In August 2019, Dr. Dana Pearl Dobrowski, then a first-year dental student at Columbia University, joined a pre-orientation program called “Dígame Bienvenidos.” This four-day immersion introduced new medical and dental students to the rich history and culture of Washington Heights, the Manhattan neighborhood housing their schools.
It wasn’t long before she found herself engrossed in conversation with Dr. Cristian Jeorge Peña, an incoming medical student. They quickly bonded over shared passions: a fondness for squishy-faced dogs, a love for Mexican cuisine, and a mutual enjoyment of The New York Times Crossword, which would soon become a regular shared activity once classes commenced.
Their studies often brought them together as their first-year lectures overlapped. Dr. Peña candidly admitted, “She probably wanted to actually study with me; I just wanted to spend time with her.”
After weeks of consistent companionship, evolving from friends to dedicated study partners, Dr. Peña took the plunge. In October 2019, he asked Dr. Dobrowski on a proper date to Penny Jo’s, a charming cocktail bar in Washington Heights.
“I remember dressing a little nicer, because with Cristian everything was casual and comfortable,” she recounted. “I just remember feeling a little tingly in my stomach.” Soon after that memorable evening, their relationship became exclusive, with them seeing each other two to four times a week.
As March 2020 arrived, so did the global pandemic, shifting their academic programs to a remote format. Dr. Dobrowski extended an invitation to Dr. Peña to join her at her family’s beach house in Long Branch, N.J., suggesting it would offer a peaceful refuge from the bustling city. He officially moved in on March 28.
Together, they carved out separate study nooks on different sides of the house, diligently listening to lectures at double speed before reconvening to review the material. Their new life by the shore also included a delightful addition: McLovin, an English bulldog with the squishy face they both adored. “I loved playing house with Cristian and living with this dog and having our own little life by the shore,” she said, cherishing those early moments.
Dr. Dobrowski, 29, a native of Short Hills, N.J., earned her bachelor’s degrees in Spanish, Hispanic studies, and behavioral neuroscience from Lehigh University, followed by a doctor of dental surgery degree from Columbia. She is currently a third-year orthodontics resident at Harvard School of Dental Medicine, where she is also pursuing a master’s in medical sciences.
The smiling couple stand in the street with a checkered cab behind them and the words “Observation Deck” appearing on the awning above, in the background, of the building leading to the Top of the Rock. (Credit: Jaymo James)
Dr. Peña, 31, hails from Allen, Texas. He is a Cornell alumnus, holding a Bachelor of Science in human biology, health, and society. He earned his doctor of medicine degree from the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia and is now a resident physician in the internal medicine program at Yale New Haven Hospital.
Their residency placements presented a significant challenge, scattering them across different cities. Dr. Dobrowski matched with Harvard in November 2022. Four months later, Dr. Peña made a pivotal decision, ranking Yale first to be closer to Boston, prioritizing their relationship over remaining in New York. “Medical school was the trial period,” he reflected. “I realized I would only make a career decision around someone I wanted to marry.”
On December 25, 2023, Dr. Peña proposed at the picturesque Reeves-Reed Arboretum in Summit, N.J. He presented a diamond engagement ring featuring a stone that had once belonged to Dr. Dobrowski’s grandmother, Edith Goldberg, later reset into a new band.
“There was no elaborate plan — it was just a beautiful morning at one of our favorite spots,” Dr. Peña shared. (Notably, her Jewish family does not celebrate Christmas, while his Mexican American family does.) He suggested a casual walk before they were due at Madison Square Garden for a New York Knicks game against the Milwaukee Bucks. Beneath a sugar maple tree, he popped the question. They celebrated their engagement that evening at the game, where the Knicks ultimately triumphed.
Dr. Peña, raised Catholic, embraced Judaism this July, guided by Rabbi E. Noach Shapiro. He revealed that his mother’s side of the family included “conversos”— individuals who converted to Catholicism from Judaism in medieval Spain and Portugal—and that his great-great-grandfather, Simón Olivares, even spoke Hebrew. “I felt there was an aspect of my history that was lost,” he explained. “This was a way to reclaim it—for myself, for us, and for the family we want to build.”
Their wedding took place on August 31 at the iconic Rainbow Room in Manhattan, attended by 215 guests. Rabbi Shapiro officiated a beautiful ceremony under a huppah, where the couple signed a ketubah and recited the Sheva Brachot, or seven blessings.
The reception was a joyous blend of their cultures. It kicked off immediately with the energetic hora, a traditional Jewish dance, before seamlessly transitioning into the vibrant rhythms of “Suavemente” by Elvis Crespo, alongside a lively mix of salsa, bachata, and cumbia. “I wanted to ensure our music was represented, so my Mexican family and guests could feel at home in such an opulent place,” Dr. Peña expressed. “It was the most beautiful day of my life.”
“Our wedding symbolized our New York love story,” Dr. Dobrowski added, encapsulating their journey. “A merging of cultures and families, a celebration of our future and an appreciation of those who were part of our story.”