by Abbie Yamamoto The practice of mikveh feels nourishing. The way the water hugs and buoys me up just a little feels like the physical embodiment of support. When I enter the mikveh, the water envelops me completely, and gently touches every single part of my body. This feels both intimate and a little invasive. […]
Continue Readingby Anita Diamant, Founding President Mayyim Hayyim is a mikveh where the ancient ritual of immersion is open for use by everybody in the Jewish community, and where all of us—including friends, family and guests of all backgrounds—are welcome to explore and learn about Jewish life. Visitors are often surprised to find that there’s a […]
Continue Readingby Hannah Altman I’m currently working on a photo series about the strength of the mikveh, and my research led me to the wonderful and inclusive community at Mayyim Hayyim. During my visit, I was so inspired. The open-minded approach to immersion aligned perfectly with how I view Jewish ritual, so making photographs in the […]
Continue Readingby Annie O. My husband and I were both raised Jewish, and attended Reform and Conservative religious services growing up. While we were dating, we enjoyed going to High Holiday services together, and occasionally hosted Shabbat dinners with friends. We were lucky enough to be married by two rabbis, both close family members. Our conversations […]
Continue Readingby Amber Caulkins, Director of The Rising Tide Open Waters Mikveh Network “I feel like a mikveh in our community is possible now.” Over the last year and half, as the Rising Tide Open Waters Mikveh Network has grown from vision to reality—with 24 member communities to date and with continued growth on the horizon—I hear […]
Continue ReadingBy Rachel Eisen, Director of Development When people ask me why I love working at Mayyim Hayyim, my answer can vary from day to day. Sometimes I’ll tell a story about someone who needed healing. Sometimes I’ll tell the story about getting to witness my best friend’s bridal immersion. Or I’ll tell a story about […]
Continue Readingby Hilary Shea A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to visit the gallery at Mayyim Hayyim with my Hebrew school class. The class has students in second through seventh grades. I had read about the exhibit, To the Letter: Aleph – Z, and I reached out to Mayyim Hayyim about setting up a […]
Continue ReadingBy Lisa Berman, Mikveh and Education Director More than 14 years ago, several remarkable women envisioned and created the role of Mayyim Hayyim’s Mikveh Guides. An evolution of the “mikveh lady,” our Guides are knowledgeable without being judgmental, empathetic without prying, compassionate or dispassionate — as the guest needs. While our focus is always on […]
Continue ReadingOriginally posted January 2017 by Sarah Bolts and Michael Chernicoff, Beyond the Huppah Participants fall 2015 Sarah: I honestly didn’t know what to expect from a pre-marriage class. I grew up in the Orthodox community, where pre-marriage classes came in the form of “kallah (bride) classes” in which a bride would learn about the laws of niddah (regular separation […]
Continue Readingby Rabbi Margaret Frisch Klein, Mikveh Guide At Mayyim Hayyim, we are grateful to Margaret for her bravery in speaking up about sexual assault. Read her story, learn about how she used mikveh as part of her healing process, and consider a donation so that Mayyim Hayyim can continue to be there for survivors. The […]
Continue Readingby Carrie Bornstein, Executive Director The Mayyim Hayyim community has lost a beloved teacher as Cookie Rosenbaum, zichrona l’vracha (may her memory be a blessing), has passed away. Cookie was one of my first teachers at Mayyim Hayyim. When I trained to become a volunteer Mikveh Guide in 2006, she taught, “Preparation, Niddah, and Bridal […]
Continue Readingby Julie Sullivan, Administrative Director This quote from the Hebrew Bible has always been a favorite of mine. So much so that it was actually my senior quote in my high school yearbook more than 20 years ago. Even back then, I loved the thought that life is a journey filled with highs and lows, […]
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