Kriti Mehrotra
As a Netflix original series delving deep into the concept of shidduch — arranged dating with the purpose of marriage — ‘Jewish Matchmaking‘ can only be described as incredibly unique. After all, it centers around globally renowned Jewish relationship guru Aleeza Ben Shalom as she attempts to find near-perfect life partners for hopeful singles across the US and Israel. Amongst them was actually the beautiful Dani Bergman, whose quest for love sadly didn’t pan out in the way she’d hoped, only to then propel her onto a path of self discovery and gratification.
Dani Bergman’s Jewish Matchmaking Journey
From the moment Dani first came across our screens, it was evident she’s a strong, independent woman who knows her worth and for whom the cultural aspect of her heritage matters most. That’s because she was born into a South African family in California before eventually relocating to Miami, Florida, in her 20s, only to realize her true faith is rooted deep within her loved ones. Thus, of course, her ideal man is someone on the same people-driven religious level as her, especially as she dreams of one day building a stable home with traditions old and new alike.
But alas, Dani has admittedly “not had luck with dating. I don’t know what I’m doing wrong because I’m 100% myself, and you know, what you see is what you get. The guys either love it or they hate it, and even if they love it, they don’t love it enough.” She even spoke of her relatively new life in Miami plus the people she has met along the way by stating, “When I’m out and about and I meet people, and let’s say they’re Jewish, as soon as they find out I’m Jewish, it’s like ‘Oh, come. Join the group,’ making her experiences both comfortable and limiting at the same time.
That’s when Dani found herself applying for ‘Jewish Matchmaking’ without even knowing what it truly was — she once said, “When I first moved… I joined a Facebook group that was called something like ‘Jews in South Florida’ as a way to make some new friends and see what was going on in the community. I saw a posting on there that said, ‘casting single Jewish singles for a big show.’ I applied for it just for fun, and then randomly… four months later, casting people called me. They were like, ‘Hey, this is so-and-so from ‘Jewish Matchmaking.’ Do you have some time to chat?’ It was a super quick connection, and I ended up on the show.”
It hence came to light that although Dani’s criteria list for a potential match is a bit long, her expectations were mostly the bare minimum: for him to be adoring, family-oriented, kind, well-groomed, etc. The only additional hopes she had was for him to maybe match her strong eyebrow game plus be observant yet flexible when it came to religion and spirituality — she wanted a nice, comfortable balance. Aleeza thus connected her to fellow Miami resident David Behar as well as Hawaii-based South African Shaun Civin, yet unfortunately neither connection panned out in the way she’d expected.
Where is Dani Bergman Now?
Despite the fact Dani ended her reality stint the same way she started it, she doesn’t regret her experiences one bit as it made her realize she was done wasting time on anyone who isn’t the real deal. She has since stated, “I think that I’ve learned about dating with more intention and actually listening to what men have to say when you’re starting off a relationship… not making excuses.” Though we should mention that she still seems to be on great, platonic terms with both David and Shaun, as evidenced through their respective social media platforms — there are mutual follows plus some casual likes and comments on posts to show their unwavering support.
Coming to Dani’s current standing, we’re happy to report this Miami resident is currently thriving both personally as well as professionally, all the while continuing to expand her wings. This University of California-Santa Barbara Psychology graduate turned entrepreneur — CEO plus Managing Director at 1084 Media — has even embraced her heritage much further. In fact, the singleton is hosting her first Shabbat dinner for all the Jews in the area on February 9, 2024, with plans to continue being a more active part of her community with like-minded, flexible individuals.
“I’m in that space in my life where I’m learning, I’m growing, I’m building a business, I’m doing so many things,” Dani said last year. “There are so many opportunities that come my way, and I don’t want to say no to experiences because of my religion. I have a social media marketing agency for restaurants, and obviously shrimp and some seafood is not kosher. But when someone gives me a plate of food, I’m not going to say no. It’s never been me to not do something because of a religion.”
She also added, “I think that in finding a partner, it is important for us to be on the same level. Would I say it’s a dealbreaker? Not necessarily. Because like I said, I think things can shift. When I choose to have a family, I want to have those Friday night Shabbat dinners as well, but I don’t do that right now. So I’ll have to go back to that. I think it’s just something that you have to speak with your partner about and be on the same page.” In other words, she’s perfectly content to evolve gradually at the moment, and honestly, that’s all that matters in the long run.
Read More: Fay Brezel: Where is the Jewish Matchmaking Cast Member Now?
