MEET NETFLIX'S JEWISH MATCHMAKER

This past spring, "Jewish Matchmaking" premiered on Netflix. It showed different Jews from the United States and Israel trying to find love. Aleeza Ben Shalom, a successful matchmaker based in Israel, guided the singles throughout the dating process.

On the show, Ben Shalom has a big smile and a sweet presence. She listens to her client's wants and needs without judgment and aims to find the best person possible for them. It's not an easy job, but it is one that she's loved doing ever since she married her soulmate, Gershon, two decades ago.

"This is the perfect job for me," said Ben Shalom. "I love the people I work with. I love the challenge. I love the growth and changes that happen over time. I love the diversity of the people I work with. And I love packaging Jewish wisdom in bite-sized pieces so anyone can grow, learn, and find love."

Matchmaking wasn't on Ben Shalom's radar growing up. She came from a Jewish home but only went to the synagogue on the holidays. Eventually, she got involved with youth groups like USY and BBYO, which she said had "a profound effect on my connection to Judaism and helped me establish friendships with other Jewish kids."

When she was 17 years old, she tried to keep Shabbat after coming home from a summer trip with USY Israel Pilgrimage, but that only lasted two weeks.

"Then, at age 24, after another Jewish retreat, I came home inspired and determined to keep Shabbat," she said. "And since then, I've kept Shabbat for the last 22 years."

What did she enjoy about Shabbat?

"I felt a connection to my roots," she said. "I felt happy when I kept Shabbat. And I felt G-d's presence in my life. I wanted to make Judaism more present in my life. I knew I wanted to raise my children this way and decided to start by doing it myself."

At the same retreat, when Ben Shalom was soul-searching and trying to figure out the meaning of life, she also met Gershon.

"When he and I met, we were still dating other people," she said. "And a few months later, we were both single and realized we needed to date each other. We dated for three weeks, and four months later, we got married. In general, a wedding so fast is a recipe for disaster. But for us, it was the perfect recipe for a life full of love."

After Ben Shalom married and started having kids, she started working on her matchmaking business, jmatchmaking. com, a site where matchmakers set people up. Unlike on dating apps, singles can't swipe or browse.

"It was something I could do from home while still focusing on raising my kids," she said. "It seemed like the ideal way to make a difference in the world while being a wife and mother."

Then, several years later, Ben Shalom's friend, also a matchmaker, referred her to Netflix for a new show called "Jewish Matchmaking." The show would have an Orthodox Jewish producer and respect Ben Shalom's requirements, like having kosher food and not traveling on Shabbat. She agreed to be involved.

"The crew was incredibly respectful," she said. "They bought me a suitcase for all my kosher pots and pans. They let me stay in an Airbnb instead of a hotel so I could cook while I was away. It was also a huge blessing to work with the show's producers. Everyone was receptive to my comments and suggestions for capturing my authentic matchmaking process."

The show has been an enormous hit, capturing the attention of Jewish and non-Jewish audiences alike, curious about how Jewish matchmaking works.

"Who knew I liked being on camera, but it was a good fit," said Ben Shalom. "It was as if the film crew didn't exist. I was me, doing what I do best. But I happened to have cameras around."

The Netflix show about finding love showcases a Shabbat observant matchmaker, you'll also catch a few blessings over wine or bread, and viewers will hear characters on the show speak about the beauty of men wearing Tefillin. The show allowed Ben Shalom to fulfill her purpose while simultaneously making a kiddush Hashem, publicly sanctifying G-d's name.

"I eat, sleep, breath dating, soulmates, and love," she said. "Working on the show was a dream."

QUICK DATING TIPS FROM ALEEZA BEN SHALOM:

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR LOVE? CHECK OUT THESE HELPFUL TIPS FROM THE JEWISH MATCHMAKER HERSELF.

1. DON'T RUSH TO BREAK UP. YOU CAN ALWAYS DO THAT AFTER ANOTHER DATE. LEARN MORE ABOUT THE OTHER PERSON. SEE HOW YOU HANDLE MORE TIME WITH THEM. GIVE YOURSELF A CHANCE TO CONNECT; IT OFTEN DOESN'T HAPPEN INSTANTLY.

2. SMILE! YOUR FACE IS A REFLECTION OF WHOM YOU'RE WITH. SHOW THEM YOU'RE HAPPY TO BE AROUND THEM. IF IT DOESN'T WORK OUT, THAT'S OKAY. BUT WHILE YOU'RE DATING, TRY TO ENJOY AND RELAX.

3. NEVER STOP LOOKING! NEVER GIVE UP. IF YOU WANT SOMEONE, DON'T STOP UNTIL YOU FIND THEM.

By Kylie Ora Lobell