by Carrie Bornstein Last week I attended Advancing Women Professionals and the Jewish Community’s “Changing the Future, Now!” conference. I entered the day feeling confident about our work in promoting gender equality; after all, for twelve years Mayyim Hayyim’s staff, board, and volunteers have primarily been women. But I was taken aback early on in […]
Continue Readingby Nancy Sohn Schwartz Originally posted on Rabbitziona.com. Reposted with permission from author. Three months ago, just after my 69th birthday, I went to the mikveh. It was an experience that I will remember for the rest of my life. Ten years ago, while attending a CAJE Conference at Ohio State University, I was approached by a man, […]
Continue Readingby Lisa Berman, Director of Education Often at Mayyim Hayyim we focus on the transitional moments in people’s lives, the moments where something is changing, happening — a stopping point where we are encouraged to take note of this point in time. But let’s be honest. While these pivotal moments are the center of attention for much […]
Continue Readinga poem by Rabbi Emma Gottlieb Usually I am above, _____looking down I avert my eyes as they descend and then connect with them to say the prayers _____to share the joy _____to complete the process _____to witness I am the rabbi I lead I accompany I affirm, confirm, and reaffirm I am the guide […]
Continue ReadingBy: Mayyim Hayyim Staff September, for many people, is a month of transition as summer moves into milder days, children return to school, and Jewish calendar turns over into the new year. Immersion ceremonies are ways to mark transition and we are grateful that so many people shared their spiritual transitions this month by immersing […]
Continue Readingby Emilia Diamant Last week at a planning meeting for the Girls Night Out event, I was asked to respond to the question: “Why do you want a mikveh?” Many in the room shared answers about their personal immersions, family experiences, or just generally liking the idea of the place. When it came my turn, […]
Continue Readingby Rachel CaraDonna, Mayyim Hayyim Development Intern Summer is transitioning quickly into fall; the air is becoming noticeably crisp and the leaves are beginning to change. The season known best in New England brings along the classic activities and foods such as apple picking, pumpkin carving, apple crisp, and pumpkin pie. Going anywhere, it’s inevitable […]
Continue Readingby Tucker Lieberman I am a Humanist Jew. I am a Jew by birth, upbringing, education, and community. I believe in rational inquiry and skepticism. I am a person who shies from labels, but nonetheless, I am a Humanist Jew. Exactly what is it, I have been asked, that draws a humanist to a mikveh? […]
Continue Readingby Leah Hart Tennen, Mikveh Center Director As a staff member and Mikveh Guide at Mayyim Hayyim, I often get asked how often, when and why I immerse. That might be a personal question to some, but I don’t mind. I actually like talking about my immersion experiences because each one led to the next […]
Continue Readingby Rabbi Sarah Tasman For the past number of years, immersing in the waters of the mikveh has been an important part of my transition into the new year. Immersing before Rosh Hashanah in previous years felt very natural, an extension of the images of rebirth and renewal, of creation, and of the world coming […]
Continue Readingby Carrie Bornstein Every year I tell myself I’m going to immerse in the mikveh before Rosh Hashanah. And every year, Rosh Hashanah sneaks up on me and I wonder how I can possibly set aside the time to make it happen. Yes, I am aware that it takes approximately 7 seconds to get from […]
Continue Readingby Jody Comins, Development and Events Coordinator …said my daughter, Talia, who just started her freshman year at Gann Academy. I was thinking the same thing! This is a big year for my family, with both children starting new schools. Talia started high school and Elizabeth started middle school. On the first day of school […]
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