Couple’s Love Starts in Judaism

When Benjamin (Jamin) Gluck, 30, spotted Quinn Katler, 35, on Tinder in 2020, he was most impressed by the latter’s photo posing in the Negev. Gluck said, “When I saw his profile, I sent a ‘Hey, Handsome.’ The feeling was mutual when Katler, an OB/GYN specializing in reproductive health, thought Gluck was super cute and very Southern gentlemanly.”

Fast forward to March 2022, when Gluck, an Amazon executive specializing in social responsibility, dropped to one knee and proposed to Katler in front of both families at Katler’s parent’s vow renewal ceremony in Fort Lauderdale.

Katler recalled, “There we were taking family photos, when Gluck proposed. I was both shocked and elated. Everyone in my whole family knew, but me.”

Get The AJT Newsletter by email and never miss our top stories Free Sign Up

Benjamin Jamin Gluck (right) and Quinn Katler said, “sweet nothings” and relished toasting.

Reminiscing back to their first formal date, Gluck prepared a grill out, Shabbat dinner with challah and salmon for Katler. Then Gluck said, “We actually fell in love the next Shabbat when we went to my families’ Shabbat dinner.”

COVID caused the pair to be very intentional about maintaining a healthy distance and not going to clubs or bars. The rest is romantic history as dear friends and cousins, Julia Kesler Imerman, caterer and owner of The Daily Chew restaurant, along with event planner Alexa Spathelf (Alexa Eve Events), threw a fabulous engagement bash at the Imerman’s barn at the corner of Fairfield and Northside Drives, adjacent to the Tophat Soccer field.

Benjamin Jamin Gluck’s, Mother Beth Gluck, is the area director for the Jewish National Fund, helped celebrate. Dad Richard was on hand.

Gluck said, “We both spoke sweet nothings to each other with a backdrop of an acoustic guitar performance by Michael Magno, face painting and a 6’2” drag queen.”

Katler echoed, “On a more serious note, Gluck touchingly had arranged for a Susan B. Komen breast cancer booth to encourage awareness and a sign up for volunteering for the October walk in memory of my late mother.”

Guests were encouraged to put heart notes in the glass frame for the couple to cherish.

Spathelf did a glowing job of placing multicolored lanterns in the trees, sparkling candles throughout, and balloons emblazoned with – J & Q.”

She recalled, “This was an incredibly special event to plan. Not only was I able to do it for dear friends, but I got to have fun with it and collaborate with my sister Julia!  I discussed design options with Gluck and Katler and we landed on two final ideas: go bold and colorful, or go simple while blending in with the surroundings.  They both agreed – colorful and bold. So, I ran with that.

“The barn hosts a giant wooden table for the focus. I worked with Julia on creating a colorful grazing table to match the decor of multicolored candles, gold candlestick holders as a bold blue runner lined the table.

Local chef Julia Kesler-Imerman designed a colorful spread of fruit, cheese, crudité, labneh and hummus with a fun play on candies for dessert.

“The whole thing became one big art piece. It was definitely a statement. The already strung lights over the grass area were a perfect place to add color along with lanterns that matched the candles. We included incredible entertainment, from face painting to drag queens and a musician. The whole thing was magical, and I am honored that the couple had complete trust in me to bring their vision to life.”

The couple’s favorite part of the food was the creative desserts with gummy worms in dirt cups and red licorice alongside: beer, wine and tequila. Julia’s spread was basically cheeses (cheddar, goat and tomme), dried fruit, sour dough bread, preserves, crudité, labneh, hummus and other desserts like lemon curd tarts and chocolate covered pretzels.

The front and back yard of the party location was decorated with lights and bright colors.

What remains to top the engagement party is the wedding scheduled for May 2023, on a rooftop in Tel Aviv, with 100 or so guests including a preceding Shabbat dinner on the boardwalk. Katler stated, “Both our moms (in my case – stepmom) will be officiating at the ceremony.” Before his specialized medical training at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., and then at Emory University, Katler attended medical school at Tel Aviv University.

Gluck concluded, “Between the two of us, we have probably been to Israel two dozen times. I spent a gap year in Israel at the Young Judea Zionist youth group. Our hearts are indeed tied to Israel.”