Milestone Mazel Tovs!

Terri Denison

Myriad local couples and individuals will celebrate milestone anniversaries and birthdays in 2023. Jewish News asked a few of them to share their secrets to healthy marriages and lives. From having fun to cherishing families, their responses are all heartfelt. Mazel Tov to those featured here and to everyone else celebrating this year!

JOAN AND ERIC JOFFE 50 Years

Jewish News: When and where did you meet?

Joan and Eric Joffe: We met on the beach in Clifton, a suburb of Cape Town, South Africa in December 1968.

JN: What was most memorable about your wedding?

J&E: Our wedding on April 10, 1973 was during the time of the first Godfather movie. A good memory was our first dance to the music from the wedding in the movie. Thinking back now, 50 years later, our most treasured memories are those of our family members who were there to celebrate with us.

JN: What advice would you give yourselves of 50 years ago?

J&E: Married life is not a fairytale. It comes with many unpredicted ups and downs. Being best friends and supporting each other, no matter what will help you face anything together. Big hugs help too!!

JN: What has been your secret to staying together?

J&E: The secret to any marriage being successful is love, honesty, and respect. Respect is very important in any relationship, but especially in marriage.

JN: Do you have any advice for couples about to wed?

J&E: Marry a person with the same values as you, and make sure that you have a good relationship with his/her family.

STEPHANIE AND TYLER CASKILL 10 years

Jewish News: You are both Tidewater natives. When and where did you meet? Stephanie Jarvis Caskill and Tyler Caskill: We met in 2011 at a mutual friend’s house.

JN: What was most memorable about your wedding?

S&T: Having so many of our friends and family together—we went a little crazy and had a very insane guest list (more than 300 people)—but it was wonderful having our friends from college, local, extended family, and family friends all together to celebrate us.

JN: What advice would you give yourselves of 10 years ago?

S&T: Always look at the humor in life. When things are tough, it’s important to always have fun.

JN: What has been your secret to staying together?

S&T: We spend a lot of time as a couple. We love our family and our daughter, but we also prioritize ourselves a lot with trips alone, hobbies, etc.

MINETTE AND CHARLES COOPER 65 years

Jewish News: When and where did you meet?

Minette and Charles Cooper: In New York on a blind date through Marjorie Quarte, a senior in Minette’s house at Smith College who was dating Charles’s brother Joel.

JN: Charles, how did you convince Minette to move to Norfolk?

M&C: By Charles’s taking a law job in Norfolk.

JN: What was most memorable about your wedding?

M&C: Four things:

• Minette’s stepsister and Charles’s brother giving him a ½ bottle of scotch to calm Charles’s nerves to get him through the ceremony.

• Minette hiding the car to protect it from Chivaree.

• Minette’s two aunts preparing a meal to take with us. It turned out to be one chicken leg and two olives—so we missed dinner.

• Charles going for a swim the next morning and as he climbed out, they came to clean the pool.

JN: What advice would you give yourselves of 65 years ago?

M&C: You’re not marrying a person, you’re marrying a family.

JN: What has been your secret to staying together?

M&C: We agree on more things than we disagree on.

JN: Do you have any advice for couples about to wed?

M&C: Put your whole self into it or it won’t work.

JN: Anything else you’d like to add?

M&C: Have fun together.