In the spring of 2008, I finally tired of the “bar and nightclub” approach to the dating scene. Though I was quite apprehensive initially of finding my match online, JDate seemed like a far more appealing option than being forced into yet another synagogue fix-up courtesy of my mother and her gaggle of friends. Within 24 hours of making my profile and having my pictures approved, I had 10 or so messages from what can only be described as “nice, Jewish boys!” Yet immediately, one stood out of the pack…

His name was Ben, and he was everything I was looking for: funny, smart, could rock an episode of Jeopardy like no other, had a closeted love of watching Phantom Gourmet on weekend mornings, didn’t mind that sometimes I sing ‘80s power ballads in the car, shared my religious beliefs, was employed and could write in FULL SENTENCES! Score one for JDate!

Our first dates were the best dates of my life, and we both knew fairly quickly that this might be “it.” Oddly enough, we also discovered (through the art of “Jewish Geography”) that we attended the same birthday parties as children through a mutual family friend. It was very odd to find actual photographic evidence of us being within 10 feet of each other at the age of 7. Beshert? Definitely.

Within a few months we were planning to move in together, and we adopted our first “child,” Thelma the pug mix. Then, almost two years after our first original JDate correspondence, Ben proposed to me in the middle of the Massachusetts Avenue Bridge in March of 2010. On September 24th of 2011, we got married at Wentworth By The Sea in Rye, New Hampshire. I found my best friend and I get to spend my life with him…and I only have JDate to thank.

Lindsey and Ben
Charlestown, Massachusetts