36 | FEBRUARY 15 • 2024 J
N
E
very family has “that” sentence that
can have everyone dissolve into
laughter because it reminds them of
something from the past. In Lauren Slutsky’s
case, it was her Holocaust survivor Grandma
who said something memorable.
But let’s backtrack. Meet Lauren, a
born-and-bred Detroiter who grew up
in Farmington Hills and attended Eagle,
Warner and North Farmington. Her grand-
parents, Nomi and Walter Lion, moved to
a condo in Florida when she was in fourth
grade and her family would often fly out to
visit them.
“Starting in 1982, there was this big group
of kids from around the country, all visiting
their grandparents in Fort Lauderdale at the
same time,
” explained Lauren.
Within that group of friends was a boy
from Atlanta who was visiting his grandpar-
ents, Ben and Evelyn Belchinsky: a certain
Jeremy (Jeb) Belchinsky. He was shorter
than Lauren, but that didn’t matter. The two
developed a crush on each other and showed
it in the special way that preteens do.
“We’
d share Walkman headphones … I’
d
save him a seat at the pool with my towel
… We sent letters to each other during the
year,
” remembered Lauren.
They usually hung out at Lauren’s grand-
parents’ condo, Jeb said.
One day, Jeb’s grandma called Lauren’s
Ggrandma to thank her for having Jeb over
all the time.
“I hope he’s not a bother,
” Jeb’s grandma
said worriedly.
“No, no, he’s a really nice kid,
” Lauren’s
grandma poo-pooed her. “
And you didn’t
have to call me … It’s not like they’re getting
married or anything!”
Actually, grandma, fast-forward a decade
and that’s exactly what they did do!
But, at the time, Lauren was in sixth grade
and Jeb was in seventh. First, they finished
middle school, then high school and went
on to college — Jeb at University of Georgia;
Lauren at Eastern Michigan — and briefly
lost touch.
After they’
d graduated, Lauren’s best
friend, Erin Shafritz, moved to Atlanta.
“I still knew Jeb’s phone number by heart
so the first time I went to visit Erin, I called
him, said I was visiting Atlanta and why
don’t we meet up?” Lauren said.
They agreed to meet at the Cheesecake
Factory.
Lauren told Jeb, “It’s been five years since
we saw each other; I might not recognize
you. What will you be wearing?”
The answer: A white shirt and jeans.
Lauren and Erin waited, checking out each
male who wore a white shirt and jeans, until
Jeb walked in and Lauren realized she’
d had
nothing to worry about. “
After about seven
men, there was Jeb in his white shirt and
jeans — and he looked exactly the same!”
They picked up where they’
d left off, cute
crush included, and soon they were talking
all the time. Eventually, Lauren moved to
Atlanta.
By 1996, Jeb was ready to pop the ques-
tion … but he couldn’t do it without Lauren’s
grandma present!
“That was how we met; where it all start-
ed! She was part of it!” Lauren laughed.
So, Jeb drove Lauren on a surprise trip to
grandma’s condo in Florida and only then
got down on bended knee.
“She always loved Jeb; she’
d seen us both
grow up. She was so excited about it!”
Lauren said.
Actually, everyone was excited about it.
Lauren’s friends had all heard about “Jeb
from Atlanta” since they were in middle
school!
“Who’
d have thought we’
d have reconnect-
ed after all those years; it was kind of crazy,
”
Lauren said.
In 1997, they married at Temple Israel and
in 1999, moved back to Michigan. They live
in Huntington Woods and are the proud
parents of Ari, 22, a senior at University
of Michigan, and Lola, 19, a sophomore at
University of Wisconsin-Madison. They
attend Aish HaTorah. Jeb is self-employed
and distributes and sells spinal medical
devices; Lauren has her own hand-beaded
jewelry company, “Love, Lauren.
” She also
works for inSIGHT Through Education,
which funds Holocaust education in the
Palm Beach County school system in
Florida.
They fondly remember the sweet old
days when they were kids, although now —
unlike when they first met — Jeb is taller
than Lauren!
This column will appear biweekly. If you’d like to share
your ‘meet-cute’ story, please email burstynwithjoy@
hotmail.com.
‘At Bubby’s Condo’
ROCHEL BURSTYN CONTRIBUTING WRITER
OUR COMMUNITY
HOW WE MET
Lauren, Ari
and Jeb
Ari, Jeb,
Lauren and
Lola
In middle school, Lauren
was taller than Jeb.