Screw Olmert, Here’s a Lovely Love Story

I say, who cares about Olmert when you’ve got love and marriage?

The venerable New York Times brings us the charming story of Jordana Zakim and Justin Blitz who were married on April 28. For those who care, the rabbis officiating seem to be of the Reform and Conservative persuasion, but I’m sure few of you care. Interestingly, one of the rabbis, Rabbi Arnold Mark Belzer, is the rabbi in Savannah, GA of Mickve Israel synagogue. As far as I can tell, this is a Reform synagogue with roots going back to the early 1700s (!!!!!!). Here’s a section from their lovely website, which greets all comers with a “Shalom Y’all:”

The early difficulties encountered in constructing a synagogue building are evident in a letter by the Reverend Bolzius, minister to the Salzburgers, in 1739 to a friend in Germany. He wrote:

Even the Jews, of whom several families are here already, enjoy all privileges the same as other colonists. Some call themselves Spanish and Portuguese, others call themselves German Jews. The latter speak High German and differ from the former in their religious services and to some extent in other matters as well, as the former do not seem to take it so particular in regard to the dietary laws and other Jewish ceremonies. They have no Synagogue, which is their own fault; the one element hindering the other in this regard. The German Jews believe themselves entitled to build a Synagogue and are willing to allow the Spanish Jews to use it with them in common, the latter, however, reject any such arrangement and demand the preference for themselves.

They seem to have gotten over their difficulties about 80 years later and finally got around to building their synagogue by 1820. Who says the Jewish community can’t get its act together when they put their minds to it? The congregation still exists and apparently Rabbi Belzer has been there for 34 years. It should be noted that his son is a lawyer in Savannah.

I bring up his being a lawyer because lots of lawyers populate this story. Both Jordana and Justin’s daddies are attorneys – hers seems to be involved in real estate while his is a personal injury lawyer. They also share some other elements of their upbringing. For example, they met as teenagers when she was attending Point O’Pines all girl camp on Brant Lake in the Adirondacks and Justin was attending Brant Lake all boy sports camp on Brant Lake in the Adirondacks. When they met, he promptly foisted her upon his buddy, thus leaving a poor first impression on the young lady in question. The venerable NY Times does not inform us whether said young lady and said buddy enjoyed each other’s company.

Upon departing their respective camps, Jordana and Justin returned home to their respective schools. He to Columbia Grammar and Prep in New York, and she to Saddle River Day School in New Jersey. Saddle River clearly takes its educational mission seriously as we note from its Admissions page where they claim that Saddle River Day School is “a place to be somebody.”

Well, one of their somebodies graduated from Columbia University while the somebody she has just married attended George Washington U in DC before returning to NY Law School and joining his father at his firm, the sorta eponymously named Shandell, Blitz, Blitz & Bookson. While it’s still a tad early in Justin Blitz’s legal career, one can safely assume from his bio and recent trial victories that he is well on the way to making Shandell, Blitz, Blitz & Bookson, into Shandell, Blitz, Blitz, Bookson & Blitz or Shandell, Blitz, Blitz, Blitz & Bookson or, if we can just get Mr. Shandell and Ms. Shoshana Bookson to retire early, one could easily envision a future Blitz, Blitz & Blitz LLP.**

Well, the couple moved in similar circles it seems but for a long time Jordana, who has become manager of special events for Coach in NYC, had little interest in Justin because he dissed her back in the day. Trust me, I know how hard it is to give up teen grudges or to change one’s opinion of a person you knew back in middle or high school. Fortunately (well, unfortunately except for the young couple), a sad event, the untimely death of a friend, was the catalyst to their re-evaluating the possibility of a relationship. As the venerable NY Times tells us, Jordana was willing to forgive the slight from the days of camp in the Adirondacks and to go out with Justin:

“I ran into him one night in the Hamptons, where he glued himself to my side,” Ms. Zakim said. “I was intrigued, but annoyed. I was single and wanted to talk to other gentlemen.”

That night, a mutual friend died in a car accident. Ms. Zakim and Mr. Blitz each other again at the funeral and at a condolence call.

It wasn’t long before he asked her out. This time she accepted. “The funeral and all the tragic events brought all our friends together, and it made me a little more reflective and emotional than usual,” she said. “In the wake of that, I decided to give Justin a chance and thought, ‘What do I have to lose?’ ”

Her reservations dissipated after a few dates, she said, and they became serious after a few months.

Now here is the money quote and the reason I say that we can screw Ehud Olmert cuz far more important things are happening in the universe at large. Here is Jordana:

“We were together for six years,” she said, “and now he is perfect.”

😆

Tell me that sense of humor doesn’t warm the cockles of your heart.

Jordana sounds like a lovely girl and this photo on page 3 shows us the lovely couple prior to the wedding and they look charming, charmed, happy and like the hopeful future parents of some lovely babies (okay, maybe it’s a tad early, but don’t wait too long or we’ll get one of our commenters, Jewish Mother, on your case). I wish them all the best and am certain the rest of the folks here at Jewlicious also wish the couple a long and happy life together, full of joy and children, prosperity, health (not in that order necessarily) and whatever else they’d like to have in their lives.

Shalom y’all!

** (Mr. Ashley and Mr. Milch, I am kidding, I hope you become name partners too! Please don’t sue me!)