Dean and Abby both went to Towson University, shared many of the same friends, and even frequented the same places. Dean was close with Abby’s sorority big and was often at her apartment—where Abby regularly hung out, too. They both attended the same Shabbat dinners most weekends and even had family living on the same street in Israel. Yet, somehow, their paths never crossed.

It wasn’t until June 2019, after Dean had graduated from Towson, that they finally met—in Israel, of all places.

Dean had just moved to Israel to join a startup program with an indefinite return date, while Abby was there on a Birthright trip. She decided to extend her trip with a group of friends, one of whom happened to be one of Dean’s fraternity brothers. Upon hearing that Dean was in Israel, his fraternity brother invited him to meet up with the group.

Dean remembers walking in and spotting Abby leaning against the balcony wall in her yellow tank top. He said hello, but Abby—uninterested—walked away. That didn’t stop Dean. He persisted, trying to talk to her and win her over throughout the night. Abby eventually gave in, and the two ended up spending the rest of the night walking the boardwalk of Tel Aviv until sunrise, creating their own little world together.

It was magical, but the timing was far from ideal. Abby still had two more years of school back in the U.S., while Dean had just settled into his new life in Israel. Thousands of miles apart, with no clear plan for the future, they decided to stay in touch.

The next three years weren’t easy—if you know, you know. Through distance, the pandemic, loss, and even heartbreak (*cough cough*), they always found their way back to each other. And, plot twist—they weren’t even officially dating yet.

It wasn’t until 2022, when their roles reversed—Abby moved to Israel to go to seminary (a place where Jewish girls learn about Judaism and spirituality), and Dean stayed in the U.S.—that everything finally fell into place. A month after Abby left for Israel, Dean confessed he wanted to be with her. He even took her dad out to dinner to ask for permission to be her boyfriend, knowing how serious this was. Two months later, Dean visited Israel with his family for a wedding, and the two had their long-awaited reunion. It was then that Dean told Abby he loved her and officially asked her to be his girlfriend.

FINALLY.

Two years later, at Abby’s happy place in Margate, NJ, Dean took her on a sunset walk along the beach. Surrounded by white roses and a breathtaking view, he got down on one knee and asked her to marry him.

All the moments we *almost* met but didn’t, it all happened exactly as it should have. Invisible string theory at its finest.

The rest is yet to come, and we can’t wait to share these next adventures with you!