We met for the first time in passing in August 2021 during lunch at the first Shabbat service at which IKAR served lunch following the pandemic. Gina was intrigued by something that Rachel said, but knowing nothing else about Rachel, she had no idea how they would ever reconnect. Rachel was ignorant of Gina's intrigue, and was too shy to get to know Gina further.

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Over a year later, we found ourselves at the same table at several Shabbat lunches thanks to friends in overlapping circles. After several months of getting to know each other, flirting cautiously, and (what we later learned was mutual) pining, we went on our first date. With a mutual love for DIY projects, we made a shoebox projector, had falafel, and tested out our handy-work. We watched a full movie despite the grainy resolution and tinny sound on our DIY projector.

 

From there we unknowingly instated our weekly date night, making the trek through rush hour traffic to spend the evening together after work once a week. Weekly date night is still an anticipated part of our routine (minus trekking through rush hour traffic to get to each other). We love our Shabbat hang-outs with friends, playing board games, spontaneous coffee shop work-from-home parties, climbing, crafting, hiking, eating ice cream, and going on adventures around LA. Most of all we love coming home to each other, unwinding over dinner, and going to bed together every night.