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volunteering for love by nina polien light
PHOTO/RUTH DECURTIS
a helping hand can lead to a hand in marriage Big Sisters until 2003, when she took time off to be with her daughters, is returning to the working world as a personal trainer. She also serves on the volunteer board of Jewish Big Brother Big Sister Association.
DIRECTOR of volunteers Joanna (Golden) Wyner was the only Jewish staff member at Big Brothers Big Sisters Association of Cleveland. “I wanted to marry some one Jewish,” she says. Still, she In 1984, Judith Siegel was a wasn’t searching for a husband divorced mother of two young on the job, and besides, few children “with no social agenda” Jews volunteered for the organand a job as assistant executive ization. director of Montefiore. Newly One day, however, a codivorced Howard Siegel was the worker invited her banker to father of four grown daughters. one of Joanna’s orientation ses“Howard was (volunteer) sions, and he registered as a chairman of the long-range volunteer. planning committee,” Judith “I expected a stereotypical recalls. “At the annual meeting, banker with a suit and tie,” we happened to sit together. He Joanna admits. “But he was called me at work and asked me young, cute, and Jewish with a out after that. I thought, ‘I can’t goatee.” go out with you; I can’t fraterMatt Wyner stayed after the nize with the board.’ But we did session to chat with Joanna, and go out, and that was it. I didn’t the two discovered they had When employee Joanna Golden met volunteer Matt Wyner at a Big think I could love or trust anymuch in common. Brothers Big Sisters orientation, she had no idea the two would one again, but there he was. It “My aunt was in a play eventually meet under a chupah. was one of those beshert (pregroup with his mother when their kids were babies,” Joanna relates. “We were at my cousin’s destined) kinds of things.” The following June, the couple’s children held a chupah over birthday party together in high school, but we didn’t know it. Then we figured out we worked at Anisfield (Day Camp) at the same their parents in the garden of Howard’s brother. Anshe Chesed time. I was assistant boating instructor, and he was a counselor. I Fairmount Temple’s Rabbi Stuart Gertman officiated at the ceremoknew the kids in his group, but I didn’t know him. So we probably ny. A klezmer band played music. As the Shaker Heights couple approaches their 25th anniversary, met a half dozen times throughout our lives, and it didn’t register.” A few days after being reacquainted, the couple went on their they feel blessed to have each other, six children and eight grandfirst date, to Raintree Restaurant in Chagrin Falls. “He said he knew children. Judith advises singles, even if they aren’t actively searching for after our first date,” Joanna says. “I was pretty sure but not 100%.” love, to remain open to the possibility. But after their second date and first kiss, “we both knew without “Getting active in the community is a very good way to find question.” your beshert,” she confides. The couple married on May 5, 2002, at Lake Forest County Club. Rabbi Stephen Weiss from B’nai Jeshurun Congregation officiated. Today, the couple lives in Solon with their 5-1/2-year-old twin girls. Matt works at KeyBank. Joanna, who stayed with Big Brothers 62
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WEDDI NGS 2010
Scott Newman, then in his early 30s, was working in sales without any expectation of getting married. Searching for “balance” in