DANNY &


SAMANTHA

October 29, 2023

    DANNY &
SAMANTHA

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We can’t wait to celebrate with you!

Danny and Samantha met at Pinemere Camp in 2003. However, their initial meeting did not bear fruits for nearly 12 arduous years. As campers at Pinemere in the Pennsylvania mountains, Danny and Samantha got to know each other over the course of 4 summers together. Danny moved on from Pinemere in 2007, and the two did not reconnect until High School in 2009. Both were active members of the Bnai Brith Youth Organization; Danny in Wilmington, Delaware, and Samantha in Allentown, Pennsylvania. As both chapters were in the same region, their relationship began to grow again. Over the course of High School, Danny and Samantha were around each other frequently; at weekend conventions and hangouts with mutual friends. As their respective Senior years came to a close both chose their own unique paths. Danny left Delaware to attend the United States Military Academy at West Point while Samantha left the United States altogether to make Aliyah in Israel and join the Israeli Defense Forces. Fate could easily have ended their collective story, but reality had other plans. Leading up to Danny’s senior year at West Point, he had an opportunity to work in Italy for a US Army organization based outside of Venice. As he traveled the country, Samantha took notice. She had just completed her IDF service in 2014 with a recent visit to Italy. Without thinking twice, she sent Danny a short Facebook message, and with the stroke of a keyboard had forever changed the course of their lives. 

the proposal

As I began the 5 hour drive to Hershey from Saratoga Springs, New York, to be with my family for my birthday, I couldn’t help but drive a little faster because I knew that tomorrow Aaron was making the drive to Hershey from D.C for the weekend too. Since I had been in Saratoga completing my 11 month long dietetic internship, Aaron and I were lucky if we saw each other once a month for a weekend at a time. This was unfamiliar territory for us after attending the same high school and college together for the past 6 years! Little did I know that this weekend would be the most memorable of my life.
The next day I couldn’t sit still. Aaron and I had plans to visit Spring Gate Vineyard in Harrisburg for my birthday, but I was just excited to finally see him again. I will never forget how slow the last 15 minutes passed as I waited for him alone at the side door of my parents' house while they were “out to dinner”. Little did I know that I was actually waiting for my best friend to propose to me. Finally, he arrived and I rushed out to give him a big squeeze like you give someone special when you haven’t seen them in a long time. Finally, after we let each other go, Aaron raced back to his car as if he had forgotten something (apparently I threw him off by waiting for him at the side door, Woops!). I watched him pull out the box and take a knee to propose and in an instant I felt like the happiest and luckiest person in the entire world. He looked like he was shaking so much and I quickly said yes and hugged him as happy tears filled my eyes. His plan was so simple and perfect and it was just us, which made me feel so comfortable. There was plenty of crying, laughing, and a mini bottle of champagne that my mom set up (and hid from me) for us in the house to quickly celebrate. In the meantime, both of our families were at the Mill restaurant in Hershey who we joined to celebrate. It was an incredible weekend and I am so excited to marry my best friend and high school sweetheart!

-Rachel