles and in a photo booth to show the playful side of my personality, and it is that photo that caught my husband’s eye.  It reminded him of one of his (and my) favorite movies – Amelie.

Oh, and never post a photo with you and someone of the opposite sex, and never ever ever post a photo of you with a bodyless arm around you. We’ll automatically assume that its your ex (even if it really is your sibling!)

 

2- Don’t speak in generalities or clichés.

You can’t imaging how many women “look as good in blue jeans as I do in a little black dress” or how many men “like to stay home and hang out on the couch as much as I like to go out on the town” or how many people “love to laugh!”  You want your profile to stand out and make you appear unique, not just like every other nice Jewish guy or gal. You also want your profile to be used as a conversation starter, so rather than say “I love going to the movies,” mention your favorite film or director. After all, he may love Quentin Tarantino too and invite you to see a movie marathon with him. If you are in to sports, mention that you coach a softball team or go kayaking on the Hudson. Be specific about your interests and you are likely to attract someone who shares them with you.

 

3-Do not make your profile sound like a resume.

It is not necessary to list everywhere you’ve ever worked or every school you’ve graduated from in your online profile.  We do want to know where you’re from and your occupation.  Your profile should give a little taste of who you are and leave the reader wanting to find out more about you.  After all, you need something to talk about on the first date!

 

 

Hope these tips help your daughter in finding her bashert online.

 

Sara S.

Founder

PopJudaica.com

Sara is not a Single Jewish Mom.  She is a young, married, Jewish, not-yet-a mom.  But, we placed her article here to inspire and help all the (as Bridget Jones would say) Singletons out there. 

BTW--Please check out Sara's website PopJudaica.com.  It's got the hippest Jewish stuff (my fave is the Jon Stewart for Pres. t-shirt!)

 

 

 

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