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exclusive


 ‘ANTISEMITIC’ DATING APP HINGE BANNED ME FOR ISRAELI ARMY PIC, SAYS TECH
FOUNDER WHO SPENT MONTHS FIGHTING HAMAS

By Doree Lewak

Published Feb. 25, 2024, 3:36 p.m. ET

A startup founder says the popular dating app Hinge permanently banned him after
he posted a profile picture dressed in his Israeli military uniform toting a
machine gun.

Noy Leyb blames antisemitism for his expulsion from Hinge and Tinder, which are
both owned by Match Group, and has demanded an explanation. 

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The hunky New Yorker returned home earlier this month after more than four
months fighting Hamas with his elite reserves unit in the Israel Defense Forces.

7
Tech startup founder Noy Leyb claims the dating app Hinge banned him after he
posted a picture of himself in his Israeli military uniform with a gun. HINGE

He told The Post he was “shocked” and “disappointed” when the popular dating app
informed him that he was “in violation” of its terms and guidelines.

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The site didn’t identify what the violation was, but Leyb is convinced it was
because of his IDF uniform picture.


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“This is the dating app that bills itself as the one ‘designed to be deleted,’”
the 32-year-old fumed. “But I was the one who wound up being deleted.”

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On Oct. 7, he dropped everything “out of necessity rather than desire” when he
saw the carnage unfolding and decided within hours to leave his cushy life in
New York to “fight Hamas and bring our hostages back home.” 

After returning from war, Leyb said he was looking forward to resuming his
“regular” life that was sidelined, including dating.

7
The notice Leyb received from Hinge about his account being removed. HINGE
7
Leyb’s appeal to reactivate his account was denied. HINGE

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“Finding love is my top priority,” said the five-foot-eleven University of
Michigan grad. Leyb added that he wants to start a Jewish family.

He said that the philosophy of Hinge, which involves multiple prompts in an
effort to match people based on core beliefs, inspired him to post a recent
picture of himself in uniform and holding a machine gun called a Negev, with a
caption that said he’s proud of his Israeli service.

But within days of returning to New York and checking the app, he was suddenly
banned from Hinge, along with sister company, Tinder. Both sites are owned by
Match Group. 

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7
Leyb spent four months fighting against Hamas. Noy Leyb/Facebook

“I’m not one to blame antisemitism right away, but this is it. Nothing else
explains this,” he said. “I’ve never done anything wrong.” 

The tech founder immediately appealed the unceremonious ban, writing to the
company: “I have never disrespected anyone on this platform. The only reason why
I see Hinge removing my profile is because I’m Jewish, and whoever was
responsible for my removal is antisemitic.”

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The IDF reservist suspected that the flimsy basis for his ban rests with Hinge’s
terms – that “members will not promote physical, emotional, and psychological
abuse, harm, harassment, hate or discrimination” – but insisted that he’s done
nothing wrong. 

7
Leyb’s Tinder profile was also banned.

“If I had said something inappropriate, or put a fake picture or lied about
something – which people do and still don’t get banned – I would maybe
understand,” he said. 

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“But every conversation has been respectful. Nothing was mentioned about Gaza or
fighting Hamas. Nothing.”

An email from the Hinge Trust & Safety Team claimed that Leyb was “in violation
of our Terms of Service and our Community Guidelines. Therefore your account
will remain banned. This decision is informed and final and subsequent appeals
will not be considered.”

7
Leyb said his violation wasn’t identified by the app. HINGE

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Match Group did not respond to a request for comment on Sunday.

“The only thing on my profile that’s changed is my picture,” said an exasperated
Leyb. 

While serving in the Israeli military, he built a formidable social media
presence with nearly 25,000 Instagram followers, who gobbled up his posts about
subsisting on cans of tuna, rescuing abandoned dogs in Gaza and videos revealing
storehouses full of guns, grenades, and rockets in Palestinian preschools. 

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Military service and online dating has been somewhat of a landmine in recent
years, as some servicemen reported instances of hostility and accusations, such
as an opening line asking, “How many people have you killed?”

But Leyb chalked up the baseless hatred to “anti-Israel propaganda,” which he
said felt pervasive once he returned to New York. 

“Friends are removing the mezuzahs outside their doors and changing their names”
to less Jewish-sounding ones on ride-sharing apps, out of fear of an unprovoked
attack, he said. 

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7
The New Yorker blames antisemitism for his accounts getting deleted. Noy
Leyb/Facebook

“People are scared. But I’m proud to be a Jew and proud of my service fighting
after my people went through a nightmare – torture, rape, and murder – simply
for their Jewish identity.”

Leyb said he’s prepared to share the reality of what he saw in Gaza. 

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“I made an extra effort to look for signs of peace everywhere, but hope was
scarce,” he said. “Nearly every home we searched showed support for Hamas –
weapons concealed under beds, maps revealing terror tunnels, and even symbols of
Hamas displayed proudly on flags or hats.” 

What broke his heart was encountering the empty bedroom of a young girl in
northern Gaza that was painted pink with butterflies on one wall, and had photos
of convicted terrorists on the other. “I couldn’t help but wonder why this
little girl looked up to these monsters instead of looking up to inspiring
women, athletes or even celebrities,” Leyb said.

What do you think? Post a comment.

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Before he returns to Israel to fight later in the spring, Leyb, who lamented how
political activism bleeds “into everything – even dating,” is committed to
touring the US and speak to non-Jewish groups, hoping to educate them about the
reality for Jews in Israel and around the world. 

“The pervasive hatred towards Jews in Gaza, fueled by Hamas propaganda, must be
stopped—both in Gaza and around the world.”

And, maybe, he said, he’ll have time to meet the girl of his dreams, too. He’ll
just have to find her the old-fashioned way.


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Filed under antisemitism ,  dating apps ,  hamas ,  hinge ,  israel , 
Israel-Hamas war ,  new york city ,  tinder ,  2/25/24
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