A women’s program on Srugim, “These Religious Women,” hosted by Ortal Barzilai and Hadar Ben Hamo, devoted this week’s discussion to a painful but hopeful issue in the religious community, singleness among observant Jews. The panel asked whether the term “late singleness” should be used at all, arguing that if everything has its time, there is no need to call this stage “late.”
The participants were Dr. Malkali Blui Hanukha, who heads the lobby for religious and ultra-Orthodox women; Tami Steinberger, a lecturer on personal development and preparing for marriage; Michal Yizreilovich, founder of the Double dating platform; and actress and director Oria Asulin, who also spoke as a single woman herself. They discussed the emotional strain of singleness, the hope that remains, the questions it raises, and the need for real support.
Blui Hanukha described the lobby’s work on issues tied to building a home, relationships, family, and public services for religious and ultra-Orthodox women. Steinberger spoke from both a professional and personal perspective about meeting single women and the importance of meaningful accompaniment. Yizreilovich addressed the dating world and the need to create more connections, while Asulin offered a personal, honest, humorous, and vivid account of the experience.
The panel also touched on fertility preservation and more lighthearted topics such as segulot, visiting graves of righteous figures, love, and the simple wish to be seen and loved. One central message was not to leave single men and women alone, but to ask, think, suggest, and connect them, even by casually asking a friend on Saturday night whether she has an idea for someone. The panel ended with Ben Hamo’s message that every person is always loved, even without a relationship, through genuine self-love and connection to God.
