“Elina has always wanted to get married on this road: the road between St. Helena and Calistoga, where the trees arch.”
Mordechai is ready to propose to Elina. He calls the mayor’s office of Calistoga to see whether he could ride a horse and buggy through her favorite road or close it long enough for a proposal. The mayor is out of town. “Is there another place in Napa Valley where the trees arch like that?”
“Yes, in fact there is. Sterling Winery.”
Mordechai looks up Sterling Winery and notices that the address is 1111 Dunaweal Lane. Consecutive 1’s have a lot of spiritual symbolism. They are a sign of unity, oneness, new beginnings, alignment and synchronicity. Mordechai knows this is the right place for the proposal.
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The significance of the Sterling Winery…
The night before Mordechai met Elina in Tzfat, he had a dream. He is holding a Sterling bowl and blood is pouring from his heart into the bowl. He woke up thinking, whomever he was about to meet that day would be an important person in his life.
Here it appears again, the Sterling bowl; only this time filled with red wine.
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It is a warm summer’s day when Mordechai takes Elina on a romantic drive to Napa Valley. He has his beloved grandmother’s engagement ring in his pocket. He is nervous.
They drive to the Sterling Vineyard. They buy tickets for the tram as he plans to propose to her at the top of the vineyard overlooking the valley. He wants to make sure they have a private cable car. Maybe he should propose on the tram? He reads the signs. It takes three minutes for the tram ride up and four minutes for the tram ride down. Maybe I could ride it up and down a few times and ask her on the tram. He begins calculating frantically. No, he decides it’s better to ask her at the top of the vineyard overlooking the valley. This is a big day!
They get on the tram. She admires the scenery: the lake, the trees, the birds, and the clouds. They sit in their private cable car, facing each other. Something tells him to ask her right now.
“Will you marry me?”
“Yes!”
That was fast! Didn’t take longer than a minute! He gives her his beloved grandmother’s ring. She loves it! She tells him that since she was a little girl, she has always wanted to get engaged on a cable car. She meant a San Francisco cable car; she thinks they are so romantic! But the Universe didn’t translate her message exactly. They couldn’t be happier.
They depart from the cable car and see a sign that leads to “Diamond Mountain.” Aha! Very appropriate. Yes, Universe, we know you are confirming our every move. Thank you.
He takes five steps forward and almost steps on a broken glass. (A broken glass in the Jewish tradition is one of the main actions, which consummates the marriage). Yes, Universe. WE ARE PAYING ATTENTION!
Five steps later, another glass breaks. Ten steps later another glass breaks and a group of visitors yell, “Mazal Tov!” Another confirmation.
As they walk around to take photos and sip their grape juice (they are on a juice fast), they notice that the valley below is called “Fertile Valley.”
All good signs. L’chaim.