Before dating apps and endless swiping, St. Louis had the Jewish Photo Dating Service—a low-tech matchmaking effort that launched in the early 1980s. It brought hundreds of local singles together and led to dozens of lasting relationships. After we shared one of the original ads last week, readers responded with stories of their own—and we tracked down Martin Finer, the man behind the camera, to find out how it all worked.
How the Jewish Photo Dating Service came to be
In the summer of 1983, Martin and Tammy Finer had two announcements in the Jewish Light—their own wedding on June 29, and, just seven weeks later, the debut of their unique community project: the Jewish Photo Dating Service.
Their idea was rooted in a deeper mission. “The whole goal,” Martin recalled, “was to help Jews meet other Jews.”…