Inside Scoop on Shaya’s Jewish Matchmaking Experience and His Recent Engagement

Shaya Rosenberg, a hopeful single featured on Netflix’s hit show Jewish Matchmaker, recently got engaged—but not to someone on the show. Here are 10 exclusive facts about Shaya’s experience that have never been revealed to the public—until now.

1. Shaya went on a date off-camera and Netflix was not happy about it.

Shaya Rosenberg was featured on Jewish Matchmaking as a potential match with Fay. On their second date together, they went out for ice cream, and had a great time. “I was not expecting it to be that much fun. The chemistry shocked us both.”

They decided to go out again without the cameras, to see if the spark was real. Unfortunately, when Netflix found out about it, they were not pleased; the producers gave them a hard time for breaking their rules.

On the “forbidden date”, they addressed the fact that they come from two different family backgrounds. “Her brothers are all learning Torah fulltime. My brothers are all working.”

Fay and Shaya

Because the conversation flowed easily, Shaya and Fay were able to discuss important topics and really got to know each other beyond a surface level. “We spoke about the lifestyle we each want. I am more open-minded. I want to have a good time.” It was a difficult but necessary conversation which enabled them to truly understand each other’s core values.

They realized that their religious values did not totally align and ultimately, Shaya and Fay decided that they were not right for each other. Though they had a great spark, the desire to end was mutual.

The question became, do we now want to refilm this date for the show? “Did we want to have this conversation on camera? It was very intimate and personal. We both decided against the idea because it would have been too hard to reenact the conversation in a genuine manner. It would have been fake.”

2. Shaya almost backed out of the Netflix contract.

Shaya unknowingly auditioned for the show by filling out a survey for matchmaking that someone sent to him on WhatsApp. “I just filled out a form and uploaded my resume. The show gave me a call about a month later. They asked me to record myself answering all sorts of questions about my background. I also had to send in pictures of my family.”

Shaya only made a brief appearance on the show. However, he had expected to play a larger role. “Nevertheless, I was very, very skeptical because of the last show featuring Orthodox Jews on Netflix that came out. How much can I trust them?

“I was about to sign the last contract, and I backed out.”

After taking a step back and having conversations with featured matchmaker Aleeza Ben Shalom and other advisors to the show, Shaya became more comfortable. By the time he felt comfortable enough to sign the contract, there was only a week left of filming. So, he accepted a smaller role; i.e. his dates with Fay instead.

Shaya thought long and hard about the decision to be on Netflix. “You only live once. I was the right person. I love my community, and I know I would be able to do it justice. I wanted to make a positive impression of orthodox Jews.”

3. Shaya got engaged on the day the show debuted.

Ironically, Shaya proposed to his girlfriend on the same day that the show dropped on Netflix. “We were dating for a while, but I didn’t want to propose before the show aired. We did not want the timeline to get confused.”

4. Shaya set some terms for filming that no one else did.

Shaya felt strongly about the importance of a realistic representation of the Orthodox dating world, which included involving a rabbi in the process.

“I wanted to have a Rabbi in one of the scenes, which is what a real date looked like to me. The process includes a Rabbi, so I wanted a Rabbi.”

5. Shaya did not know Fay beforehand, and the show was as close to a real date as possible.

Shaya explained that his filmed date with Fay was as authentic as any other date he has gone on. He was sent her dating profile, looked into it like any other person he would have dated, and said yes to the match. He did not know Fay before filming and saw her for the first time on camera.

“People often ask, ‘Can you really have a real date when the cameras are there?’ I tell everyone that the first five minutes you are on camera you notice the cameras, but once you start talking, you do not even notice the cameras are there. It was pretty authentic.”

6. Shaya didn’t get paid to appear and he was not allowed to tell anyone about the show, including his parents, while filming.

“I did not get paid officially. It was a documentary, and people do not get paid for documentaries.” No favors were offered either. Netflix did however pay for all his expenses related to the show including the meal he shared with Fay.

7. Shaya has a correction that he wishes Netflix had gotten right.

While Shaya does not regret his time filming Jewish Matchmaking, there are a couple things he would like to clarify, for the record. “The ‘one and done’ comment—Fay was making a joke about dates being one and done. I made a comment playing off of what she was saying…it sounded like I was saying it, but really I was playing off of her. They cut out a lot of the jokes.”

8. Shaya’s new bride, Hoovie, knew on their first date that she was going to marry him.

Shaya and Hoovie met a month after shooting, and timing is truly everything. “She would not have gone out with me if the show came out first. She would not look for someone that out there. She would have thought that I was from a different crowd.

She says that when she got home after our first date she said to her parents, “This is the guy I am going to marry.”

Shaya knew she was the one when she kept surprising him with her culinary delights. She made and shipped babka that she made to Israel when he was on a trip. Then she surprised him upon arrival home with a charcuterie board for him (and one for his parents).

“I thought to myself, how can I not appreciate her efforts. It was so sweet and smart of her to make a meat board for my parents too. I just knew someone of her caliber was the one.”

9. Shaya and Fay broke things off on good terms, and Fay even came to the engagement party!

While Shaya is marrying Hoovie and is looking forward to their new life together, he only has positive things to say about Fay. Hoovie wanted to invite Fay to their engagement party and she happily obliged!

“I give everyone a blessing to end relationships as amicably and nicely as it did with me and Fay. If anyone knows of a guy that would be a good match for Fay, she is an amazing person. I have only positive things to say.”

10. Shaya’s advice for others looking for their future spouse.

Whether religious or not, dating in modern times is not always easy. Shaya passes along his best advice for those looking for lasting love. “A girl needs recognition, while a guy needs respect. This is a key factor in a relationship. My best advice is, do not force yourself to go to restaurants. Ask her what she wants to do—candle making, painting, a poetry night… I always asked her, ‘You pick the place, and I’ll do the rest.’”

Photo credit: Meir Kolko