Sought – Found: Communal and Reproductive Services of Jewish Matchmakers

Abstract

Jewish matchmaker play an important role in the traditional search for a partner. They can be positioned analytically between the individual, religion and the state, and their work has an impact at both the micro and macro levels. This article examines how Jewish matchmakers contribute to maintaining the transnational community of the Jewish diaspora network. It is shown that Jewish matchmaking makes an important contribution to the continuity of Judaism by ensuring the reproduction of Jewish persons as well as the reproduction of the Jewish diaspora and the State of Israel. The example of a Jewish matchmaker illustrates how social structures and norms influence individual behavior and support a process of social closure that is essential for the continuity of the Jewish community. It exemplifies the driving forces of communalization processes, which can also be observed in other religious groups.