Jonathan (then called “Yoni”) was a graduate of the Mador Program at Poconos and was assigned (against his wishes, since he was a Poconos camper) to Berkshires. Sharon had been a madricha the year before at Berkshires and, though a year younger than Jonathan, was a seasoned second-year madricha.

On the first day of staff week, the rosh edah convened a meeting of Machaneh Alef madrichim in Jonathan’s bunk. Jonathan spotted this cute redhead, though he wasn’t sure about a madricha who had never been a Madornik.  Sharon accidentally left her raincoat in the bunk after the meeting.  Jonathan saw that as a sign and determined to return the coat chivalrously that evening at the Shabbat dance. As Jonathan was about to lose his nerve to approach Sharon with the coat, she came up to him and convinced him to join her in the “yesh lanu tayish” line dance.

That was their first night as a Ramah couple, and they continue to think of themselves that way. Their two children both attended Ramah (New England and Poconos), and they hope that their grandchildren (one now 7 months and one on the way) also will someday. Sharon and Jonathan celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary on June 25, 2005.