On Wednesday, Nov. 20, women from more than 18 community synagogues in Teaneck, Bergenfield, New Milford and surrounding communities will convene at Congregation Keter Torah to celebrate and raise much needed funds for the Teaneck Mikvah. This year, the special guest will be Elinor Goldwicht Ryzman, speaking on the topic of “Sparks of Illumination: The Power of Unity.”
The annual event is an evening of friendship, community and inspiration. “I got inspired to get involved in the mikvah after attending the annual women’s event. It is a powerful evening with over 600 women representing all of our local shuls,” said Omrit Weissman, who serves on the event and other mikvah committees. “It unites all women of all ages of the community while emphasizing the significance of the mikvah. Seated at tables are daughters, mothers and grandmothers, [showing that] the mikvah has and always will be the great connector of Jewish women. It is a privilege to work with so many talented and dedicated women who devote their time to ensuring the continued success of the beautiful mikvah.”
Raffle packages contributed by community partners are a special part of the event and feature extraordinary gifts including designer art, a photography package, spa vouchers and cookware. “To many attendees, the raffles are a highlight of the evening,” said Penina Schoenbrun, a member of the event committee and shul liaison. “This year’s prizes are next level! It will be a night to remember.”
“The gala event is not just a fun evening out spent with friends and the women of our community,” said Eden Mehl, event committee member. “It is a necessary fundraiser to make up the gap in the mikvah’s annual budget. Many people are unaware that the mikvah’s usage fee of $22 per visit comprises less than 50% of the Teaneck Mikvah’s annual budget. Teaneck is an active, busy mikvah: The mikvah logs 10,500 visits from women each year in addition to 125 kallahs.”
The 15-year-old Florence and Joseph Appleman building houses four modern mikvaot and 18 hotel-style, aesthetically pleasing preparation rooms, rendering the user experience seamless, quiet and calm. Visitors enjoy leaving the frenetic pace of their everyday lives to enter the tranquil spa-like building. Interactions with the warm and dedicated staff are always minimally obtrusive, a move designed to create a reflective and serene mikvah visit. The scheduling of mikvah visits have also been improved in recent years thanks to a streamlined appointment and registration system. The Yetta Schechter Building, which opened five years ago, provides an alternative for Shabbat and Yom Tov usage for women who live on the south side of town.
Every detail of the user experience has been conceived, designed and implemented by the mikvah’s dedicated staff and volunteers. These include both obvious details, such as making sure each room is consistently and beautifully prepared for the next visitor, to more complex details, such as the training of every shomeret to be sensitive and supportive to every patron. “We try to make sure that all women, regardless of level of observance, background and prior mikvah experiences, feel welcome,” said Miriam Feman, a recognized expert and Teaneck Mikvah’s head shomeret. The mikvah staff and dedicated volunteers also address details one would rarely think of, such as how to provide upkeep for the mikvah’s oversized hot water heaters and multiple industrial washers and dryers. The full- and part-time staff, including Administrator Gitty Eisner, and volunteers of the mikvah, work, in their dedicated and quiet way, to keep it all happening on a daily basis.
Challenges met at the mikvah range from the simple to more complex, such as maintenance of the keilim mikvah — a heavily used room for dipping utensils or dishes — almost never unoccupied during daily hours, which is cleaned twice daily, to the more complex, such as addressing the needs of women with specific medical conditions or needs. Thanks to a security grant from the state of New Jersey, the mikvah has upgraded its outdoor cameras and lighting, ensuring better security and making paths to and from the parking lot easier to navigate. The shomrot and receptionists also are trained to present themselves with a specific non-judgmental tone and to deal gently and kindly with any challenge a woman faces in visiting the mikvah itself. One noteworthy element of the mikvah is its wheelchair accessible preparation room and mikvah pool.
“We are grateful to live in a community where all of the religious and lay leadership work together with the mikvah’s professional and volunteer team to ensure that the mikvah experience is as positive as it can be, building the future of Am Yisrael, especially during these challenging times,” said President Nomi Rotblat. “We look forward to having women from all shuls join us for a unifying and uplifting evening in support of our community’s mikvah,” added Chief Operating Officer Alisa Levy.
To register and/or sponsor online, visit teaneckmikvah.org
