HOw we met - Cindy’s Story

In the summer of 2015, while visiting Israel for a wedding, my family and I were interested in attending a ceremony happening in the Knesset during our stay. A good family friend told us he knew just the guys to show us around and keep us company while in Jerusalem. The morning our cab pulled up to the Knesset, I noticed him immediately. Tall, dark, and handsome, I introduced myself to our bodyguard for the day.  Itai smiled gently and followed our group into the building. I couldn’t focus. We were witnesses to a great ceremony and all I could think about was this mysterious man sitting behind me. I would peak at him over my shoulder, and quickly blush and turn away when our eyes met. My mom nudged me. “He’s looking at you.” “Shh I got this.” “Go talk to him.” “Give me a minute.”  Lunch rolled around and my mom eagerly invited Itai and our guide Shlomo (his father) to eat. My mom and I cornered him at the end of the table. We hadn’t exchanged words in English yet and I was excited. We proceeded to interrogate him about his family, the military, and his future plans. Not deterred by our zeal, his cool and calm demeanor pulled me in, and the butterflies in my belly were overwhelming.  After our meal, the two of us walked through the market, giggling and flirting with one another.  

I decided to stay in Israel another few weeks, and Itai drove down from the North to spend an evening with me. Drinking wine and sitting on the beach at night, I felt at home with him. I left for Italy a few days later, and he met me in Rome for our second date. It lasted three days. 

A chance encounter, one morning, changed my life in the most beautiful way.  

The proposal - Itai’s story

Everything started a long time before we arrived to Italy. I bought the ring almost a year before I proposed. I always wanted to pop the question in a meaningful place so I decided to do this in Italy. I started to plan the proposal with our wonderful assistant Pam and she helped me prepare the ideal setting. The afternoon right before the proposal we spent on the Arno river together with Pam, Johnny and a bottle of wine. I don’t remember much of this meeting because I was too stressed to socialize.

When we went back to our apartment I told Cindy that we were going to have dinner on the terrace and check the musician and the food for my family that was supposed to join us the day after. Cindy answered: “sounds good.” I’ve always been good with undercover stories. 

We went to the terrace around seven when the sun started to set and the color of the sky was deep red and orange. The musician played melodies while we had a glass of wine. Cindy kept telling me stories but I couldn’t respond, the level of stress reached a new peak. After a couple of bites, I prepared the video camera on the ground facing the spot where I planned to propose but Cindy kept knocking it over. Finally, I found the right spot away from Cindy’s clumsy hands. I was ready to propose but then Cindy decided to lay down “I ate too much. I have to lay down” she said. I felt that I couldn’t take it anymore…

I let her relax for a couple minutes and then I pointed on one of the houses in the street “have you seen this pink house before?” she answered: “pink? Which one?”. She stood up and got closer to me…finally it was the right moment. She was looking for the house while I knelt and asked her: “Cindy Marie Pritzker, will you marry me?” the box was open and she couldn’t miss the ring. Cindy turned around and looked at me : “what? Yes! It’s so big!” she cried and I told her that she is the best partner I’ve ever had in my entire life. For me Italy is the place where Cindy was a girl and turned into a powerful woman.