Prospect Park Engagement: Congratulations Jordana and Jonathan!

Jordana and Jonathan both live in Brooklyn and love Prospect Park. We spent a beautiful autumn afternoon walking through the park and around the boathouse.

Jonathan shares, “When I met Jordana, I had been living in Brooklyn for a little over a year to attend NYU for a Ph.D. in Hebrew Bible and the Ancient Near East. At that point, I had been on my fair share of dates in search for the one. Jordana—having started med school at SUNY Downstate just two months prior—was new to the New York Jewish dating scene when she downloaded Coffee Meets Bagel. Jordana later told me that she had the app for less than a week when I got matched with her in October 2016. Actually, it was Jordana’s first and only Coffee Meets Bagel date. After a few messages back and forth, we decided to meet for coffee at Cafe Regular du Nord in Park Slope. It was drizzling that day, a perfect day to sip some hot coffee. On the date, we spoke about our lives, interests, families, and values. I was really struck by how easy it was to talk to Jordana and how comfortable we were with each other. To conclude our first date, we walked around for a little bit in Prospect Park—making it the perfect place to have our engagement photos taken. We met for a second date later that week and, with each subsequent date, I realized more and more the extent to which we connected on every level, just how perfectly compatible we are. I think it’s fair to say that we are thoroughly obsessed with each other.”

It was time to pop the question.

Jordana shares, “About a month before the proposal, Jonathan asked me to join him at the annual welcome party for his academic department at NYU over Labor Day weekend. Jonathan also told me he had training all day for his teaching assistant gig prior to the party. He said that the plan was for him to travel with his peers from training and meet me at a colleague’s apartment in Park Slope before we all headed to the party as one large group. Throughout the day, Jonathan texted me about the details of his training, fully convincing me that he was actually there. I got all ready for the party, hoping to make a good impression on Jonathan’s colleagues and professors.

After Jonathan told me that he had returned from training, he ordered me an Uber to meet him at his colleague’s apartment. I saw that the Uber was going near Café Regular du Nord, the café where we had our first date and thought it was a funny coincidence that the apartment was next door. As the Uber pulled up to its destination, Jonathan sent me a text, ‘Meet me where our paths first crossed.’ I was so oblivious—I realized nothing at this point and thought the cute text was Jonathan’s way of letting me know he was waiting by the café. When I got out of the car, I was pretty confused because Jonathan was nowhere in sight. I did see a photographer out of the corner of my eye, but assumed it was just a ‘Brooklyn thing.’ To my surprise, I looked into Cafe Regular du Nord and saw Jonathan standing inside smiling, waiting for me to come in. I opened the door to find the cafe decorated with flowers, framed pictures of the two of us, tea lights and rose petals. After professing his love to me, Jonathan got down on one knee and asked me to marry him—I said yes!”

Their laughter was infectious. How can you look at this photo and not smile!? You guys are so sweet and so full of love for each other—it was a joy to capture!