The Global Stream – Virtual Gathering on Thursday, June 6, 2024 

🌊 Dive into Connection: Celebrating the Open Mikveh Movement

Join us on Thursday, June 6 for a virtual celebration like no other as we come together to foster connection, build momentum, and honor the trailblazers who are radically reimagining Jewish ritual water immersion. This special Gathering will unite us in spirit, celebrating the diverse stories, innovations, and visions of the open mikveh community. Whether you are immersed in the mikveh world or just dipping your toes in, you are welcome here!

🌟 Highlights of the Event

🌄 The Waters of Revelation: Shavuot Inspiration for the Open Mikveh Movement – In this Keynote Experience, soak up “Tastes of Torah” from community leaders, who will draw new mikveh connections to Shavuot and the Book of Ruth. Bring your own creative imagination as we celebrate the Torah of open mikveh!

🌿 Mikveh Forest Exploration – Wander through a whimsical Mikveh Forest on our online platform GatherTown, where you can meet fellow attendees, share ideas, dive into a mikveh-inspired meditation, and discover mikveh initiatives taking root around the world.

🎨 Mikveh Art Showcase – Immerse yourself in a showcase of creativity, featuring the captivating works of artists within the movement. From visual arts to poetry and beyond, experience the power of expression through the lens of the Jewish water ritual.

🏆 Mikveh Stories Symposium – Be inspired by stories from the newest Rising Tide mikva’ot that most recently opened their doors. Honor the 2024 Wellspring Awardees, who will share powerful mikveh stories and be recognized for their leadership.

🌊 Come be a part of this transformative experience as we celebrate the past, present, and future of the open mikveh movement. Together, let’s make waves of change!

Detailed Schedule

Keynote Experience: (12 – 1:15pm ET / 11am – 12:15pm CT / 9am – 10:15am PT)

The Waters of Revelation: Shavuot Inspiration for the Open Mikveh Movement – Kick off the day with an opening ritual and an orientation to our shared space. Soak up “Tastes of Torah” from community leaders, who will draw new mikveh connections to Shavuot and the Book of Ruth. Explore this new wisdom through the power of creativity, utilizing the Jewish Studio Process for personal and communal reflection on how our learnings will impact our work to renew this ancient ritual.

Tastes of Torah:

- - - “Radical Welcome & Belonging: Ruth’s Story as a Model for Open Mikveh” with Julie Childers
    - “Preparing for Revelation: The Power of Mikveh to Ready Our Souls for Divine Encounter” with Akiko Yonekaw
    - “Bodies of Water: Ritual Immersions as a Tool for Positive Body Image” with Naomi Malka
    - “Renew Your Life: The Transformative Power of Chosen Family in Ruth” with Rabbi Avigayil Halpern
    - Jewish Studio Process facilitated by erica riddick

Break:  (1:15 – 1:45pm ET / 12:15 – 12:45pm CT / 10:15 – 10:45am PT) 

Mikveh Forest Exploration: (1:45 – 2:30pm ET / 12:45 – 1:30pm CT / 10:45 – 11:30am PT)

Wander through a whimsical Mikveh Forest on our online platform GatherTown, where you can meet fellow attendees, share ideas, connect with sponsors, and discover the mikveh initiatives taking root around the world.

Break: (2:30 – 3:00pm ET / 1:30 – 2:00pm CT / 11:30am – 12:00pm PT)

Optional Mikveh Meditation & Movement led by Jenna Zadaka, Jewish Education Director of At The Well

Mikveh Stories Symposium & Wellspring Awards: (3:00 – 4:15pm ET / 2:00 – 3:15pm CT / 12:00 – 1:15pm PT)

Be inspired by stories about radically reimagining Jewish ritual water immersion. Celebrate the global mikveh movement by honoring the 2024 Rising Tide Wellspring Awardees, and come together for a closing ritual to mobilize toward our shared future.

Opening Doors to Ancient Ritual: Stories from the Newest Rising Tide Mikva’ot, a panel facilitated by Rabbi Amalia Mark, Senior Director of Programs & Partnerships at Mayyim Hayyim

Featured Panelists:

- - - Lynne Wasserman, Louisiana Community Mikveh
    - Missy Wolnerman, Mayim Rabim – Louis and Marilyn Hurwitz Community Mikveh
    - Rabbi Guido Cohen, Aventura Turnberry Jewish Center

2024 Rising Tide Wellspring Awards: Honor the amazing leaders in our movement and their powerful stories of mikveh transformation.

Featured Awardees:

- - - Inspiring Mikveh Dreamers: Sapphira Edgarde & Rabbi Nachshon Carmi, Sovev: South Florida Community Mikveh
    - Exceptional Mikveh Educator: Sarah Quiat, Mayyim Hayyim
    - Amazing Mikveh Mobilizer: Amy Eisen, The Mikveh at Temple Beth Hillel/Beth El

Featured Speakers

Julie Childers, Mayyim Hayyim
Rabbi Guido Cohen, Aventura Turnberry Jewish Center
Anita Diamant, Author & Founder of Mayyim Hayyim
Allison Goldman Blustin, Mikveh Professional
Rabbi Avigayil Halpern, Writer & Educator
Naomi Malka, Mikveh Professional
Rabbi Amalia Mark, Mayyim Hayyim
Lucy Marshall, Mayyim Hayyim
erica riddick, Jews of Color Sanctuary
Soreh Ruffman, Mayyim Hayyim
Lynne Wasserman, Louisiana Community Mikveh
Missy Wolnerman, Mayim Rabim – Louis and Marilyn Hurwitz Community Mikveh
Akiko Yonekaw, Jewish Educator
Jenna Zadaka, At The Well

Wellspring Awards

Exceptional Mikveh Educator

Sarah Quiat has been a Boston-based mikveh guide and educator for five years. She first trained as a mikveh guide at Mayyim Hayyim in 2019 and started facilitating mikveh education programming in person as soon as Mayyim Hayyim reopened to groups after the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. She co-facilitated her first Seven Steps Mikveh Guide Training locally in Boston in 2022 and has since trained hundreds of Mikveh Guides around the globe through Rising Tide’s Seven Steps Mikveh Guide Training. Beyond the mikveh, Sarah is the Programming and Outreach Manager at the Wyner Family Jewish Heritage Center at American Ancestors. She has years of experience in Jewish education and programming, previously working at the Jewish Women’s Archive and the Yiddish Book Center.

Amazing Mikveh Mobilizer

Amy Eisen was trained as a Shomeret for The Mikveh at Temple Beth Hillel / Beth El in 2019. She became the manager in 2022 and was appointed Director in 2023. She has come to see the mikveh and its well-being as her purpose in life, leading a new energetic revival of engagement, connection, and meaningful immersions for her community. The Mikveh at Temple Beth Hillel/Beth El is an independent non-profit 501c3 that serves Philadelphia and its greater metropolitan area, Southern New Jersey and Delaware.

Inspiring Mikveh Dreamers

Sapphira Edgarde and Rabbi Nachshon Carmi recently launched a new initiative to build Sovev: South Florida Community Mikveh. Through their generative partnership, they have taken tangible steps of progress to transform their beautiful vision into a reality.

Sapphira Edgarde

Sapphira Edgarde is the co-founder of Sovev, an emerging community mikveh in South Florida. A graduate of Vassar College (B.A. in Religion) and the University of Judaism (MA.Ed.), she holds a DeLeT teaching certificate from Hebrew Union College and has been both a Jewish day school educator and religious school teacher. Sapphira is a life-long learner often studying with Hadar and Ritualwell and is currently a Wexner Heritage Fellow.

Rabbi Nachshon Carmi is a seasoned educator, ritual artist, mikveh guide, certified life coach and a trusted spiritual Director. He grew up on the shores of the Mediterranean and always loved swimming in any body of water he could jump into. Rabbi Carmi is committed to the renewal and retrieval of Jewish customs and rituals. He prides himself on being grounded in the legacy of Moroccan Judaism through his mother and Polish Hasidism through his father. He was ordained through Aleph-Jewish Renewal by Rabbi Marcia Prager and rabbinic Pastor Eve Ilsen, both of which received direct transmission from Rabbi Zalman Schacter-Shalomi of Blessed memory. Rabbi Carmi is a devout gardener. His effort to grow more of his food and compost the leftovers can be followed on Instagram under the handle Tropicaltorah.