Happy Circumstance

Erin Falkowitz, 25, daughter of Ellen and Michael Falkowitz, and Jake Jundef, 26, son of Bracha and Moshe Jundef, met in the summer of 1997, long after the laws of probability say they should have. Both of them went to UC Santa Barbara and had numerous mutual friends — Jake had even dated a few of them. But it took some random circumstances to get the two acquainted and dating. Six years later, they’re engaged to be married.

"He was on the phone with our friend, Cydney, when I got to her house. She and I were supposed to go to the movies," Erin said.

When Erin tried to hurry Cydney off the phone, Jake wanted to know whose voice he was hearing, then demanded to speak with her.

"We were on the phone for more than an hour," Erin recalled. By the time she was off the phone, she’d missed the movie and Cydney had long since gone to bed.

"I closed up her house and went home," Erin said.

She had a date with Jake set for two nights later.

While the two had an instant rapport, they were also juniors in college. Jake was interested in pledging a fraternity, and wasn’t looking for a serious relationship. Their romantic relationship was on and off for the next few years.

Still, Erin said, "No matter what, we never went more than a few days without at least talking to each other."

Things got serious after a New Year’s Eve spent apart in 2001 when things were "off again." Erin went to Las Vegas with her girlfriends and a guy she was dating. When she came back, Jake told her he wanted to get back together. A year and a half later, Jake knew he wanted Erin to be his wife.

"No one can really tell you when to do it and when not to do it. You just know," Jake said.

For her part, Erin said she was completely surprised by the proposal — she actually thought it was a practical joke.

"Once you know Jake, he’s kind of a jokester," she said. "I asked him if it was real," she said with a smile.

Once she knew it was, she made him ask her again before she said yes.

Erin is a junior account executive at Guttman Associates, and Jake is an account executive at JMPR Public Relations. They will be married on June 28, 2003, at Temple Ramat Zion in Northridge. Rabbi Micah Caplan will officiate the ceremony.

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