R & E

In 2011, Reva walked into a new school—SOCES—ready for a fresh start but unaware that she was about to reconnect with someone who would change her life. Among the sea of unfamiliar faces, one stood out: Emil. He was funny, sweet, and effortlessly made people laugh, and from the moment they met, there was an instant connection. Emil, on the other hand, couldn’t help but notice how beautiful Reva was. There was something about her presence that felt warm and inviting, and as they talked, he quickly realized she wasn’t just beautiful—she was sweet and kind, the type of person who made others feel comfortable just by being around her. As they started talking, something strange happened. They felt like they already knew each other. A few quick questions later, everything clicked—they had met before. Their families went to the same Temple, and they had even attended the same Hebrew School. It was a funny, unexpected realization, like discovering a piece of their past had been hiding in plain sight. From that moment on, their friendship grew naturally. They became part of the same friend group, spending nearly every day together. At one point, they even went to a high school dance together. But, being the awkward teenagers they were, nothing really came of it. Even so, there was always something lingering beneath the surface—an unspoken feeling they both carried, even as they remained just friends. Then came the night that changed everything. A group outing, nothing out of the ordinary—until their closest friends decided to drop a truth bomb. It turned out, neither of them had been as subtle as they thought. Their friends saw it, and they finally said it out loud: Reva and Emil still liked each other. That moment cracked open what had been hidden for so long, and from then on, things were different. That night started it all. Soon after, Emil asked Reva to be his girlfriend, making it official. High school turned into late-night talks, shared adventures, and the kind of deep understanding that only comes from truly knowing someone. After high school, Reva went to CSUN while Emil went to SMC. They still lived close and spent as much time together as they could, but they always wished for more. And then, just like Reva had once unknowingly walked into Emil’s world at SOCES, Emil made the decision to transfer to CSUN—stepping into her world this time. With Emil now at CSUN, they got to share even more of their daily lives. They made the most of their college years together—carpooling, grabbing lunch between classes, and finding little moments in their busy schedules just to be together. It was another chapter of their story, another time when one of them took a step to be closer to the other. After graduation, life took them in different directions. Emil moved away to work with the Navy as a Software Developer in the middle of nowhere, while Reva pursued her passion for helping others by going to Grad School in Nevada to become an Occupational Therapist. Even though they were miles apart, they never let the distance come between them. They stayed together, making time to see each other whenever they could, no matter how challenging it was. Years passed, filled with long drives to visit each other, late-night phone calls, and the determination to make it work. Then, finally, the moment they had been waiting for arrived—after earning her Doctorate in Occupational Therapy, Reva moved back to California to live with Emil. They took a trip to Palm Springs, a memorable place for them, and Emil planned the perfect proposal. Surrounded by a place filled with special memories, Reva said YES—the start of their new chapter. Currently, Reva works as an Occupational Therapist at a Hand Therapy Clinic, and Emil works as a Software Developer with the Navy. They are so excited for their upcoming wedding and cannot wait to celebrate with everyone!