by Rachel Eisen, Director of Annual Giving It’s December, the time of year when many people make charitable contributions. As the Director of Annual Giving at Mayyim Hayyim, it’s a busy time of year for me. Sometimes it’s also easy to get lost in the weeds – then I remember all the reasons why I […]
Continue ReadingAs Hannukah approaches, we are reminded of this amazing story by former Board Member Jane Matlaw, and we want to share it with you. “When my children were young, they got something small each night of Hanukkah. Growing up, my parents had demonstrated the importance of giving back and I wanted to pass this value […]
Continue Readingby Lisa Berman, Mikveh & Education Director It’s that time of year when we’re surrounded by lists – top ten best movies of the year, books, songs, the like. Here at Mayyim Hayyim, we judge ourselves by our impact on our guests. Did they have a positive experience? Were they made to feel welcome? Did […]
Continue Readingby Sophie Hyman I was a little apprehensive about coming to the mikveh. My sister’s girlfriend, Leah (Mayyim Hayyim staff and mikveh enthusiast), encouraged me to explore this area of Judaism that I had very minimal exposure to. I was afraid that I would enter into this beautiful, Jewish experience and feel indifferent, like it […]
Continue Readingby Tammi Levy-Cantor It’s been a busy year for our family. Our child will be invited to and attending almost 60 Bar and Bat Mitzvahs from her classmates at the Rashi School, her camp family, our actual family, and long time friends. My husband, son, and I have also been incredibly fortunate to share in […]
Continue Readingby Leah Robbins, Administrative and Marketing Assistant Thanksgiving 2016 is over, but Hannukah is approaching, and I am still riding the thankful-train for all that Hashem has gifted me this year. Let us review my timeline: In April I completed my undergraduate thesis at the University of Florida about Jewish feminism, during which time I became […]
Continue Readingby Tamar Duke-Cohan I happened into a public bathroom a few evenings ago. As I entered, a woman flew out of the first stall, ran into another and banged the door shut. I could hear her muttering and sobbing over the phone. Although I could not understand the words because she was speaking in another […]
Continue Readingby Carrie Bornstein, Executive Director Last week a 12-year old girl decided to immerse at Mayyim Hayyim prior to becoming a Bat Mitzvah. As is the often the case, she led the way by bringing in her step-mother and grandparents, all of whom were skeptical about visiting a mikveh. Resolute in her plans, she calmly […]
Continue Readingby Jenna Margolis I was little when my cousin converted to Judaism, but I distinctly remember watching my aunt hold her own breath as she released her new baby into the water. After several dunks in the Mayyim Hayyim mikveh, the child was Jewish, according to our rabbi. My family rejoiced, my aunt breathed again, […]
Continue Readingby Cassie Seinuk One night I went out to walk my dog, placed my foot on the step outside my door, and tripped, stumbling down four concrete steps, landing heavily on my left arm. The pain was sharp, and loud, and I knew something was broken, especially when I tried to stand and couldn’t. After […]
Continue Readingby Rachel Eisen, Director of Annual Giving This past week has been, to put it mildly, a tumultuous and heavy one. As a (white) Jewish woman, I’ve been worried and scared for my friends and family of all races and religions, as an antisemitic man and a homophobic man were named to the presidential transition team. […]
Continue Readingby Lisa Berman, Mikveh and Education Director Unsettled, energized, anxious, fatigued –we are all experiencing a panoply of emotions at this time of decision-making in our country. This has been a time of political transition unlike any most of us have known in our lifetimes, unprecedented in its fraught nature. Transitions are not new to […]
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