“The men dating today are in a tough spot because many feel taken advantage of,” she says. “There’s a real social focus now on money. I see women on TikTok saying that if a man doesn’t pay on a date, they won’t see him again, and it horrifies me. Why look at his wallet instead of his soul? No one talks about the fact that men work hard and often go on many dates, while some women go into a date thinking that even if there’s no connection, at least they’ll get a free meal.”
“On the other hand, plenty of men lead with their money and then act surprised when women are drawn to it,” she says. “I once went out with a student who wanted to pay for me, but I knew he wasn’t working at the time, so I offered to pay and we split the bill. It didn’t bother me. I saw beyond the money and appreciated the gesture,” says Tali Rivkin, 27, from Ramat Gan, our bachelorette of the week.
Rivkin is a mental coach for women, focusing on self-expression and self-fulfillment. She is studying therapeutic writing and spends much of her free time working on a romantic film she is writing. She likes working out, spending time with friends, attending Torah and Kabbalah classes and taking part in social initiatives. She also hosts the podcast “What’s the Story?” where she explores the identity crisis she went through a year and a half ago and the way it changed her life.
“Over the past year, I went through a kind of upheaval and identity crisis,” she says. “For years I worked in influencer marketing as an agent, and the work was very technical and physically and mentally draining. I started digging deeper, trying to understand who I am and what I love to do, and especially talking to God and asking for answers.
“I asked Him to send me something that would fill me, and during intuitive writing, the idea for a romantic film came onto the page. It deals with a relationship between two post-traumatic people, a Nova survivor and a combat soldier. I have never fallen in love, but when I started writing the film, something in me opened because I saw a reflection of the main character in myself.”
What do you mean?
“All my life, I believed I couldn’t be in a relationship until I became a ‘finished product,’” she says. “Then I told myself: ‘You wrote a character who isn’t perfect, and she still manages to fall in love during the biggest crisis of her life. So maybe you can, too.’ “I think I didn’t want anyone to see me exposed or vulnerable because I was afraid of getting hurt. When I was just 10, I told my mother I would fall in love only once, and that it would be for life.”
Tali Rivkin. “When I started writing the film, something in me opened because I saw a reflection of the main character in myself”
(Photo: Eden Israel)
“I always felt there are people who need to go through life and relationships in order to grow, and then there are people like me, who prepare themselves to receive love,” she says. “For me, receiving love is harder than giving it.
"By nature, I was always closed off, suspicious and rational, but that became stronger during my military service. I served in a classified police unit, where I was exposed to betrayals and double lives, and I stopped believing there were truly good men. I had to go through a long process of peeling away those limiting beliefs.”
“Today I feel worthy of love and ready for it, and I try to focus on the good in the world,” she says. “After October 7, I was shaken by the thought that something could happen to me before I had ever experienced love. I had conversations with God and told Him: You can’t take me anywhere until I fall in love.”
“Today I feel worthy of love"
(Photo: Courtesy)
How do people around you react to the fact that you’ve never been in a relationship?
“Most people supported me because they know who I am, but I did come across people who raised eyebrows,” she says. “Some told me, ‘If you’re not falling in love, at least have flings,’ but that never appealed to me. I went on dates with different men, but I wasn’t interested in temporary love. I felt it would only take me farther away from the real goal: a great love and a soul connection.”
“Also, in the past I was ashamed that I had never been in a relationship and didn’t want people to know,” she says. “Today, I’m at peace with it. I’m not afraid of everyone knowing. I trust God, and I know the one meant for me will come.”
How do you imagine him?
“A man with a sense of humor, emotional intelligence, motivation, leadership and quiet charisma,” she says. “I want a man who dares, who would simply come up to me in real life and make the moment feel easy. He doesn’t need some grand speech. A simple ‘Hey, how are you doing?’ is enough, because in the end, it’s not about the exact words but the energy you bring.”
“I want a man who dares"
(Photo: Courtesy)
“In terms of appearance, I’m more attracted to darker men with stubble, men who feel masculine and a little rough around the edges,” she says. “As for work or academic degrees, that’s not where my focus is because life is dynamic. What matters to me is that he has the energy of someone who is growing, assertive and open-minded. Come as you are, and we’ll build together.”
“It’s important to me that he be on a higher spiritual level than I am,” she says. “A year and a half ago, I discovered God for the first time in my life and began speaking to Him. I didn’t grow up in a traditional home, and because I long for an even deeper connection with Him, I want a man who will challenge me spiritually so that we can walk the path of faith together.”
What is your flaw?
“I sometimes seem cold and distant, and it is hard for me to express emotion.”
What is love to you?
“A safe space and partnership, a place where you can lay your head down and feel safe.”
Do you believe in love at first sight?
“No. I believe in attraction at first sight. Love comes from getting to know someone, from appreciation and from seeing how they behave over time.”
"I believe in attraction at first sight"
(Photo: Courtesy)
What matters most to you in a relationship?
“Respect before everything, because without respect there is no foundation for anything.”
What offends you?
“Disrespect. I can handle criticism, different opinions and disagreements, but contempt is hard for me.”
How do you imagine the ideal partner?
“Very funny, easygoing and communicative. I can’t stand drama and I’m not looking for fireworks. I imagine both of us continuing to grow and fulfill ourselves, while also building something together. We travel, try new things, support each other through good times, and I feel, deep down, that I have a home in the person beside me.”
What are your deal-breakers?
“Lies, disrespect, extreme jealousy, games and drama.”
Smoking?
“I prefer not, but I wouldn’t rule it out.”
What age range are you looking for?
“27 to 33.”
Divorced with children?
“Divorced without children.”
“I sometimes seem cold and distant"
(Photo: Courtesy)
What was your worst date?
“There wasn’t one. I’ve only gone on a few dates and they were all good. It’s not about quantity, it’s about quality.”
Describe the perfect date.
“At the beach or in the desert with wine or beer and pizza. Light and simple.”
Should a man pay on the first date?
“The value of the gesture is lost the moment you decide someone has to do it,” she says. “If the bill is high, I always insist on paying my share.”
What makes you laugh?
“Recently, those TikTok fruit videos. They’re hilarious."
When did you last cry, and why?
“Yesterday I got a negative response from a production company I wanted to work with on my film, and it made me a little sad.”
How close are you to your family?
“Very close. They live in the north, and only when I moved to the center did I understand how much strength I draw from them.”
What were you in a previous life?
“A rebbetzin or a spiritual teacher.”
"I love Mitzpe Ramon"
(Photo: Courtesy)
The last series you binged?
Israeli TV series HaShir Shelanu (“Our Song”).
What music do you listen to?
“I have the most diverse playlist in the world, from pop to rock to Mizrahi music.”
Tell us something no one knows about you.
“Sometimes when I’m alone, I act out scenes from my film and imagine that it has already been released.”
How would your friends describe you?
“Funny, light, ambitious, brave and very honest.”
What do you do on Shabbat eve?
“Sometimes I’m with my family, and sometimes I go out with friends.”
So where can someone approach you?
“On the street? Absolutely, I love it. I really admire brave men.”
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
“With a family, a business I built, a first film that has been released and a life I’m proud of.”