Was it Love at First Sight?

My husband and I marked a special anniversary this week– 33 years ago, we met on a blind date, in Jerusalem by the windmill of Yemin Moshe (yes, across from the King Solomon Hotel), and our whole lives changed.

Was it love at first sight? No. We actually had to be pushed into our next date. But this is what I do remember about that fateful night:

The date was on Motzei Shabbat, Saturday night after Shabbat ended. It was also the last day of Chanukah that day, with last candle being lit Friday night. What do you say to someone on a date whom you have never met? I asked him, “Who did you spend Shabbos with?”

He told me about his friend, Yossi Tal, and his family. He described him in a most special way. I remember thinking, I may never see this man again, but it is clear he is someone who deeply appreciates people.

Thankfully when we got back to my husband’s other friend who had set us up, although we were both not seeing fireworks, we were convinced to move to date #2. Same scenario, and I, for sure, had to be pushed to date #3.

On date #3, I knew I was going to spend the rest of my life with him. Not only did we share the same values and wanted to dedicate our lives to strengthening the Jewish people– he got me. It was clear he saw the personality and energy others saw, but he saw even more, and that I could be even more.

How many people really get you?

So here we are now, 33 years later, five kids, three in-law kids, one granddaughter, and living just a 15 min walk from our first date. And still trying to change the world, one Jewish family at a time.

Feeling blessed.