First Jewish Dating Website Launches in Gulf Region to Help Singles Find Their ‘Bashert’
by Shiryn Ghermezian
A promotional photo for JSG. Photo: AGJC.
The Association of Gulf Jewish Communities (AGJC), the umbrella organization for the Jewish communities of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), announced on Sunday the launch of the first dating website in the region for Jewish singles.
The online page for Jewish Singles in the Gulf (JSG) asks participants to upload a photo of themselves and fill out a questionnaire, before group of matchmakers reviews the answers and suggests potential dates.
“We created JSG for those who are looking for their soulmate,” the website explains. “So tell us about yourself and what you are looking for and our dedicated matchmakers will help set you up with your bashert.”
AGJC President Ebrahim Dawood Nonoo, said, “As our communities throughout the GCC experienced unprecedented growth over the past few years, we have seen more and more singles move here with an interest in establishing more permanent roots in the region. By helping these singles find their spouses in the GCC, they are more likely to get married here and establish their families here, which in turn grows Jewish communal life and the need for more Jewish institutions like schools, kosher food, etc.”
According to AGJC Rabbi Dr. Elie Abadie, JSG has already garnered interest among Jewish singles.
“The buzz around JSG has reverberated around the world and in the weeks leading up to the launch of the platform, we received interest from dozens of singles in the region,” Abadie said. “We are starting with a website and hope to grow this into singles events and programs very soon. It is so important for us to work with singles living in our region to help them find relationships with other Jews.”
The AGJC’s board consists of members from all six Gulf countries — Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates — working to further build Jewish life in the region.
In mid-October, the first Jewish wedding in the Kingdom of Bahrain in 52 years, and the first strictly kosher wedding in the kingdom’s history, was held at the Ritz-Carlton in the capital of Manama.
