Ki Tov Tuesday: Winter, Spring, Plants, Love, Wine

Hey Chevra,

I’m sorry this is so late today. It’s been a week and it’s only Tuesday. Meanwhile, how’s everyone surviving this winter? Between the freezing cold and Punxsutawney Phil’s six more weeks verdict on Monday, it’s tempting to hibernate until Pesach.

More winter…then spring!

But here’s the thing. Monday wasn’t only Groundhog Day, it was also Tu B’Shevat — the Jewish New Year of the Trees. While Phil was predicting more winter, the earliest-blooming trees in Israel were already waking up. Two forecasts, same day. The groundhog said winter. The trees voted for renewal.

Little-known fact about your Kumzits correspondent and co-founder: I have a serious green thumb. I once grew soybeans in my tiny Brooklyn kitchen. There was a time I tried potatoes (in huge black planting sacks) and then made a potato kugel. Or at least I tried. That was tragic. But this winter? My plants started dying. One after another after another, and I felt a wave of despair that probably wasn’t entirely about the plants.

Then I was chatting with one of the Holocaust survivors I work with and she mentioned her plants were dying too. I went into full problem-solving mode — what do we do, how do we fix this? She just looked at me gently and said she’d buy more. In the springtime.

My instinct was to rush out and surround myself with more green immediately. This woman, who survived unspeakable horrors, had the faith in her own future to wait a few months to be sure to do it the right way.

That’s Tu B’Shevat energy. And honestly? That’s Jewish energy.

We know about winters. We know about waiting for the right moment and trusting that we’ll get through dark times. We know that the most important growth happens underground before anyone can see it. And internally, there’s a lot going on there as well. As a people, we think, overthink, and then think some more. It’s faith-based chess with ever-evolving strategies. And I say this as someone who has dated not one, but two former child chess prodigies (true story!).

Break that glass

Speaking of things blooming… love can be a bumpy ride. I was at a wedding last night, and when the groom went to break the glass — you know, the moment that officially seals the deal — it rolled away. He stepped on it, it escaped, and it rolled right under the bride’s voluminous gown. It was like a Keystone Cops moment, only with couture bridal and a chuppah. The bride’s mother wept as random men and kids tried to reach under her meringue layers to play find the glass. Eventually, the glass was broken (Mazel tov!), but it got me thinking about love and persistence and the things that roll away from us before we finally get them right.

Not a Jewish holiday, but love is love, right?

With Valentine’s Day right around the corner — we know, we know, not exactly a Jewish holiday — but love? Love is profoundly Jewish. Shir HaShirim (Song of Songs), anyone?

And since we’re already talking about roots and renewal and things that grow from the land of Israel, here are some beautiful love stories — literally bottled.

The fine folks at the Israeli Wine Producers Association recently shared the stories of husband-and-wife teams behind some of Israel’s most romantic wineries. Because what’s more romantic than building something lasting together from the actual terroir of Eretz Yisrael?

Here are a few sweet stories and lovely wines:

🍷 Psagot Winery — Yaakov & Na’ama Berg (middle pic above)

These two built something stunning in the Judean Hills, surrounded by ancient terraced vineyards. Together they’ve turned Psagot into one of Israel’s standout boutique wineries — she handles the business, he handles the grapes, sounds like a perfect partnership. www.psagotwines.com

🍷 Tura Winery: Vered & Erez Ben Saadon (right pic above)

A husband and wife who started with a dream and a patch of land in the Samarian hills. He makes the wine. She tells the world about it. That’s either the perfect marriage or a reality show waiting to happen. Maybe both? www.turawinery.com

🍷 Alexander Winery: Yoram & Ilana Shalom (left pic above)

He knows wine. She knows branding. Together they formulated a brand highlighting their best qualities, which, if you think about it, is also the secret to a good marriage. www.alexander-winery.com

🍷 Binyamina Winery: A different kind of love story

This one’s up my particular alley. Binyamina is housed in what was once the historic Rothschild perfume factory. A building that went from fragrance to wine is its own kind of romance. And I’m jonesing for their dessert wine. www.binyaminawines.co.il/en

Whether you’re planning a Valentine’s dinner, looking for a meaningful gift, or just want to toast to surviving this winter, Israeli wines bring warmth, history, and soul to the table. Visit www.iwpa.com to explore more.

And in case you’re wondering why “weddings to wine” is a natural segue, the Talmud, Pesachim 49a, has a beautiful saying used often in wedding blessings.

Invei hagefen b’invei hagefen, davar na’eh u’mitkabeil

ענבי הגפן בענבי הגפן דבר נאה ומתקבל

Translation: The mingling of the grapes of the vine with the grapes of the vine — a beautiful and acceptable thing.

The understanding being that two similar families. Two similar people. It’s an extremely Jewishy Jewish way of saying these two are made for each other (and so are their families).

And some blessings that go along with it. Have I ever mentioned the fact that when I was a kid, there was something called a Brachos Bee? We young things would memorize the blessings over every item of food and then compete until it reached the national level*. I mention this for a specific reason. Grapes and wine don’t have the same blessing.

A grape on its own gets the bracha “Ha’Etz,” literally, from the tree and the same one you’d make on an orange or apple. Once a grape is pressed into wine, it’s elevated and it gets its own unique bracha. Hagefen. From the vine. It’s a beautiful spiritual and literal translation that takes into account family trees and vines and the byproduct of both. Which sort of takes us back to Tu BiShevat and the New Year for the trees. Recognizing and even blessing transformation is a huge part of the Jewish faith. Which makes this a perfect time to raise a glass and say L’Chaim! To life.

And hey — if you need us, we’ll be here. Waiting for spring. Buying new plants. Trusting the season.

Am Yisrael Chai. 💜🌳🍷

Rachel + The Kumzits fam