by Talya Sokoll, Mikveh Guide A number of years ago, when I moved back to Boston after college in New York, I began the search for Jewish spaces that I felt comfortable and welcome in. As someone who has grown up with a plethora of Jewish experiences, I knew what I liked and what I […]
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 Kelly Banker, Intern I have always been captivated by water. It holds a certain mystical quality, a kind of knowing. Growing up, my family spent our summers living in a cottage on a lake in New Hampshire, so water has been a staple of my life from an early age. Lakes, streams, rivers, waterfalls and […]
Continue Readingby Lisa Berman, Mikveh & Education Director Picture a small, sunlit-filled atrium filled with 22 wiggly eleven-year-old boys and girls. They’ve just been darting in and out of mikveh preparation rooms, opening closets, peeking in cabinets and behind shower curtains, flinging themselves on the tiled floor to dip their fingers in the warm mikveh water. […]
Continue Readingby Roberta Gross-Torres In 2003 I was a member of the first cohort of Mikveh Guides trained by Mayyim Hayyim to facilitate immersions for all kinds of reasons in our new, spa-like mikveh. The first time I witnessed an immersion for a conversion I felt like a gentle pair of hands had come to massage […]
Continue ReadingBy Shari Zakim-Yacouby and Talya Sokoll Talya: One thing I’ve learned in my 30 years as a Jew is that there is no one right way to be Jewish. Although my experience of living a fulfilling Jewish life has been intrinsically intertwined with the communities I am part of, I feel so blessed to be […]
Continue ReadingI am a twin. From the point of my conception, I’ve always had company. That can be a good thing – constant companionship – or a bad thing – lack of my own space. This duality plays out in my personality. I’m a classic ambivert, delighting in time with others while needing restorative solitude in […]
Continue Readingby Rene Katersky Actually, I have felt that Mayyim Hayyim has been in good hands all along. Thoughtful strong leadership, and inspired, inspiring vision has been a cornerstone and continues in abundance. Having just had three future Mikveh Guides shadow me during two recent shifts, I don’t think this could be more true today. These, now […]
Continue Readingby Lisa Berman, Mikveh & Education Director Anita Diamant says of our mikveh guides, “You are the face of Mayyim Hayyim.” It’s true. A mikveh guide literally opens the door and welcomes each guest, supporting their visit in whatever way is needed, wanted, imagined, spoken of or hinted at. This winter we have welcomed and are training […]
Continue Readingby Susan Neiman, Mikveh Guide I’ve been a mikveh guide for about a year and a half. I usually come to Newton once a month and I try to stay for about 3-5 hours at a stretch, especially because I live quite a distance away. I try to pick a day with lots of activity, […]
Continue Readingby Leeann Simons, Mikveh Guide Ten years ago, I became a member of Mayyim Hayyim. At my friend’s invitation, I agreed to go on a tour of this new place. As soon as I walked in the door, I decided: this is it–I am coming here to celebrate my 50th birthday. Since then, I have […]
Continue Readingby Susan Arndt It’s hard to believe we just celebrated my son’s Bar Mitzvah. Zachary was born a beautiful healthy baby, but at the age of sixteen months, he started having seizures. Over the years, with all of the challenges he has faced being non-verbal and having developmental delays, I have always looked for ways of […]
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