Dear JDate,

I had been on and off JDate a couple of times — a month here, a month there — scanning the world for possibilities because it didn’t seem as though “she” was living in South Florida near me. I felt I had the right approach — you needed a good sense of humor if you were going to put your faith and future on the line for each date with someone you only knew through the Web.

Reading the profiles was often humorous — nothing personal, just that everyone I read about was “laid back, worked out and could enjoy an evening dressed up or in jeans.” I was looking for a woman that was a little more creative, had a little more of an edge and enjoyed taking risks.

Was I in for a surprise! I realized that just dating only online might not work for me. It might be great for others, but I needed to see a woman’s smile and feel that vibe when you just know. So, my brother and I took off for a JDate Travel adventure at Club Med Cancun. What could be better than a little sun, a little drinking, a little dancing and hanging with a group of Jews? It was actually the second trip we went on. My brother plays guitar for Club Med when he’s not taking care of kids at Children’s National Hospital in D.C. (and yes, ladies, he is available but is still a little JDate-shy), so it was easy for us to mingle and make friends. The pressure was off. Everyone was having a great time relaxing. It almost seemed as though meeting “the one” was not the priority. And we all know what happens when you’re not looking…

Our story really didn’t start off all that romantically. We were three days into our 5-day July 4th trip when fate took over. My brother had an unfortunate accident — he fell off the stage while finishing his first set at an outdoor dinner by the ocean. It was a long night in a Mexican hospital trying to speak Spanish, and my brother had an emergency ankle surgery plus plenty of pain killers. I was wheeling him past the Club Med front desk the next afternoon, ready to get back to the party and shake off the night, when Trudy walked up. I hadn’t seen her yet on the trip. Trudy had heard what had happened. She stopped us before heading in to town to make sure my brother was okay. We found out later that she stopped us just to get a closer look at me.

Later that night, after enjoying some great guitar, Trudy and I finally got a chance to talk, and we haven’t stopped since. We spent hours that night getting to know one another and then all the next day — thirty-six fantastic hours together before it was time to leave. I headed back to South Florida, and she headed back home to Los Angeles. She slipped a note in my back pocket and told me not to read it until I got on the plane. The anticipation was killing me, but I waited. Of course, I still have that first note.

Before she landed in L.A., we had made plans to see each other again. Most would assume that our distance alone would make being together impossible, but I had found my beautiful Jewish princess who was creative, had that extra little edge and, fortunately, took risks.

Four months later, after long weekends in L.A., visits to South Florida, visits to her hometown of Vancouver, and trips to D.C. to hang out with my brother (whom we owe this all to), Trudy paclked up her wonderful L.A. life and took one last risk. She risked everything she had for us and moved in with me. We got engaged after nine months and were married in March 2007. She is my soul mate.

My life has never been so fulfilled, so complete, so risk-free. There is so much more to tell, and this is only the beginning.

Thank you!

Trudy & Seth
Hollywood, Florida and Los Angeles, California