Shliach, Rabbi Elchonon Tenenbaum moved from Crown Heights to Napa Valley four years ago. At the time he hadn’t seen many vineyards, but now he is a wine maker.
The Napa Valley Wine Making Shliach
Shliach, Rabbi Elchonon Tenenbaum moved from Crown Heights to Napa Valley four years ago. At the time he hadn’t seen many vineyards, but now he is a wine maker.
Rabbi Elchonon Tenenbaum, a 30-something Chabad rabbi fresh off the boat from Crown Heights, Brooklyn, moved to Napa Valley four years ago. The rabbi hadn’t seen many vineyards in his life, and he hadn’t drunk much kosher wine outside of the strange, sweet brew made from Concord grapes that gives kosher winemakers a bad name.
But he called me at our winery, and I showed him around the valley. We became friends, and we shared bottles of kosher wine made from high-quality grapes grown in some of Napa’s greatest vineyards. Not surprisingly, the rabbi got bitten by the wine bug. One fall he harvested a few clusters from a friend’s vineyard and crushed the grapes at his house. The resulting wine was pretty good, too — all 12 bottles.
Later, we found a small local vineyard that needed some TLC. Rabbi Tenenbaum took over the pruning and other maintenance and harvested the grapes that year to make one barrel (23 cases) of delicious red wine, a field blend of zinfandel, syrah and petite sirah. He has duplicated this feat two years in a row, and we are now drinking the fruits of his labor, which he calls Pardes Cuvée Chabad.
Rabbi Tenenbaum sat down with me recently to talk about his wine epiphany — Napa style.
Jeff Morgan: Within the Chabad community, does wine play any particular role in addition to being the chosen beverage for making Kiddush?
Rabbi Tenenbaum: Wine, for the most part, is relegated to Shabbat and holidays in most homes. The wine culture is not quite the same in Brooklyn as it is in Yountville (Napa Valley).
JM: What role did wine play in your life in Brooklyn?
RT: Wine is a central part of many of our traditions. Shabbat is heralded in with the Kiddush, which is recited on a cup of wine. Kiddush is also made at lifecycle events, like a bris or a wedding. And let’s not forget the four cups of wine on Pesach. However, growing up, I couldn’t tell you the difference between a Concord grape and a zinfandel grape. We didn’t have many vineyards in Crown Heights.
JM: Did you think about wine at all, when Chabad sent you to live in Napa Valley?
RT: When my wife and I began serving the Jewish community of Napa, I was only beginning to learn about the complexities of wine. I understood that there was more to wine than a sparkling moscato.
JM: What prompted your current interest in wine?
RT: You sparked much of my interest in winemaking. We also found that wine is a good way of connecting with Jews living in Napa. It’s a big part of the lifestyle and culture.
JM: What was it like to work in a vineyard? Physically? Spiritually?
RT: Physically, it was draining. The first time I pruned the vines for a day, I was not able to move for three days after that. Spiritually, it was a learning experience. I am fascinated by the process of something growing from the earth. The Torah says that man is like the tree of the field. A tree goes thorough a renewal cycle every year. Accordingly, every Rosh Hashanah and High Holy Day season we are blessed with a new energy for the year ahead. That concept became very clear while working with the vines.
JM: What makes wine holy?
RT: In the Scriptures, wine is described as “bringing joy to God and man.” Every sacrifice offered in the Holy Temple in Jerusalem was accompanied by wine. Because wine is considered to be the “king of beverages,” the rabbis coined Kiddush, a special blessing to be recited exclusively on wine.
JM: Would you say that wine should be used as a vehicle for spirituality among Jews?
RT: Yes, it should.
JM: How?
RT: By using wine in an appropriate way in Jewish ritual or by gracing a Shabbat or holiday table and other festive occasions.
JM: Do San Francisco Bay Area rabbis seem to have a different relationship to or understanding of wine than, say, rabbis that you have known in other places you’ve lived, such as New York and Israel?
RT: I would say that living in Napa Valley brings a greater awareness and appreciation of wine and winemaking.
JM: Are you a rabbi or a winemaker?
RT: Rashi was a great rabbi and winemaker; I am sure it only enhanced his commentary on the Torah. So I don’t think winemaking and being a rabbi are mutually exclusive.
Jeff Morgan is the winemaker and co-owner of Covenant and RED C Wines in Napa Valley; visit covenantwines.com.
Mr. A. Langer
A bit more than a year ago I was on Har Tzion Near the Resting Place of King David and discussion developed of the signifigance of the brocha hagafen as grapes are said haeitz on. So the crux is man’s work is involved in the making of bread and wine and there is a concensus “savri maranan” that the bread and wine are consumed to sanctify the seventh day.
Olive oil isn’t partaken of by itself so a shahacol would be said, yet rarely is it ever partaken of by itself.
The relation of malchus /kingship/ royalty and bread , wine and olive oil is a long story.
“g-d lie’s hagafen more than any other brocha” Mr. A. Langer
Shaliach in business?
A shaliach doing business on the side, or a bisinessman doing shalichus on the side. Is there a difference?
I thought shalichus was a 24/7 job. Maybe I am wrong and shalichus can be a part time gig.
(Unless winemaking is also a shalichus – maybe mivtza kashrus).
tribemember
this is all kinds of cool!
A Old berkleyer
The Rebbe told shluchim NOT to be in business. The limited number of shluchim and resources should NOT BE SPENT with a business situation.
This was more than 35 years ago, but his advise still is relevant.
Consult with Rabbi Cunin, Rabbi Drizin or Rabbi Citron for more clarity.
Bored
“Rashi was a great rabbi and winemaker; I am sure it only enhanced his commentary on the Torah”
Worth getting out of bed today just to read this line! Gevaltk!
gardening is good
Making 23 bottles of wine is a hobby not a side business.
It’s good for Shluchim to take time to exercise and get outdoors.
to #2
“or a businessman doing shalichus on the side. Is there a difference?” every jew who is able to should be doing shlichus in this world. just because your in business, does that mean you cant help other jews in Ruchnious needs??
also, lots of lubavitcher shluchim need lots of financial help, is there an issue with working on the side to bring in some money?
he definitely doesnt have a business running, he’s not doing business. the question is if he’s working a few hours a day for a little income and to know more about wine to be able to connect alot better with any jew of that city.
(theres a big diff b/w runing a business and having a side job/income under someone else!)
me
matzah and wine good job
Reply to #2
To #2: Maybe ALL shluchim should start some small business to help in their fund raising efforts. It would increase their ability to do their shlichus “mitoch harchava”.
Shluchim cannot rely on donors, especially in hard financial times. But they can rely on HKB“H by making a kli for the brocha of parnassa.
This is especially true if shluchim get into ”Jewish” businesses, such as hashgocha, shchita, teaching/tutoring, bar mitzva lessons, chazzonus, mila, safrus, Judaica and wine-making (-which requires only yidden).
By all means, get jobs that GIVE to the community you are in, and you will also receive (income).
Elchonon Fan
B”H
Undoubtedly, being a wine maker will give him entree to many balebatim making his wine-making part of his Shlichus just as much as a Chabad House having a gift shop does.