On June 15, the creators of SawYouAtSinai, the acclaimed Jewish matchmaking website with over 2,400 members engaged, launched the Jewish dating app, JBolt. Already, thousands of people have registered on the JBolt database and many more are joining every day. The app now has numerous couples that have expressed mutual interest, been reviewed by matchmakers and are now going out for the purpose of forming a relationship. With an ever-growing surplus of dating apps on the market, why is the JBolt app succeeding in attracting Jewish singles and in creating relationships?
Most likely, the secret to JBolt’s success lies in the primary feature that distinguishes it from the other apps: the assistance of professional matchmakers. “The presence of the matchmakers on the app solidly affirms that the app’s purpose is to create long-lasting relationships” said Marc Goldmann, founder of JBolt. Specifically, the matchmakers on JBolt don’t actually pick matches for the members. Rather, they review, follow-up and assist with matches that the users choose for themselves. The app’s creators believe that the matchmakers make JBolt significantly more capable than other apps in the market.
Other dating apps, which don’t have matchmakers, are riddled with various problems. Singles looking for a serious relationship on those dating apps struggle to sift through multitudes of people who are wildly inappropriate for them. Some singles treat a typical dating app like a game and they arbitrarily approve every single they can find, with no intention of following up with a date. The simplicity of dating apps and their complete lack of vigilance have also led many to use dating apps for short-term hookups, in some cases with married individuals. And even if the singles get to start dating people, they can easily get lost in the twists and turns of the dating maze because they have no one to seek assistance from. Without human guidance, the dating app world has become a digital version of the lawless Wild West.
JBolt is clearly trying to alter this trend. The singles on JBolt work with matchmakers who help them establish long-term relationships, not fleeting ones. People looking for a one-night stand are not going to be drawn to an app with matchmakers. In this way, the mere presence of matchmakers acts as a repellent to the less serious or non-committed daters. Since JBolt matchmakers review every mutual match, the singles can avoid many of those pointless dates with incompatible people. “The JBolt matchmaker review seeks to circumvent the unpleasant and fruitless dates,” says Danielle Jacobs, chief operating officer of JBolt, “and direct the members straight to the dates which have greater potential for success.”
The matchmakers on JBolt do more than simply veto matches. There is a feedback loop between the matchmakers and the singles throughout the dating process. If a single has questions about the match or concerns during the relationship, the matchmaker can be contacted for help and support. Even if a match does not work out, the matchmaker is able to give the single constructive feedback regarding the failed date. The single can also refine the qualities they are searching for in future dates by talking with a matchmaker.
“We believe this matchmaker-single interaction gives JBolt a human element which appears to be lacking in the dating apps on the market today.” says Danielle Jacobs.
Company Background
Launched in 2003, SawYouAtSinai helps Jewish singles from all backgrounds find their spouse. The database includes Jewish singles of all religious orientations, ranging from unaffiliated to Modern Orthodox to Yeshivish, and the service is worldwide, including the US, Israel, Australia and London. SawYouAtSinai helps singles with different lifestyles including those divorced or widowed. SawYouAtSinai differentiates itself from other dating sites by adding the personal touch of a matchmaker, with 350+ in the network. Matchmakers have a phone consultation with their members, search through the database for potential matches and offer support and advice throughout the process. Members’ profiles are only disclosed to matchmakers and potential matches so privacy is maintained. Averaging three engagements per week, and with over 2,300 members married already, the success speaks for itself. The recent launch of JBolt takes the SawYouAtSinai model into an app form, and also gives Jewish singles a more active role in the selection process. Users can choose matches (swiping left or right to express interest—all anonymously) to send to the matchmakers for review. This dual user-matchmaker selection process, combined with the efficiency and simplicity of the smartphone, makes JBolt the next stage in the evolution of Jewish matchmaking.
By Moses Dyckman
