JDate is responsible for more Jewish marriages than all other dating sites combined! But we’ve got more than just statistics to back it up. In our “Success Stories” feature, you’ll meet real couples who found love online.

Matthew & Barry

Matthew’s JDate Success Story:

Not in a million years would I have thought that JDate would work for me! I was paying for my membership for 2-3 years, and with no luck I just assumed that I would never meet anyone with whom I had a connection. Of course, I had known from some of my friends that JDate works, but I never heard of JDate working for members of the LGBTQ community. Like so many people, my experience with JDate was limited to a lot of first dates that were just okay.

My life took a tragic turn when my mother died in December of 2012. Before she passed away, she told me that I would meet someone who would make me the happiest man alive. I wanted to believe her, but I was skeptical to say the least. In the aftermath of her death, the next few months of my life were very dark. But the following March, I watched The Bible miniseries on the History Channel with my dad. After it ended, I turned to him and said to him, “We really do have a violent history. Maybe there is some value to finding another Jewish person with whom I can spend the rest of my life.”

I agreed to give JDate one last chance. I edited my profile and started to search for someone one last time. It was then that I discovered the new JDate mobile app which allowed you to look at pictures of people and click if you liked them or not; when you clicked on the like button, it went to the other person as a “flirt.” That’s where I met my beshert (soulmate), Barry.

Barry responded to my flirt just as I was going on vacation with my dad. I remember spending the first day of our trip texting Barry all day, literally. We went on our first date shortly after my return home, and the rest – as they say – is history. We were dating for about 16 months when he proposed to me on Christmas Eve 2014 (yes, Christmas Eve!), and our wedding date is set for May of 2016! Maybe it was my mom, or maybe it was just life that brought Barry into my world. Either way, thank you, JDate, for helping me find that special someone with whom I will spend the rest of my life.

Barry’s JDate Success Story:

JDate was largely a source of frustration when it came to me. Over the years, I experienced countless first dates and a few second dates, but my goal of find a long-term partner was far from being achieved. I kept telling myself that it would not matter how many times I struck out when I found “The One,” but it was difficult to keep my spirits up when time after time, date after date, there was no real success. After such a track record, it did not surprise any of my friends and family that I took an extended break from JDate to try dating in other ways. But when those attempts also proved unsuccessful, I returned without expecting much.

And then I met Matthew. Our profiles matched up and we began talking to each other. After countless “likes” and “flirts,” our first “conversation” was actually an ongoing series of text messages that lasted from about noon until 1am! While chatting about our favorite TV shows, foods and other superficial topics, we discovered that each of us shared an interest in food and wine, politics, and Jewish culture. We found out that sports were integral parts of our family and home life.  And we began to develop the connection that I had for so long wanted to share with someone. Within in a few days, we spoke “live” on the phone and setup our first date.

I will never forget that first night Matt and I spent together. We went for Mexican food at a restaurant near his office, and after dinner we walked and talked for a few hours getting to know one another. We immediately felt a connection with each other, and since we had already established all the formalities in our previous conversations, we spoke about substantive topics like our goals in life and our hopes and dreams for a family life.

Soon after we had our second date, and then (after years and years of hoping for one) a third date. Our relationship quickly blossomed over the next few months, and our families soon came to embrace the other’s son as their own. Before long we began to talk about a future together, and we were engaged in December 2014. We’ve set a wedding date of May 2016 and cannot wait to start our future together – one that began with the help of JDate!

 

Did you find love online? Submit your story to share how you met your soulmate on JDate.