By Yakira Cohen
Features editor
@cohenyakira
Freshman engineering major Ezra Trost sat in the back of Rudy’s Cafe Monday evening with a blindfold on his face, at first for a minute—and then four more. When he finally heard someone say “hi” and removed the mask, Trost found himself face-to-face with his Mitzpeh Matchmaker date, freshman kinesiology major Maya Greenbaum. Here is their story:
What inspired you to sign up for Mitzpeh Matchmaker?
Maya: I read the previous articles and I was very entertained by them, and I saw you [Kira] posting in the Kedma [Facebook] group…and I was like you know what, I’m gonna help a girl out.
Ezra: I saw the post on Facebook and I just thought it would be fun to meet someone.
What were you expecting about the date going in?
M: I was very nervous, I was trying to find out all week who it was, I thought there were some signs sometimes during the week that I found the person, but alas it wasn’t.
E: I didn’t really know what to expect. I was wearing a blindfold…it was kinda weird, but you know.
What did your friends think when you told them you were going on a blind date?
M: They did not believe me…they laughed and then they told me that maybe I’ll find my husband here, and I said that is a very hopeful statement.
E: It’s weird because it’s not something that happens too much, especially on a college campus.
Would you say, after the blindfold was removed, that “you could see clearly” that your match was the one?
M: I was able to see clearly the whole time, but the blindfold made his eyesight a little bit blurry…maybe he just doesn’t have good eyesight, he wasn’t able to read the coffee signs. I don’t know if he wears glasses or contacts, I don’t know anything.
E: Yeah, I guess I could say that.
What did your date’s order say about their personality?
M: He did get coffee and he’s an engineering major, so maybe he’s tired?
E: She got some Lifebars…I think. Seemed like the healthy type of person.
*note: Maya got CLIF Bars. “Lifebars” only exist in Europe.
How would you rate your date, on a scale of one to Beyoncé and Jay-Z?
M: President Loh and his turtle pins…that’s a strong relationship, he cares about those pins.
E: I think it went pretty good.
What do you think your kids will be like?
M: They will probably be kindhearted individuals because he was nice. I’m a nice person, I think…maybe they’d be into some type of like creating prosthetics, because I do kinesiology and he does engineering…
E: She’s a STEM major and I’m a STEM major so probably super nerdy, I guess. Yeah, kinesiology’s a stem major. Definitely super nerdy.
Do you think you will go out again?
M: If he asked then probably yes. I rarely say no to things.
E: I mean, I think so. She’s really nice.
How has this date changed your life?
M: I’ve met another face in Hillel. And learned how to talk to someone I don’t know for an hour.
E: It was kinda fun to just like go out and meet someone like this. I’ve never really done a blind date sort of thing, so it was kinda fun.
*It should be noted that at the end of the interview, Greenbaum did not know Trost’s last name.
