It’s been nearly four years since Danielle, 26, and Shlomo Meyers, 32, tied the knot. The couple, who have Down syndrome, met via a matchmaker in 2012. After two years of dating, Shlomo finally popped the question. Eight months later, they were married at the Warner Center Marriott Woodland Hills, surrounded by hundreds of friends and family members. It was a hot June day, but they both agreed it was the best day of their lives.
Today, Danielle and Shlomo are your typical Orthodox couple living in the Pico-Robertson area. She wears a head covering, and he wears a yarmulke.
Both have jobs in the Jewish community, Shlomo as a physical education assistant at Maimonides Academy and Danielle as a preschool aide at Yeshiva Aharon Yaakov Ohr Eliyahu Academy. Danielle volunteers regularly at ETTA (a nonprofit that provides a wide spectrum of services for Jewish adults with special needs) – “because I grew up with them” – where she gets to teach Zumba at ETTA’s summer camp. For Shlomo, who moved to Los Angeles to be with Danielle (his family lives in Chicago), he’s still adapting to life in the city. “I have to live far, far away from my own family,” Shlomo said. “It is hard to move away from your family. It’s bittersweet.” Shlomo hopes to pursue a career in public speaking and become even more connected with the local Jewish community this year, and Danielle hopes to teach more Zumba classes at ETTA’s summer camp this year.
As they steer through life, they serve as support for one another. “My favorite thing in life is to see her smile,” Shlomo said about Danielle, who was sitting beside him, beaming.
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