Viewers of local reality TV might recognize this week’s featured bachelor—Naor Baruch, 30, from Tel Aviv—who once appeared on a show spotlighting the lives of successful men living in luxury high-rises. But Baruch wasn’t always a high-profile businessman known in Israel’s financial circles. In fact, most of his life was marked by hardship.
He grew up in a public housing apartment in Herzliya. His mother was blind and disabled; his father died when he was just three. By age 11, Baruch was already working odd jobs to support the family. With charisma, people skills, business instincts and unwavering support from his mother, he eventually built a successful and inspiring career.
“I grew up poor while my friends had the richest fathers in the country,” he says. “When I started making money, it didn’t go to my head—I was too focused on doing more, creating more, earning more. Everyone around heard about this young guy who was ‘printing money.’ Today, I run two successful hedge funds, and I’m content. But I’m missing a relationship. I’m an orphan, I have no family, and I really want to start one of my own.”
You’re considered a highly eligible bachelor. Why are you still single?
“I have high standards. There’s no shortage of beautiful women, but beyond attraction, I’m looking for a partner who’s giving, who knows how to love, who has that spark. I want her to be my best friend—to travel the world with me, laugh, enjoy life. I know my partner will be the biggest deal of my life, and I won’t settle.
“Too many people settle just to get married, without realizing their own worth. I want the best woman in the world—for me and for our future children. I think of my mother, who lived only for me. She didn’t buy herself clothes for 20 years and spent every shekel she had on me. I want someone who would make the same kind of sacrifice for family, who sees family as the highest priority—above everything else. Sadly, the world’s become so materialistic. There are women out there who just want money.”
Do you worry that women might want to date you just for your money?
“Not really, because I can spot someone who’s only in it for the money from a mile away. I have sharp intuition—I can usually tell in one conversation. Thank God, I was blessed with the ability to read people. That said, I do understand I have money, and I see that as a positive thing. I don’t mind if a woman wants to enjoy that—there’s nothing wrong with it. It’s no different from me being attracted to beautiful women, but I wouldn’t date someone just because she’s beautiful. Beauty is a bonus. For me, money is the extra—I, Naor, am the main thing.
“That said, my future wife will have to sign a prenuptial agreement. That’s non-negotiable. Of course, she’ll be well taken care of—every few years she’ll receive a significant sum—but I can’t take the risk that I, someone worth a fortune, would date a woman who might cheat, leave me and walk away with 50 percent. That’s absurd.”
How do you usually meet women?
“That changed after I became known. I used to have no problem approaching someone at a café or even on the street. Today, I’m more guarded. I want something real, so I usually meet people through mutual friends. Some women reach out on Instagram, but I rarely reply—unless I’m really drawn to them. At the end of the day, I want a woman who’s simple and genuine, someone to build an old-school kind of love with—the kind that lasts forever. When problems come up, you fix them—you don’t replace the person.”
Do you prefer someone well-known or someone more low-key?
“You can’t choose who you fall in love with. Love is a feeling—it just happens. I’ve dated some of the most beautiful women in the world, even back when I had no money. I’ve had several serious relationships because I really believe in partnership. But I also know quickly whether something has a future or not.
“I once dated a Jewish woman abroad and we had a dream relationship. We traveled the world for months. But eventually, I felt I didn’t love her enough. Still, I have nothing bad to say about any of my exes. I’ve fallen in love more than once, and every woman I’ve dated was amazing—but sometimes it just runs its course.”
In business, you work with logic. How about in relationships?
“It’s a mix of heart and mind. I don’t have a checklist, but it’s important to me that my partner fulfills herself, has motivation and does what brings her joy. Whether she’s rich or poor, has a degree or doesn’t—that doesn’t really matter to me. It adds nothing, it changes nothing. What does matter is that she understands that the core of life is family—above career, above everything. Growing up with just my mother, I learned that a father can’t give what a mother can, and vice versa.
“My biggest dream is to have a happy, united family. I want my kids and me to have warm meals at home. Sure, you can order in, but to me, cooking is a way to show care and love. I’d love a woman who, instead of buying another 20,000-shekel Louis Vuitton bag, also donates to charities and volunteers. I want a woman who knows what really matters in life, who wants to build a Jewish home—with Friday night blessings and tradition. I’m very connected to faith. I put on tefillin, I go to synagogue. If I find the right one, I believe it’ll move fast—marriage, family. That’s how I live my life—‘all in.’ Same goes for love.”
What’s your biggest flaw?
“I always see the potential in people—even when it ends up hurting me.”
What is love, to you?
“An emotion that depends on nothing.”
Do you believe in love at first sight?
“Yes. Some souls recognize each other before their eyes even meet.”
When was the last time your heart broke?
“When I buried my rooster—my lucky charm. He was with me through all my victories.”
What have you learned about yourself from relationships?
“That I need a strong woman by my side—someone who won’t be intimidated by my intensity.”
What’s the most important ingredient in a relationship?
“Loyalty. If there’s trust, you can build an empire and reach the top together.”
What offends you?
“When people think everything came easy for me—without realizing how hard I fought to get here.”
Describe your ideal partner.
“She wakes up next to me with a look in her eyes that reminds me why I fight every day. She’s a future mother with soul, the brain of a CEO and the heart of an angel. At night, we have a quiet dinner at home, we laugh, talk and travel the world together.”
Any deal-breakers?
“Lies, manipulation, laziness and lack of compassion for the vulnerable—because I’ll never forget where I came from.”
Smoking?
“Preferably not.”
Preferred age range?
“Up to 25.”
Would you date a divorcée or a mother?
“Yes. If she has a pure heart and a strong mind, I see only the soul.”
Worst date you’ve had?
“She couldn’t take her eyes off her phone. I felt like I didn’t exist.”
Describe your perfect date.
“A quiet dinner by the sea, no masks, followed by a nighttime walk—and maybe a spontaneous flight to a peaceful island. A mix of depth and adventure.”
Should a man pay on the first date?
“Yes. Not because he has to—because he wants to.”
What do you do in your free time?
“I donate, read, volunteer, create and build a future that will allow me to become the greatest Jewish philanthropist in the world.”
Your favorite place?
“My late mother’s gravesite. That’s where I tell all my secrets and speak to God.”
What makes you laugh?
“When people think they can reach the top without putting in the work.”
When was the last time you cried?
“At my mother’s memorial, during a Torah class with Rabbi Yoshiyahu Pinto. It’s a pain that stays with you for life.”
How close are you with your family?
“The people of Israel are my family.”
Who were you in a past life?
“King Solomon—a blend of divine wisdom, justice, wealth and the ability to touch the hearts of nations through words.”
Last show you binged?
“Learning Gemara is better than any series.”
What’s on your playlist?
“Everything—from Zohar Argov to classical music.”
One thing no one knows about you?
“I think about the hostages every night before I go to sleep.”
How would your friends describe you?
“A top-performer who never forgets where he came from.”
What do you do on Friday nights?
“I pray at synagogue and make Kiddush at home with the people I love most.”
Where can someone approach you?
“On Friday night at synagogue—that’s when my heart is most open.”
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
“Married with children, leading global economic and social change and giving generously to the Jewish people.”
