"Doesn’t he realize a first date should be three hours, max? How well do you know him? Is he a normal person? I’m really worried that something happened to them!"

Shani Leiman with Zivia Reischer

It was 11 p.m. when the phone rang. I glanced at the screen. Rina’s mother. She’s probably calling to report on the date, I figured.

Rina had gone out with Yosef for the first time that evening. Fleetingly, I wondered why Rina wasn’t calling herself. At 25, she usually called me directly.

The first thing Rina’s mother said was, “Have you heard from Yosef?”

“Not yet,” I replied. “But don’t worry, that doesn’t mean he didn’t like her, it could be he just got home and…”

“Just got home?” she interrupted. “Mrs. Leiman, he picked her up at 5:30. It’s a first date. It’s after 11 now and Rina’s not back yet!”

“I…”

“I’ve never heard of something so crazy in my life!” Rina’s mother fumed. “It’s their first date, for goodness sake. It’s almost six hours! Is he a new dater? Doesn’t he realize a first date should be three hours, max? How well do you know him? Is he a normal person? I’m really worried that something happened to them! Can you get through to him on his phone? Should I send my husband to look for them? If she doesn’t walk through the door in the next five minutes, I’m calling the police!”