Waterman-Israel Wedding

Waterman-Israel Wedding

Jessica Leigh Waterman and Michael Seth Israel were married Nov. 30, 2013, at The Temple, Adath Israel Brith Shalom in Louisville, Ky., where Rabbi David Ariel-Joel officiated and Rabbi Chester Diamond sang the Seven Blessings. The ceremony was followed by a reception at the Kentucky Derby Museum.

The bride is the daughter of Susan and Robert Waterman of Louisville, and granddaughter of Irwin and the late Pat Waterman of Louisville and the late Florence and Nathan Gutfreund of St Louis.

The groom is the son of Dale and Bob Israel of Atlanta, and grandson of Betty Israel and the late Morris Israel of Atlanta and Lillian Mendelson and the late Harold Mendelson of Tallahassee, Fla.

The bride chose Liz Ashmann, her college roommate, as Maid of Honor. Her bridesmaids were her close friends Halli Levy, Sydney Mattis, Stephanie Clayton and Megan Darnell and the groom’s sister Jamie Israel.

The groom chose his brother Scott Israel as best man. His groomsmen were his friends Joseph Amaral, Ethan Levine, Matt Raidbard and Efram Simon, and the bride’s brother Jordan Waterman.

The groom’s cousin Emma Mundahl served as flower girl. 

The couple met as freshman at Indiana University in August 2002 but went their separate ways after graduation until they reconnected at a Young Jewish Adult Professional event in early 2011 in Cincinnati. Michael orchestrated a return to Indiana University’s campus for the proposal in February.

After a wedding trip to Playa del Carmen, the couple will reside in Cincinnati, where Jessica is employed as a skill development specialist and Michael works in the logistics and transportation field.