On Monday, November 14, as in past years, women are invited to come celebrate a unique force in our community that unites everyone. For the past seven years, women have looked forward to this evening as a chance to come together, socialize with their friends, and be inspired: all in support of the Teaneck Mikvah Association.
This year will be no exception. “The dinner is a unifying event for the community,” explained Teaneck Mikvah Association president Nomi Rotblat. “Having Raizy Mendelsohn, a dynamic and engaging speaker, allows us to focus on the inspiration of the event, while still maintaining the social aspect everyone has come to look forward to. This is an event that brings the community together and gives us the critical funds we need to keep the mikvah in operation.”
The annual dinner is the mikvah’s largest fundraiser each year, enabling the mikvah to close the budget gap that the nightly usage fees and other fundraising do not cover. Although the mikvah board is grateful to the shul memberships, presidents and rabbis for adopting the mikvah assessment on the shul bills, these funds don’t cover the operating costs, insurance, salaries, utilities, mortgage payments, repairs and other bills that occur over the course of the year. “The sponsorships from the annual event are what allow us to pay our bills,” said Ruchi Tiger, the mikvah’s treasurer. The Teaneck Mikvah Association prides itself on keeping things in top shape and up to date. With its high volume of usage—both the regular mikvaot and the keilim mikvah, constant maintenance and repairs are required; everyone aims to take care of them in as timely a manner as possible.
Over the past year, the mikvah continued to grow and expand to meet the needs of the community. Each month, approximately 1,000 women use the Teaneck mikvah, with some months exceeding even that amount. Besides regular use, the past two years have seen over 100 kallot each year use the mikvah before their wedding. “We try to make this experience a special one. Many of these kallahs have such a wonderful experience, they travel back afterwards to use this mikvah, even if they don’t live in Bergen County right now,” stated Rotblat.
In addition, the Teaneck mikvah partners with local yeshiva high schools, and hosts a senior-year tour of the mikvah for the graduating young women. “We are honored to be part of their first exposure in this mitzvah,” Rotblat said. “And we always receive very positive feedback.”
The Teaneck South mikvah on Sterling Place has also seen tremendous growth over the past year. It has been used almost every Friday night, as well as Yom Tov nights. “The Sterling Place Mikvah on the “south side” of town allows the women who live farther from Windsor Road to observe the mitzvah as easily as possible,” observed Rotblat.
As a central and integral part of Jewish life, the mikvah staff constantly looks for ways to make this a beautiful and meaningful process. Miriam Feman continues to guide the shomrot and receptionists with her quiet dignity. Like any professional, the staff of the mikvah engage in a level of continuing education—training courses, annual meetings, and on-the-job guidance and training. “We’re very lucky to have Miriam Feman and her staff of shomrot and receptionists. They are a very devoted and special group who enhance the mitzvah of taharat hamishpacha in this community,” expressed Rotblat. “We are also very fortunate to have added Yael Davidovics to our team as our mikvah administrator, after Bryna Malitzky’s retirement. Yael’s professionalism, competence and dedication are inspiring.”
Rotblat wants everyone to come and enjoy this fun night out (with a chance to win fabulous prizes at the raffle as well), but also wants to educate the community about the essential part of their lives that the mikvah is a part of. “We are hoping to reach out to everyone, to all age groups in the community, and to stress that the mikvah is a multi-generational commitment across all the populations of our community. Each generation and each shul and school membership use the mikvah and has a responsibility to maintain and build upon what the previous generation initiated,” said Rotblat. Utilizing social media to reach those who are more tech savvy, the annual dinner for the first time has its own hashtag: #teaneckwomensevent on Facebook.
Rotblat hopes that everyone will come to “celebrate the special bond we have, and support the mikvah,” allowing the women of the community to “lead the life we do and keep the associated mitzvot as beautifully as we do.”
Women are invited to join the Teaneck community at Congregation Keter Torah on November 14 at 7:15 pm for words of inspiration from Raizy Mendelsohn and a beautiful night out with community members. Register at www.teaneckmikvah.com/event.
By Jenny Gans
