What To Know
- Hoda Kotb celebrated her ex-fiancé Joel Schiffman’s birthday on Instagram by sharing sweet family photos with their daughters Haley and Hope.
- Kotb and Schiffman, who split in 2022, have remained amicable coparents and continue to support each other during family milestones and holidays.
- Kotb has spoken openly about their breakup, emphasizing mutual respect and ongoing love.
Hoda Kotb once again showed her appreciation for her ex-fiancé, Joel Schiffman, via social media.
Kotb and Schiffman met in 2013 and quietly dated for two years before going public with their romance in 2015. They became parents with the adoption of their eldest daughter, Haley, in 2017, followed by their youngest daughter, Hope, in 2019. Schiffman popped the question the same year the duo adopted Hope. However, Kotb announced on Today in January 2022 that the pair had parted ways.
In the years since their breakup, Kotb and Schiffman have remained cordial coparents and continue to support each other in person and online. Kotb took to Instagram on Sunday, March 22, to wish Schiffman a Happy Birthday.
“Happy bday to the best DAD!!! 🎂,” she captioned a pair of photos, one of which featured a sweet snap of Haley and Hope sitting on Schiffman’s lap. The post’s second slide featured a snap the family of four took with Schiffman’s birthday cake.
Kotb’s followers and friends sent Schiffman their own birthday wishes in the post’s comments. “Happy birthday Joel! 🎊🎉,” wrote Deborah Roberts, who is married to Kotb’s Today colleague Al Roker.
One user stated, “Happy Birthday, Joel! You’re looking great! 🎂🎁🥳🎶.” Another added, “I am so happy that you remained friends through it all and that he is so present in the girls lives. It takes a really special bond for that to work. 🥰.”
Someone else shared, “What a beautiful family ✨💘.” Another person posted, “❤️🙌 Love this- the epitome of grace and elegance. Co-parenting at its finest 🔥😍.” A different user commented, “Love the way your family celebrates each other. Wonderful mom and dad for those girls!!!”
Another commenter gushed, “Happy Beautiful Birthday 🎂 Joel. 🥳 you truly a great dad and person. You are loved.”
Kotb and Schiffman regularly reunite to celebrate major moments with their kids. Back in December 2025, Schiffman joined Kotb and their kids for their Christmas celebrations with Kotb’s sister, Hala, and mother, Sameha.
“Merry Christmas🎄❤️,” Kotb captioned Instagram pics of the group sporting matching red-and-green holiday pajamas and miniature Santa Claus hats.
Kotb previously opened up about her former relationship while promoting her latest book, Jump and Find Joy, on a September 2025 episode of Today. “There’s, like, a point where you had a big change, you went to a retreat, it was transformative for you, and then made a change in your romantic relationship,” Savannah Guthrie noted.
Kotb replied, “I went to this retreat and had an epiphany about my life. And I was realizing that you can love someone — I loved him very much, and still do to this day — but that person isn’t right for you in that moment. And you can say to yourself, ‘Wow. I’m ready to try to get other buckets of mine filled.’”
Today, Weekdays, 7a/6c, NBC
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