It was an ordinary day in the middle of fifth grade when the teacher opened the door and said, “Meet the new student in class – Margalit.” She was stunning, with a blonde ponytail, blue eyes, and a white dress with red polka dots – or maybe it was a red dress with white polka dots? I don’t remember exactly.
But one thing I do remember: I looked at her and told myself, “She’ll be mine.” I took on a little project – one that I didn’t realize would last a lifetime – to make sure our paths never separated. I succeeded in my project beyond anything I imagined.
When people ask me, after 60 years of marriage and 70 years of love, how we stayed so happy for so long, my answer is always simple: Do exactly what helped me win Margalit’s heart back then – just updated for today. The secret hasn’t changed: surprise each other, give compliments, allow space, and always remember to hold hands even after the movie ends. The little things that made a difference in our youth keep us together today.
Back then, I used to tease her and pull her ponytail, convinced that was the best way to capture her heart. The teacher, who clearly understood something about childhood crushes, told her, “It’s because he likes you.” She was right.
Margalit lived in a religious neighborhood in Netanya, and I lived in Beit Yitzhak. To see her, I would ride my bike to her neighborhood, just for a small smile that made every effort worth it. Even then, I knew humor was the key to her heart. That hasn’t changed. I may not ride my bike for her anymore, but I help around the house – and always toss in a joke to make her smile, just like I used to.
A love that transcends decades
IN EIGHTH grade, we went to different schools, but we never lost touch. We exchanged letters through mutual friends from my village who studied at her school. I hadn’t dared to write that I loved her – it was still too early – but we had a regular tradition: after school at the youth movement, and on Saturdays at 5 p.m. sharp at Sharon Cinema in Netanya. We sat hand in hand, watching Indian movies, feeling every emotion deeply, shedding tears of joy and empathy together. Today, we still sit hand in hand – both in the cinema and during lectures – and discuss them afterward.
In the army, we were good friends but not officially a couple, even though we both knew we were in love. I was drafted into the Israel Air Force pilot training course, and Margalit studied at The National Institute for Sport Excellence. I came home only once a month, while Israel’s top athletes courted her endlessly. She certainly enjoyed the attention.
When I dropped out of the pilot training course after two years, she was drafted as a squad commander – and fate brought us to serve on the same base. I made a point of personally delivering the packages her mother sent, ensuring each one reached her with a personal touch. It was a small gesture, but even today, the little things – like tucking her hair behind her ear – are how I say “I love you” without words and let everyone know she’s with me.
MARGALIT ALWAYS loved me, but she was sure someone better was waiting for her. People tried to match her with different suitors, but no one met her high standards – and they were, and still are, very high. Me? I wasn’t taking any chances.
When she went on dates, I got updates through friends. My buddies and I would sneak over to Herzl Street, the lively center of Netanya, and crash her dates like a scene from a movie. Whether she saw it as a romantic gesture or was just scared of another ambush, it worked, and the dates stopped.
My advice? Ensure your future mother-in-law falls in love with you before her daughter does – half the battle is already won.
The turning point came one evening when I returned from a night out with her friend Rachel. Margalit was standing at the gate of the base and asked, “Where are you coming from?” I answered without hesitation, “I was out with Rachel.”
Her eyes lit up with a flash of jealousy – it was unmistakable. She realized she didn’t want to lose me. Shortly afterward, I received a message from her friend: “Margalit wants to get married.” A few months later, we stood under the wedding canopy.
Sometimes, a little jealousy does what words can’t bring out to express the right feelings at the right moment. But from the day Margalit became mine, I gave her nothing but certainty and security in our relationship.
SINCE THE day we got married, I’ve made a point of telling Margalit, “I love you,” at least twice a day. It’s not a habit; it’s a genuine need to reassure her over and over that she’s still everything that matters to me. And I do love her – perhaps even more than I did back then.
In our marriage, we make sure to do things together. At 84, we continue to write our love story. In our home at the Mediterranean Towers in Nordia, between pottery and drama classes (yes, I participate too!), exercise sessions, and swimming, our life is full of shared experiences and joy.
Once a month, I relive my glory days as a DJ at Sunday’s parties, just like in my youth. The rest of the time, I give lectures and host cultural evenings, and Margalit is always in the audience, smiling at me with that same smile that made me ride my bike to her neighborhood.
Seventy years have passed since that day in fifth grade, 60 years of marriage, three children, 12 grandchildren, and a love that only grows stronger. In the end, true love doesn’t need a special day – it’s found in the little things: the “good morning” smile, a small hand squeeze during a lecture, the cup of tea I prepare for Margalit every night before bed.
Once, I thought love required flowers and gifts; today, I know love is in every moment we’re together. For me, waking up every morning and seeing her smile by my side – that’s my Valentine’s Day, and that’s more than enough.
On the hardest days, when our hearts ache over the loss of our beloved granddaughter Roni Shitrit, who was tragically taken from us at the Nova Festival on October 7, I am reminded even more of how our love is the unbreakable bond that keeps us strong and united.
The writer is a resident of the Mediterranean Towers retirement community in Nordia.