"I can’t set her up with anyone else. I know who the right one is. We just have to wait for him"

Shani Leiman with Zivia Reischer

I liked Tzipi as soon as I met her. It was hard not to — what stood out about her was the easy way she related to people. She had a huge, light-up-her-face smile, and every conversation left the other person grinning too.

“So,” she asked me, as our get-to-know-you session wound down, “do you have any ideas for me?”

I did. She reminded me of a boy I’d seen at many events at my husband’s yeshivah. I’d never spoken to him for more than a few seconds (“Thank you so much for your help”; “My pleasure, anytime,”) but I’d observed enough of his interactions with the people around him to know that he was perfect for Tzipi, and she was perfect for him.

“Actually, Tzipi, I know a guy that is literally your other half. He’s perfect for you. Let me contact him and see what we can do.”

I asked around and eventually got a hold of Mordy Saltzman’s number. I told him I’d met a girl who I thought was great for him and wanted to know if he was dating.

“Mrs. Leiman,” he said in disbelief, “first of all, I’m not dating yet — not until after Pesach at least. But besides that, you don’t even know me!”

“That’s true,” I admitted, “but I’ve seen you interacting with people, helping in the yeshivah, and I feel like I get your personality.”

“Fine,” he said, sounding skeptical and amused. “So we can be in touch later. Right now I’m not in the parshah.”

Pesach was about eight months away. I made it an annoying habit to text him at least once a month, just to check in. (Any upDATE?)

Tzipi’s mother texted me often in those eight months too.

Any ideas for Tzipi?

I have one idea, I replied every time. But he’s not dating yet.

Any other ideas?

I can’t set her up with anyone else. I just know who the right one is. We have to wait for him.