Jewish Post, Indianapolis, Marion County, 22 January 2003 — Page 13

January 22. 2003 IN 13

Love

Continued from page 11 pick me up at the airport. She seemed very excited that I was jetting halfway across the country just to spend a few days with her. Mrs. Braunstein had laid out a delicious Shabbat meal, which included a traditional menu plus an assortment of Romanian delicacies. Simona and I did find the opportunity to be alone, and I used the time to open my heart to her. I explained that I had fallen in love with her and that I felt differently about her than about any other woman I had ever known. Even though she was only 21 years old, Simona knew her mind. She told me that she liked me because I seemed more mature and settled than the other men she had dated, but she needed some time to think things over. She was working as a medical assistant in a doctor's office and was

scheduled to receive some vacation time soon. I insisted that she come to Minneapolis to meet my family during her vacation. After arriving back home, 1 sent Simona an airline ticket, and she flew to Minneapolis in mid-June. I showed her the city and introduced her to everyone as my "girlfriend." This was really the first time we were able to enjoy long stretches of time together. We went on picnics in the countryside and really got very romantically involved. Although there was no formal proposal, we both gradually came to regard our engagement as a fait accompli. But I knew there was one more step that 1 needed to take in order to make if official. 1 had to talk to my father. I opened with, "So, Tatu, what do you think of Simona?" "A wonderful girl. A true beauty," he replied. "Can we talk ‘tachlis’ (talk turkey)?"

"Sure," I said. "You like her? I mean, you really like her?" "I sure do, Tatu," I replied. "Then you ought to be married. But first, I want to talk to her mother. Dial up the telephone, Hetche," he instructed. I did as he asked and soon had Simona's mother on the phone. I handed the receiver to Dad and he introduced himself in Yiddish. "Well, it looks like the kids love each other," he said bluntly. "I am too sick to move from here, Mrs. Braunstein, so 1 would be very grateful if you could find the time to come here to Minneapolis to discuss the 'shidduch' (match) and let's 'shreib t'noyim' (write a marriage contract)." They worked out the details, and within a few days Simona's mother arrived in Minneapolis. Although there was no actual wedding dowry, and despite the fact

that Simona and I had met each other on our own, our nuptials still had many of the old-world trappings of a shtetlstyle arranged marriage. On July 30,1961, some three months after our first meeting, Simona and I were wed, and

the most important partnership of my life was launched - a partnership that has lasted, as of this writing, for over 40 wonderful years. Abridged with permission from "/ Shall Not Die!" by Hart N. Hasten.

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