To me mikvah was always a thing for the religious folk in Glenhazel. It was for those who keep Shabbat and Kosher and for those who send their kids to religious schools. It definitely was not for me.
But came a time in my life when I was searching for meaning. I needed to connect to something higher than myself and to tune into my inner energy and soul. I had heard about the recently built mikvah in our community and somehow felt drawn to it.
But I was afraid. Afraid to venture into an arena seemingly so beyond myself. Afraid that I’d be uncomfortable. Afraid of the newness of it all.
Still, I called my Rebbetzin. We met privately in her home and over coffee and cupcakes, she patiently and lovingly outlined the laws of Family-Sanctity. She reiterated time and again that one need not be on a certain level of Torah observance to do a mitzvah and connect to Hashem in this special way. She described the preparations for – and the immersion in- the mikvah and it simply sounded beautiful!
I loved the mikvah experience. The mikvah attendant was amazing. She was so sensitive, un-judgemental and caring, and made me feel so at-ease. I still can’t believe that I – a woman who feels far removed from anything religious – am now a regular mikvah-goer. But it’s there that I find an inner calm and a sense of direction and connection to G-d. It’s better than anything I’d ever imagined.
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