JDate
Encyclopedia
Online dating service
Online dating or Internet dating is a dating system which allows individuals, couples and groups to make contact and communicate with each other over the Internet, usually with the objective of developing a personal, romantic, or sexual relationship...
aimed at Jewish singles. The service is one of a number of demographically focused online match-making websites operated by Spark Networks
Spark Networks
Spark Networks owns many special-interest online personal sites, such as JDate.com, BlackSingles.com, ChristianMingle.com and LDSMingle.com; it also owns the general-interest site Spark.com. Spark was started in 1997 by Joe Y. Shapira. David Siminoff formerly served as Chief Executive Officer...
plc.
JDate offers two tiers of service: free and premium. The former are encouraged to post a picture and create their own profile, and are permitted to view other members and send a fixed menu of messages known as “flirts.” The presence of free users benefits the site by giving the appearance of larger active membership. However, free users are not able to send normal messages or access their own inbox, and are further not permitted by the site's "editors" to warn other users of their inability to do so on their profile. The premium service includes a fuller range of communications options, including email, chat
Online chat
Online chat may refer to any kind of communication over the Internet, that offers an instantaneous transmission of text-based messages from sender to receiver, hence the delay for visual access to the sent message shall not hamper the flow of communications in any of the directions...
, and the service's internal messaging system. Premium members however, are not able to determine which of the site's other members are able to actually view emails that they receive. Rather, a premium paying member must make an additional payment to send readable messages to "free" users. If a premium member declines to make an additional payment to do so, then they are repeatedly warned that free members will not be able to read their emails, and are asked to make an additional payment every time they send out a new message. Both premium and free members are also required to view the site's extensive advertising banners, which "pop up" and take up a large part of the screen whenever a user rolls the mouse over it.
A site redesign in late 2005 gave members the ability to note mutual interest with a click to each other's profile, triggering an alert, as well as support for webcams and the ability to keep a list of prospects. Profile items include some fields of particular interest to Jews: adherence to dietary law
Kashrut
Kashrut is the set of Jewish dietary laws. Food in accord with halakha is termed kosher in English, from the Ashkenazi pronunciation of the Hebrew term kashér , meaning "fit" Kashrut (also kashruth or kashrus) is the set of Jewish dietary laws. Food in accord with halakha (Jewish law) is termed...
, frequency of attendance at synagogue
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
, and form of Judaism
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
(if any) practiced. When members are not Jewish, they are asked to indicate whether or not they would consider conversion to Judaism. The site's in-person activities have included the usual cruises and ski trips – but also organized trips to Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
.
Membership
JDate claims to have more than 450,000 active members worldwide, about half in the United States. Most members are in major metropolitan areas, with women slightly outnumbering men: 54%-46%. Searches can be conducted for members of the same or opposite sex. The site won a 2006 WebbyWebby Awards
A Webby Award is an international award presented annually by The International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences for excellence on the Internet with categories in websites, interactive advertising, online film and video, and mobile....
award for social networking.
While JDate is oriented toward Jews, it has attracted others seeking Jewish mates. The reasons cited often have to do with perceived cultural traits, whether stereotypical or true: "nice" or wealthy Jewish men who treat women well; take-charge, independent Jewish women who still hold onto tradition. While many JDate members respond in kind, others view the phenomenon as an intrusion that defeats the purpose of the site.
Notable members
- Steve HofstetterSteve HofstetterSteve Hofstetter is an author, columnist and comedian, who started with material particularly pertaining to college life, and has since become a social commentator...
, Actor/comedian, met his wife on JDate - Steve RothmanSteve RothmanSteven R. "Steve" Rothman is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1997. He is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life, education and career:Rothman attended Washington University Law School...
, American politician, U.S. House of Representatives, from New Jersey - Brad ShermanBrad ShermanBradley J. "Brad" Sherman is an American politician. He has been a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives since 1997, representing ....
, American politician, U.S. House of Representatives from California