By Deb Silverthorn

When Andrea and Loren Weinstein chose “Somewhere,” from “West Side Story” as their wedding song in 1961, they were clearly foretelling a lifetime together: “There’s a place for us, a time and a place for us.”  On Aug. 13, the couple will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary.

The couple first met at the Park Lane Hotel in Denver, when then Andrea Waldman was in Colorado with her family for a summer vacation and Loren was home from college. The pair connected by a mutual friend. They went on two dates in Denver, where Loren lived. After two visits to Dallas, the latter at Thanksgiving when he gave her his fraternity pin, the couple were engaged on New Year’s Eve in 1960. 

“It was quick, but I couldn’t imagine myself with anyone but Andrea. She was it.” said Loren, echoing his wife’s “we were just meant to be.”

The daughter of Sadie and Willie Waldman, of blessed memory, and the sister of Linda and Meira, Andrea is part of a well-known Dallas Jewish family.  Her father and uncle, Erwin Waldman, founded Waldman Bros insurance which continues (as IMA, Inc), to serve the community professionally and through philanthropic service.

Andrea and her family have been Congregation Shearith Israel members for five generations. She is a  former B’nai B’rith Girls Ginny Zesmer member and graduated from Hillcrest High School and Southern Methodist University.

Loren, the son of Rowena and Sam, of blessed memory, is the brother of David, Joy, Robert (of blessed memory) and Steven, was born and raised in Denver, where his family were members at Congregation BMH. Loren graduated from East High School, the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Sturm College of Law at the University of Denver.

The couple, both with large families, had their rehearsal dinner at the now-defunct Columbian Club, then their wedding at Congregation Shearith Israel with nearly 500 people in attendance.

After their wedding, the Weinsteins moved to Denver for Loren to attend law school. Then, in 1964, they moved to Washington, D.C., where he worked for the Internal Revenue Service, before making Dallas their home in 1968. Through the years, their family has grown to include son Jeffrey, his wife Debbie and their children Elizabeth, Aryn and Max; son Gregory with wife Margie and their children Alex, Sam and Sofia; and Michael and his fiancé Robin Riddle.

Loren’s legal career flourished, in Dallas, first with the securities firm of Julian Meer, then Ungerman Hill, before he started a solo practice which continues focusing on business and real estate issues. His business practice includes a partnership in GEM Cars Inc. Andrea taught at Hillcrest High School and worked for Waldman Bros. She co-founded the Andrea Alexander boutique at Preston Center and tutored students in the art of writing application essays for Cohen’s College Connection.

Highlights for the couple are supporting each other through community leadership — Andrea as chair of the Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas, the Federation’s Jewish Community Relations Council, the Dallas Jewish Historical Society and the Jewish Council for Public Affairs. She was invited to the White House Hanukkah party in 2008, with other Jewish leaders, to meet with then-President Barack Obama to discuss U.S./Israel relations.  She is a life member of Hadassah and National Council of Jewish Women and looks forward to beginning service for the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum as a docent.  

Loren served as chair of the JCRC and the Federation’s Planning and Allocations Committee, president of the Aaron Family JCC and continues his years of service on the Federation’s Audit Committee. Both are  recipients of the Federation’s Young Leadership Award.

Five-generations deeply embedded at Shearith Israel, from its earliest days, the Waldman and Weinstein name is honored.  In 1996, Andrea, her mother and daughters-in-law Debbie and Margie shared the CSI bimah, together celebrating their b’not mitzvah.

“Shearith’s Klei Kodesh join me in sending hearty mazal tov wishes to Andrea and Loren,” said Rabbi Ari Sunshine of Shearith Israel. “Their life is defined by commitment to each other over so many years of loving and devoted marriage, to Jewish community, and going five generations back as a part of our Shearith Israel family.  We hope their love only continues to grow in the years ahead!”

The couple have made numerous trips to Israel, including on Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas missions and the 2018 March of the Living. They’ve been to Alaska, Ecuador, Iceland, Ireland, Kenya, Tanzania, Scotland, Costa Rica, Belize and the Bahamas and beyond. They are looking forward to traveling again when it is safe to do so.

The two enjoy live music, be it country western or the symphony, Broadway shows or rock ‘n’ roll.  They enjoy flavors from around the world, their favorite meals enhanced by Loren’s green thumb which brings to life cucumbers and tomatoes, okra and green beans, spinach, basil, rosemary and mint in their home garden. Sweetening many dishes, including Andrea’s Rosh Hashanah honey cake, is honey from hives he’s maintained over the past 15 years.

Reflecting on 60 years together, Andrea says: “It’s been a lifetime of good, with some difficult moments but we’ve gone through them together. Without each other together, we wouldn’t be at all who we are individually, and the greatest gift of my life is Loren allowing me the freedom to find out who I am.”

The groom, of 60 years, holds tight to his bride, and to all they’ve shared saying: “Andrea is all I would have aspired to share my life with; she’s beautiful in spirit and outlook.  We’ve suffered some losses, and times not-so-easy, but we’ve come through it all at each other’s side. Together, we’ve shared our work and life ethic to our kids and grandchildren, and together we’ve had joy. That’s really all one can dream of.”