Did Ivanka Trump change religion for Jared Kushner? A look at their 11-year marriage that was 'best deal ever'
Rare are days when politicians can be seen expressing openly about their relationships and marriage. On Sunday, October 25, President Donald Trump’s eldest daughter, Ivanka Trump, expressed her admiration for her husband and the POTUS’ senior advisor, Jared Kushner on their 11th marriage anniversary. Ivanka posted several pictures on her Twitter and Instagram that show her lovely bond with Jared. The heartwarming pictures depict the couple in happy times with their arms around each other in different locations, including one from their wedding day.
Ivanka wrote in the Twitter caption, "11 incredible years... with forever to go! Happy anniversary my love!” She posted a set of four pictures on the microblogging site. One of the photos in the adorable post is a wedding day portrait. It shows the then-newlyweds gazing into each other's eyes, with their noses touching as if they are about to kiss. In the photo, Ivanka is wearing a Vera Wang gown with delicate lace detailing on the bodice and is seen donning diamond jewelry.
Another gushing image shows the couple cuddled up to each other in a location that gives countryside vibes. Ivanka is wearing a light brown dress with boots while Jared is donning a casual avatar with jeans and a grey sweater. The third photo in the Twitter post shows the couple having arms around each other in the backdrop of a water body. Ivanka is seen in a tangy orange sweatshirt and Jared is wearing shorts and a full sleeve grey shirt as they embrace one another. The fourth picture shows a snapshot from the family's trip to Brush Creek Ranch, Wyoming, in 2019. It shows Ivanka hugging Jared from behind in a romantic way wearing grey cargo pants and a blue shirt. Jared is seen in a half-jacket, cap and black sporty pants, holding a beer bottle.
11 incredible years... with forever to go! ❤️
— Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) October 25, 2020
Happy anniversary my love! pic.twitter.com/ZvWqCtMyjO
As Ivanka has shared such charming photos on her 11th wedding anniversary, here we look at their love story.
Ivanka and Jared love story
Ivanka and Jared's love story was less swoon-worthy than one is expecting. The couple had come a long way with what looks like a romantic journey but things were not always admirable in their story. Their first date was more transactional than lovable. The pair had met through mutual friends who thought it could be a good networking opportunity. “They very innocently set us up thinking that our only interest in one another would be transactional,” said Ivanka, as reported in Cheat Sheet. “Whenever we see them (mutual friends) we’re like, The best deal we ever made!”
One thing common in Jared and Ivanka’s story was that there were rumors before they sealed their love. The rumors were sparked when the two reportedly claimed to be friends while meeting up at Bowlmor Lanes but ended up together at the party. Cosmopolitan reported that they were “caught making out” while at Bowlmor Lanes. "Jared and Ivanka never left each other's side," the whole night, told a source to Cosmopolitan when they were at Bowlmor Lanes. Cosmopolitan reported that once their relationship was official in 2005, the couple kicked off with PDA. Ivanka greeted Jared with a kiss on the cheek and said, "Hi baby," when they attended a fashion show together, the publication reported.
Media reports suggest that after three years of dating, the couple had briefly ended their relationship in 2008 over religious differences. Kushner grew up as a Jewish in an orthodox family while Ivanka was a Christian. The New Yorker reported that the Kushner family hoped that Jared would marry a Jewish woman. “I know he loved Ivanka dearly,” Jared’s friend, Nitin Saigal, told the publication. “But the religious thing was important to him.”
Cosmopolitan reported that Jared's mom, Seryl, apparently had a hand in the breakup but it didn't last long as Ivanka agreed to convert to Judaism and the pair got engaged in 2009. Ivanka reportedly applied herself diligently to the process of religious conversion and won over the Kushner family with her devotion, The New Yorker reported. Being proud of her decision on conversion, Ivanka reportedly said in ABC, "It’s been such a great life decision for me. I am very modern, but I’m also a very traditional person, and I think that’s an interesting juxtaposition in how I was raised as well. I find that with Judaism, it creates an amazing blueprint for family connectivity."
The couple married in 2009 in Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey. The lavish wedding had hosted reportedly 500 of their family members and friends, including Rupert Murdoch, Anna Wintour and Natalie Portman to name some. However, as per Esquire, now-President Trump delivered “the most pathetic, lame, embarrassing speech” at the couple’s wedding. Now that the couple is together after many ups and downs and are both working at the White House, publications report that they are workaholics. They share a good professional bond besides a personal relationship. "I'm happy for him when he is in the office working late," Ivanka told New York as reported by Cosmopolitan. "I know how good that feels when you sit down and return e-mails." She told People, as reported by Cosmopolitan, "Jared and I both work long hours ... Jared is not intimidated by my work, he is incredibly busy too."
The couple has three children, Arabella Rose (born in July, 2011), and sons Joseph Frederick (born in October, 2013) and Theodore James Kushner (born in March, 2016). Ivanka told Vogue about how she handles household duties and work together. “For me, being so close to work is everything. I get here in three minutes and give them a bath, read to them, and put them to bed, and then I go out almost every night right afterward with Jared.” Kushner praised Ivanka on her dutiful nature, “I would say she is definitely the CEO of our household, whereas I’m more on the board of directors. We both pick up slack for each other where it’s needed, but she doesn’t want to outsource mothering, so she’s very involved.”