The Conference of European Rabbis (CER) has announced the first-ever European Matchmaking Week, set to take place across the continent in the days following the Jewish holiday of Tisha B’Av, which falls on Aug. 3.
The initiative aims to encourage Jewish singles to find their partners, and features a week of religious, cultural and social events in dozens of communities from Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Italy and beyond.
A highlight of the week will be Shabbat Tu B’Av on Aug. 9, the traditional “Jewish Valentine’s Day,” dedicated historically to matchmaking.
The launch was marked by a virtual gathering of representatives from over 30 Jewish communities, who met to share ideas and resources. The event included insights from Aleeza Ben-Shalom, the acclaimed matchmaker and coach who rose to fame in the Netflix show “Jewish Matchmaking.”
Rabbi Avichai Appel, chief rabbi of Frankfurt and vice president of CER, called the effort “a very important task” and encouraged more communities to join. The CER invites additional organizations to participate and offers support resources to strengthen Jewish life and continuity across Europe.
The Conference of European Rabbis unites more than 900 religious leaders across Europe, serving as the central voice and defender of Jewish religious life on the continent.
