“There’s 15 million Jews in the world, and there’s about 15 million ways to be Jewish,” Aleeza Ben Shalom says at the start of Jewish Matchmaking. The expert matchmaker and dating coach will meet all sort of singles across the United States and Israel seeking their bashert, or soulmate, over Season 1 of the new series. The one thing they have in common? They’re all relying on shidduch — a centuries-old system of matchmaking for the purpose of marriage — to find lasting love in today’s swipe-happy world. 

And there’s no one better to guide them from first date all the way to the chuppah than Aleeza, who’s helped over 200 couples with her no-nonsense, modern approach to the traditional practice. 

“I knew that matchmaking existed, but I thought it was an old thing that bubbies would do in Yentl or Fiddler on the Roof,” Aleeza tells Tudum. “But the more I learned and the more I got into the community, I realized this exists in the real world and lots of people do this — men, women, rabbis and regular people doing real, modern-day matchmaking. I was like, ‘Oh, well this is really fascinating.’ This is to me the most important work of the entire world.”

To help you prepare for the season ahead, get acquainted with Aleeza and the marriage-minded singles seeking her guidance. 

Aleeza Ben Shalom

As far as career paths go, matchmaking wasn’t a clear match for Aleeza. “When I describe my Judaism, I say I grew up Jew-ish. I was Jewish, I was born Jewish and I was raised with Judaism and a connection to it,” she says. Originally from Philadelphia, she grew up in a relatively secular household and attended summer camps and tours in Israel as a teenager before becoming president of Hillel during her college years.

But something was pulling Aleeza toward incorporating more spirituality and traditional religious observance into her daily life. “I found that I loved my Judaism, but I wasn’t living my Judaism. All the things that those other Jewish people do I wasn’t doing because I just wasn’t raised with it.” So she took it upon herself to soak up everything from the lessons of Shabbat and keeping kosher to the power of prayer and dressing modestly. “The more I learned, the more I loved — and when you love it and you live it, then people call you Orthodox,” she says. “So I was an accidental Orthodox person. I wasn’t trying to become anything except to find myself and find myself within my Judaism.” 

As long as she can remember, Aleeza says she had “extremely strong desires” to get married and have a family. After college, 25-year-old Aleeza met her now husband, who was also newly religious, at a Jewish retreat. “He just kind of looked at me and I was like, ‘Well, are we going to go out?’” she recalls. The two quickly consulted a rabbi, who became their unofficial matchmaker throughout the dating process, and within a matter of months they were married. After relocating to Israel and starting a family — the couple now have five children together — Aleeza found that she was “missing some adult interaction” and was encouraged to explore matchmaking at the suggestion of a friend.

“All of my skill sets just came together,” she says. “I wasn’t just matchmaking. I was coaching. I was supporting. I was their everything. I was their best friend who happened to be a matchmaker and started guiding them through the process,” she says. “The online matchmaking process led organically into the coaching and mentoring process, and people grew to know me and trust me.” All these years later, she’s now hailed as the “Jewish dating guru,” becoming a global force in the matchmaking community and an in-demand speaker and expert about all things love and dating.

You can follow Aleeza on Instagram.

Dani Bergman

Dani is all eyes and ears — and eyebrows — when it comes to finding her forever partner. Sure, she’s keen on meeting a guy who can match her “phenomenal” brow game, but above all else “finding someone that fits into my lifestyle and enjoys the same experiences” is what matters most. Born in California to a South African family, the social media entrepreneur owns and operates an agency for restaurants and brands and spends her free time indulging in travel, music, culture and “medium-rare filets.” While her social life in Miami certainly isn’t lacking, there’s room for improvement in the dating department, especially if she plans on hitting her goal of being married by the time she turns 30.

For Dani, her faith is rooted in a love of family and she “strongly connects with” the core values and culture of Judaism. She hopes to settle down with a guy on her “same religious level,” who celebrates Shabbat and observes all the major Jewish holidays. She believes these traditions help build a “strong foundation for family time and allow us to continue the story of the Jewish people.” 

You can follow Dani on Instagram.

Harmonie Krieger

Born and raised in New York until she relocated to Los Angeles, Harmonie is a “fun combo of both coasts” thanks to her “no BS radar” and self-described “hippie vibe.” At “45 years young,” as she tells Tudum, Harmonie is driven by a “magical spirit and endless energy,” which has led her on adventures both near and far — traveling to exotic spots around the globe or spending time back at home hiking with friends, family and her dog. “I truly strive to be the best version of myself and to help others tap into their greatness,” she says.

Growing up, Harmonie defined her relationship with Judaism culturally and lived her life based on Jewish values. After recently taking up kabbalah, she’s never felt more connected to her spirituality and is seeking to “incorporate these cultural traditions into [her] life at a higher level.” While the event planner and podcaster is keeping her heart and mind open when it comes to love, she’s looking for a lifetime partner to complement her own “spiritual practice” — ideally a guy who’s more on “the reform side and cultural.” Her one deal-breaker? She’s set on having a child one day, as she hopes to practice Jewish traditions in the home as family. 

You can follow Harmonie on Instagram.

Ori Basly

Ori has JSwiped, Tindered and Bumbled his way through Los Angeles without success, declaring once and for all, “The algorithms don’t like me.” After exhausting the dating options in his local Israeli community, the 30-year-old graphic designer is turning to Aleeza to help find his perfect match. But ladies, be forewarned. The “No. 1 woman” in Ori’s life is his mother, a top event planner in the city, who just so happens to be his boss — and roommate. While living at home might come with some complications, family is a major priority for Ori, who hopes to settle down and start one of his own one day with at least three kids. 

The biggest obstacle to a happily ever after might be his extensive list of criteria for his future soulmate. He’s seeking a blonde and blue-eyed woman who speaks Hebrew and is family oriented. “I want to feel like she’s the most beautiful girl in the world,” Ori says, adding that he “won’t compromise” on looks. While he describes himself as “very spiritual,” Ori is less observant with his Judaism: “I eat bacon and I pray to God.” 

You can follow Ori on Instagram.

Noah Dreyfuss

For Noah, religion has been like a pendulum “swinging side to side” throughout his life. Growing up traditional Orthodox in the Baltimore community, the 26-year-old investment advisor strongly believes in the morals and principles of Judaism. After a few rebellious years in high school, he became even more religious than his parents, leading him to relocate to Israel and enter yeshiva. He quickly found a wife after three months of dating and started a family. The two eventually went their separate ways amid the pressures of “fitting into the general society,” as Noah gravitated toward a more “relaxed attitude to formal observance.”

He started his next chapter in Wyoming, where he found a “balance in the middle” when it comes to Judaism. While he couldn’t be farther from kosher-friendly restaurants or grocery stores geographically — he trucks in his own meat from surrounding cities — nothing beats spending time in the great outdoors. In his next relationship, Noah is seeking “someone with similar values” who fully accepts his religious journey and wouldn’t mind attending a Phish concert or two every now and then.

You can follow Noah on Instagram.

Fay Brezel 

As a devoutly Orthodox Jewish woman, Fay’s faith and culture are “core parts of her identity” that are integral in her search for a life partner. Raised in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn, the 29-year-old is deeply grateful to be a part of a family where, as she says, religious values were “modeled in a loving and beautiful manner from the outset.” While Fay has found success in business — she’s a licensed therapist and founder of the mental health and wellness platform OKclarity — the entrepreneur hasn’t been as lucky in love. 

When it comes to her future husband, Fay is looking for a man who “embodies being a frum Jew as much as I do,” including not engaging in physical touch with potential partners before marriage. For Fay, these restrictions are “there to benefit us, guiding us toward a purposeful, meaningful and fulfilling life.” She hopes her future soulmate will feel the same because in today’s world, an “excess of options leads to confusion and a lack of clarity.” 

You can follow Fay on Instagram.

Nakysha Osadchey

Think of Nakysha as “a bag of Skittles, culturally,” who’s looking for a sweetheart to match. As a Jewish woman of color living in the middle of the country, Nakysha often feels like a “unicorn” in her community, which hasn’t exactly been accepting of her identity. While she was raised as a reformed Jew and celebrated the high holidays growing up, the 27-year-old now describes herself as “a lot more religious” than her parents. Joining a Jewish youth group in high school was a major turning point for Nakysha, who “attended every single event until graduation.” Her beliefs have evolved since then, as she’s continued to deepen her spiritual development  — despite the limitations of Kansas City’s population and limited kosher options. 

As for her bashert, he would need to be “at least as religious” as Nakysha, who would like to keep Shabbat one weekend a month and doesn’t consume pork. Her dream guy would also accept her hobby of motorcycle riding (and her desire to pass along her passion to their future children).

You can follow Nakysha on Instagram.

Stuart Chaseman  

As a singer-songwriter and self-described “professional dater,” Stuart always wants to hit the right note. By day, he’s the owner of an advertising company, but his real passion lies in music, which he hopes to share with his future partner someday. At 52 years old, Stuart “hasn’t given up on love at all” and is open to everything Aleeza has to offer, including a mini-makeover. In past relationships, he’s dated “gentile women and realized the hard way that it does make a significant difference.” At the very least, he says, he’d prefer to not have to explain why Curb Your Enthusiasm is funny to any potential partner. 

Unlike many of Aleeza’s clients, Stuart doesn’t consider himself to be very religious, but strongly identifies with Judaism culturally. “I grew up in a Jewish area,” he says. “Most of my friends are Jewish. I go to a local Chabad to observe Shabbat to try and maintain a connection to my Judaism and for the community.”

You can follow Stuart on Instagram.

Cindy Seni

A recent transplant to Israel, Cindy is very observant and looking for a partner who also finds power in tradition. The 28-year-old content creator, writer and spokeswoman considers herself a “Jew in every sense of the word.” Growing up in a family that is “very proud of their Sephardic heritage” she hopes to continue that “legacy” in her everyday life. That’s why she made the decision to leave her home in Canada four years ago and make Aliyah — a Jewish tradition of immigrating to Israel — and her life has never been the same since. Through social media, she wants to showcase to young Jews in particular how “there’s so much joy [in Judaism].”

While she’s gained plenty of followers, Cindy hasn’t met her match IRL just yet. “Being a more observant Jew means that it has narrowed my dating pool,” she tells Tudum, as some men “don’t necessarily feel comfortable dating someone of a different religious level.” But, for the record, Cindy has dated all over the religious spectrum — from extremely secular guys to Orthodox Jews. At the end of the day, no matter who you are, what’s most important to Cindy is “respect and understanding.”

You can follow Cindy on Instagram.

Noah Del Monte

After dating in cities around the world, Noah is ready to get serious about love now that he’s found his forever home in Tel Aviv. As the son of a diplomat, Noah moved frequently throughout his childhood, but Israel always held a special place due to his longstanding love for the country. Instead of going straight to college, Noah chose to enlist in the Israeli army before getting his bachelor’s degree in Rome, where his friends say he was the “king of nightlife.” Now, he’s back in Israel thanks to his passion for innovation and technology and working as an account executive at a software company. 

Noah defines his connection to Judaism as “traditional” and is seeking a future spouse who shares a similar beliefs. “I want my kids to grow up with the same Jewish traditions and culture I grew up with,” he says. As for his future wife, Noah is keeping his options open, as he “would not exclude a partner that converts to Judaism.”

You can follow Noah on Instagram.