Beyond Netflix's Jewish Matchmaker: Who Is Aleeza Ben Shalom, Really?
From childhood dreams to Netflix fame, the Jewish matchmaker opens up about purpose, faith, and finding love.
"One little girl. One dream. One God." That’s how Aleeza Ben Shalom describes the roots of her life’s mission: helping people find their soulmates. Best known today as the star of Netflix’s Jewish Matchmaking, Ben Shalom built a global reputation not only through her onscreen charm but through decades of personal dedication and heartfelt work.
Sitting across from her, radiating warmth and sincerity, one quickly understands why so many are drawn to her. “Is this interview being recorded on video? Because if it is, I’d like to dress differently,” she asked, smiling graciously before we began. That simple question, thoughtful and grounded, captured the essence of her personality: genuine, intentional, and deeply aware of the image she presents.
Despite the newsroom bustle around us, our conversation was filled with laughter, connection, and moments of quiet reflection.
A Childhood Dream Revisited
“As a child, my dream was simple: I wanted to be a wife and get married,” Ben Shalom recalls. “But nobody really understood that. My father insisted I go to university, get a degree, and figure out what I wanted in life, for real, he’d say.” She did as he advised, earning her degree, but never shook the sense that her true calling was something else.
She married at 25 and had her first child at 26. It was in the rhythm of early motherhood that she discovered a passion that would define her life: matchmaking. A casual conversation with a friend turned into a calling. At first, she volunteered her help informally, acting as a shidduch facilitator, a gesture of chesed (kindness for its own sake) to older singles in their 30s, 40s, and beyond.
“That age group was especially meaningful,” she says. “They carry stories. Some are divorced, some are widowed, others have never found love. Every situation is unique, and every person brings their own emotional history. I fell in love with matchmaking because I saw how powerful the process could be.”
Turning a Passion into Purpose
Four years and several children later, Ben Shalom’s family faced financial strain. Her husband asked if she could consider contributing to their household income. “But I love matchmaking,” she told him. “It’s what moves me.”
His response was unwavering: “Then do it. Not as a side gig. Make it your career. Be the best.”
In 2011, Aleeza Ben Shalom launched her matchmaking and coaching business. She threw herself fully into it, working while raising her children, building a network, and honing her process. What started as a modest venture soon blossomed into a full-time mission. “I was living, breathing, and sweating matchmaking,” she laughs. “I just never imagined how far it would go.”
The Path to Israel—and Netflix
Ben Shalom always dreamed not only of marriage but of making aliyah, immigrating to Israel. She made her intentions clear even while dating. “I told my husband I wanted to make aliyah. He said, ‘Great, me too.’” Her original plan was to move seven years after their wedding. It ended up taking 18.
In 2021, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the family of seven, Aleeza, her husband, their five children, and two dogs, finally made their move. “To me, it was spiritual,” she says. “There were signs the Mashiach was coming. A Jew cannot be locked out of their homeland. And that homeland is Israel.”
Soon after arriving, she received an unexpected call: Netflix was producing a series called Jewish Matchmaking, and they wanted her as the face of it. The show launched in 2023 to widespread acclaim, bringing her warmth and wisdom to millions.
“What have I learned about love?” she reflects. “That we all have free will. Not every match works out. Desire plays a role, but people have to make their own choices. It’s okay to be picky, we should all know what we want in a partner.”
Matchmaking Inspired by Torah
Ben Shalom credits her deep Torah study with guiding her professional path. “Early in my marriage, I took Rabbi Aryeh Nivin’s course on personal development. It helped me discover my purpose. I studied with him for two years, then I stopped only because I needed to apply what I had learned and start my business.”
One insight from her journey still resonates deeply: “Kindness and compassion. Compassion is the feeling; kindness is how we act on it. Let compassion be your compass. You’ll never tire of someone being good to you. Good traits only deepen with time.”
Wisdom at Home
As the mother of a 21-year-old son and a 19-year-old daughter, Ben Shalom brings her matchmaking values into family life. “We talk about dating and relationships constantly. I tell them: choosing a partner is the most important decision they’ll ever make.”
While her children have chosen to find partners independently for now, they know where to turn if needed. “I told them not to wait until the last minute. It’s not like I can just poof a match into existence.”
And it appears that the next generation of matchmakers is already in the making. “My 12-year-old son, Avraham, is a matchmaker in training,” she beams. “He loves coming to conferences and meeting singles. I joke that he’s going to be more famous than me, he’s just more adorable.”
From a childhood dream to global influence, Aleeza Ben Shalom has matched more than hearts, she’s matched purpose with passion, faith with action, and tradition with modernity. In her story, thousands have found not just romance, but inspiration too.