JDate - Membership

Membership

JDate claims to have more than 450,000 active members worldwide, with half in the United States. It is not clear how many of these "members" are actually able to use the service, as opposed to merely serving as window dressing to attract new users. Most members are located in major metropolitan areas, with women slightly outnumbering men: 54%-46%. Searches can be conducted for members of the same or opposite sex. The site won a 2006 Webby award for social networking.

While JDate is oriented towards the Jewish population, it has also attracted those seeking Jewish mates. The reasons cited often have to do with perceived cultural traits, whether stereotypical or true: "nice" or wealthy Jewish men who treat women well; take-charge, independent Jewish women who hold onto tradition. While many JDate members respond in kind, others view the phenomenon as an intrusion that defeats the purpose of the site.