For Rachel Firestone and Mark Prince, it was the ultimate JDate.

The two paired up as Young Adult Division co-chairs of last year's Super Sunday in San Francisco, and in the process fell in love. The annual S.F.-based Jewish Community Federation fundraiser wasn't the only thing that went right that day.

Firestone and Prince are now planning their May 2007 wedding and Parisian honeymoon.

But Super Sunday 2006 is rolling around, and before Firestone gets fitted for that gown, she and her fiancé will be working the phones again to raise much-needed funds for the federation.

Super Sunday takes place this year Nov. 19 at the Jewish Community Center of San Francisco.

At last year's event, more than 1,000 volunteers called 10,000 donors, raking in $2.8 million for the day.

Like so many betrothed couples, Firestone, 29, and Prince, 34, have much in common, with some uncanny coincidences that point to true beshert. For example, the first time they laid eyes on each other was the 2004 Super Sunday when both showed up in University of Michigan gear (she attended the school; he's from Michigan).

But it wasn't until they co-chaired YAD for last year's Super Sunday that they hit it off. Prince called Firestone early on to discuss strategies and from the get-go, they say, sparks flew.

"We were on the phone for two hours," remembers Firestone of that first conversation. "We had all these things in common. We're both big football fans. His mom and my college roommate's mom were good friends."

Adds Prince, "The attraction was immediate. I liked that she was funny, upbeat and vivacious. This person who was a total stranger ended up being someone who was connected to me."

Prince knew he was seriously smitten when he left for a family reunion at Cape Cod soon after, and all he could think of was Firestone.

Both Prince and Firestone grew up in Jewish households -- she in Pittsburgh, he in the suburbs of Detroit (which he calls "Greater Lower Jewville"). She was very active with her Conservative synagogue, and later become regional vice president of her United Synagogue Youth chapter. He was active in NFTY and even volunteered for Super Sunday back in Detroit.

He went on to graduate from Brown University with a degree in computer science, and moved to the Bay Area a decade ago to work in Silicon Valley. She embarked on a career as a business consultant, moving to San Francisco two summers ago. Both had wanted to connect more deeply with the local Jewish community, and did so through volunteer work with the federation.

And of course finding the perfect someone was part of the game plan as well. "For a while I thought I didn't need to find someone Jewish," recalls Prince. "Then when I got involved [with YAD] I realized just how important it was to me."

"The most amazing thing about our relationship is we share the same values," adds Firestone, "and being part of the Jewish community is such a huge part of that. It's our responsibility to make an impact in the community."

When Prince proposed to her last August, he gave her the same ring his great-grandfather gave to his fiancée many decades ago. Prince remembers when he introduced Firestone to his 93-year-old grandfather, it took less than 20 minutes for Zayde to say to her, "I hope you become my granddaughter."

Prince and Firestone are now feathering their nest in Noe Valley while looking ahead to the wedding and beyond. Sure, kids, holidays and long walks on the beach are part of the plan. But so is continued volunteering with the Jewish community, especially the federation and Super Sunday.

"It was a great time," recalls Firestone of her triumphant Super Sunday last year. "The huge perk was getting a boyfriend and now a fiancé."




Those interested in volunteering or making a donation to the S.F.-based Jewish Community Federation should call (415) 512-6290.