Maor Ashkar's Instagram videos, where she approaches men on the streets of London in search of potential matches, have already drawn millions of views. Now, she's looking to expand the project into a matchmaking community and podcast.
Maor Ashkar walks the streets of London in search of single, attractive men, but not for herself. For you.
Armed with a small microphone and a phone camera aimed at good-looking strangers, she opens with one question: "Are you single?" If the answer is yes, the men are interviewed and featured on her Instagram page. If one of them catches your eye, you're invited to reach out.
On her page, Match Me If You Can, where the videos have already reached millions, you might find Robin, 34, a former Israeli and current startup founder in Ibiza who splits his time between the island and London and is looking for someone to dance with until sunrise.
Or Max, 31, a blue-eyed startup employee searching for a partner to go hiking with and catch stand-up shows.
There’s also Cédric, a 42-year-old French Jew with a broad back who works in both Singapore and London and wants someone adventurous who also dreams of starting a family.
And then there’s Guillaume, a stunning 42-year-old Swiss man hoping for a great love with an ambitious woman who wants two or three children.
Ashkar, an Israeli living in the British capital, has always been drawn to matchmaking. "It’s something I’ve always enjoyed, and it comes naturally to me," she said. "I have a skill for matching people. I’ve always loved it, and I’ve had a lot of success.
"Five couples have already gotten married thanks to introductions I made. I have good instincts, I know amazing, super-sweet people all over the world, and I love connecting them."
"Women reach out to me and they’re all looking for the same thing: 'more mature men with values.' The number of messages I get is insane. I have to dedicate a few hours a day just to respond."
So how did this hobby turn into a career? According to her, it happened completely by accident. "One Saturday afternoon, I was bar-hopping with friends in Notting Hill, which is something I love doing. I said, ‘Let’s find a hot single guy to interview.’ The first video I posted got 2 million views. There were so many enthusiastic responses from women, and I knew I had to keep going."
How does it actually work? How are matches made?
"I don’t tag the guy. If someone’s interested, she sends me a message and I send her his email or Instagram, along with a note: ‘Feel free to join our singles list.’ That’s how I build a database and create a community where matches can be made."
What are the criteria for stopping a man on the street?
"I look for people with really good energy, not snobby, who look like they take care of themselves, and who are attractive. There are tons of good-looking guys, and that’s obviously part of why this works. Everyone asks me in the comments, ‘Where do you hang out that has so many hot guys?’ But honestly, I meet a lot of handsome men in Tel Aviv too."
All the men seem super-successful too.
“It’s just the type of people who happen to be in these areas,” she said. “It wasn’t intentional.”
Do they have to be Jewish?
“No, not all of them are Jewish, but they’re all definitely open to dating a Jewish woman,” she said. “There was one guy I interviewed, and later someone whispered to me that he’s not exactly pro-Israel, so I didn’t post him. I want to focus on Jewish men."
Ashkar said she’s already received requests from many men, including Israelis, who want to be featured.
“I hope I can make that happen soon,” she said. “The responses have been crazy. So many women message me through Instagram, most of them between 25 and 45, and they’re all looking for the same thing: more mature men with values. The volume of messages is insane—I have to dedicate a few hours a day to keeping up.”
Please explain
“Women are tired of dating apps, and this is a new and interesting way to meet someone. The first guy I interviewed isn’t even on social media, and that really intrigued many women. To this day, I still get emails asking about him."
Breaking into the American market
Ashkar, 30, is the founder of De Medias, a creative agency that specializes in branding, advertising, and digital marketing for businesses. She’s worked in the field for a decade, focusing on social strategy, production, and marketing campaigns.
She grew up in north Tel Aviv as an only child. Her mother is a commercial space designer and fashion retail manager, and her father, a real estate entrepreneur, died 11 years ago. “I got my creativity from her, and my entrepreneurial spirit from him,” she said.
Ashkar served in the IDF’s Foreign Relations Unit, coordinating visits for diplomats. “That job exposed me to people from all over the world, and I realized how much I loved that,” she said.
“I’m a proud Zionist, but I always planned to leave Israel after the army. I grew up a pampered only child, and I really wanted to prove to myself that I could build something on my own, in a new place, without help. That’s exactly what I did in London.”
She started out managing the social media accounts of kosher restaurants in the city, and her first major client was an Israeli company selling anti-aging devices. “I learned as I went. I took a few courses, but most of it was trial and error,” she said. “Now I have an amazing team, mostly photographers, but I still do all the editing myself."
Her clients in Israel include celebrity chef Yuval Ben Neriah and businessman Georgy Akirov. In London, she works with clients in the restaurant and fashion industries, including one major brand whose name she said she’s not yet allowed to reveal.
For the past decade, Ashkar has lived in the upscale St. John’s Wood neighborhood. Her life now includes global work travel, high-end parties, and exclusive members-only clubs. “Most of my clients come by word of mouth, and many are through Jewish and Israeli networks,” she said.
“I’m breaking into the U.S. market now. I already have clients there, and I travel between them and my clients in London and Tel Aviv. I love to travel and collect experiences. This year alone, I’ve been to Miami, Los Angeles, and Costa Rica. As far as I’m concerned, I can work anywhere in the world.”
The online buzz has propelled Ashkar to take her next step: launching a podcast focused on relationship coaching and dating, with live matchmaking as part of the format.
"I'm doing it with Jackie Mostny-Harel, an American who moved to Israel and works as a matchmaker both in the U.S. and in Israel," Ashkar said.
"We met at a dinner with friends, and when I heard she was a matchmaker, I thought she was a perfect fit for the podcast I had in mind. The concept is to coach people on how to enter relationships, help them prepare for dates, and set them up with matches."
So far, your videos haven’t featured singles from Tel Aviv. Why not?
“I don’t know,” she said. “I want to. Maybe I just get more embarrassed approaching men here.”
And how do men usually react when you stop them in the street?
“I always start by asking if they’re single, so at first they think I’m hitting on them,” she said. “Then I explain that it’s not for me, and I tell them about the project.
"At the beginning, everyone was in the game and cooperative. But once the page went viral, that changed; not everyone wants that kind of exposure, so some are more hesitant now."
What do the men featured in the videos say about the experience? How are they handling the attention?
“It’s gotten crazy. They’re getting tons of responses. Some have told me they’re being recognized on the street. Dates have definitely come out of this.
"Just yesterday I spoke to Cédric; I know he went on a date. Guillaume has thousands of unread emails. He’s a little overwhelmed by how many there are.
"They've all become friends of mine because I pass along the messages from women. Guillaume even wants to come visit Israel with his friends. I went to dinner with another guy and gave him updates on the women who were interested in him."
Now, Ashkar says, she's preparing to attend weddings of couples she introduced even before the Instagram project began. “I have one in South Africa and another in Monaco."
So what about a match for yourself?
"I haven't got one yet,” she said. “But I’m not worried. I’m really in no rush. I haven’t been in a relationship in recent years because I’ve been so focused on myself and my career. But now I’m ready for it."
She added, “A lot of men are really intimidated by women who know what they want and who run their own business, and I’m that kind of woman. I like a mix of international vibes and Israeli edge. If an interviewee comes along that I like, don’t worry, I won’t post him. I’ll keep him to myself."