Chabad Lubavitch of Western Monmouth County celebrated the grand opening of the Hercenberg Mikvah Complex on Sunday, Dec. 15. Over 200 adults celebrated the opening of the new mikvah with a presentation, sumptuous meal and tours of the state-of the art mikvah that has facilities for women and men as well as for keylim (utensils). A separate, simultaneous program was available to entertain the more than 100 children in attendance while their parents applauded the opening of the first mikvah in Manalapan, New Jersey.

According to Program Director Rabbi Avraham Bernstein, the mikvah project was started before COVID. Delays ensued because of shutdowns and lack of materials. “There was a tremendous demand for a mikvah in this area. Now that it is finally finished, we can see the results are truly magnificent.” The growing congregation now sees “70 or 80 people” in attendance each Shabbat and many more people come for special programs and holiday events.

Deborah Thaler of Manalapan said that while she “belongs to a Reform congregation, I do come to some programming here and it is important to support the Jewish community.” The grand opening attracted people from all around the area. Lana Landis of Freehold came with her husband and many friends. “This is very exciting! It has been a long time coming and really is something special.”

The program began with a welcome and a reiteration that the grand opening is a momentous occasion that extends beyond all the hard work to get the building done and also highlights the growth of spiritual and communal life in the area. “Despite all the delays, the collective effort, with trust in Hashem, helped bring the project to reality. The mikvah is much more than a structure; it is a foundation of Jewish life,” said Bernstein.

Chabad Lubavitch of Western Monmouth County began with a couple of small farmhouses and now is a vibrant center of Jewish life with a Shabbat guest house, the mikvah and an expanded Chabad House. A letter that Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, the seventh Lubavitch Rebbe, wrote for a mikvah dedication in Montreal in 1981 was equally applicable to this event over 40 years later and was read aloud. That dedication was also close to Chanukah, and the Rebbe noted that the new mikvah would augment spirituality and bring additional light to the community, as does the Chanukah menorah.

Named in memory of Sunny Hercenberg (Sara bat Yehuda Leib), the mikvah is a fitting tribute to a woman who actively sought to enhance Jewish religious life in the communities she lived in. She was actively involved in the establishment of the community mikvah in White Oak, Maryland in 1997, ameliorating a four-mile trip to get to the next closest one. Her son, Yudi Hercenberg, said, “This was her legacy, and the mikvah here in Manalapan is a continuation of that.” After three sons, Yudi and his wife Simcha now also have a 2-month-old daughter named for her grandmother Sunny, as an additional tribute and legacy. “When Rabbi Chazanow first approached us for a donation to build the mikvah, I asked my wife what she thought. Her response was that this was quite an opportunity. Her support and unwavering belief in this project is why we are here today.”

Rabbi Yitzchok Bistritzky, founder and president of Mikvah USA, spoke about the importance of the mitzvah of Rabbi Chazanow. “This past year was a tough lesson as we learned we are all brothers and sisters.” The mother of hostage Agam Berger has been actively involved in the building of mikvahs as a way of connecting and hoping for the release of her daughter. Although not religious, the meaning of Agam, a body of water, made the mitzvah of mikvahs meaningful.

Mikvah USA assisted Chabad Lubavitch of Western Monmouth County with building the mikvahs utilizing project managers, halachic consultants, construction consultants, fundraising staff, donor base, speakers, literature and everything else necessary to bring the dream of the mikvahs to fruition and spread taharah observance.

Rabbi Boruch Chazanow, co-director of the Chabad House, introduced the major donors who made the mikvah a reality and presented them with gifts of appreciation. He then acknowledged that 14 Kislev, the date of the mikvah grand opening, would have been the 96th wedding anniversary of Rabbi Menachem and Chaya Mushka Schneerson. As they ignited souls of the Jewish people, each mikvah built brings Moshiach closer and closer. Our community mikvah creates another link in the chain of the continuity of the Jewish people. “Each donor completed a piece of the puzzle and made the picture complete.”

A sumptuous luncheon buffet featuring hot and cold main dishes, soups and appetizers, a gelato and coffee bar, and other delicious treats was available for attendees. Small group tours of the beautiful mikvah followed a ribbon-cutting that marked the official grand opening.

Allison Kaplan of Manalapan came to the event with her 11-day-old daughter. She has become an active member of this Chabad after having moved to New Jersey from South Carolina for more Jewish opportunities for her children. “Chabad is a really special place in that they bring in so many people from all different backgrounds and make them feel accepted. The new mikvah helps bring us together for the mitzvah of keeping Jewish families and sharing these values with our children.”

Rebbetzin Tova Chazanow, co-director of the Chabad House, noted that “The availability of the mikvah is a milestone for the community and the epitome of continuity for the generations. After 38 years with the Chabad here, it is wonderful to see the new and returning faces and the young standing proudly with the older generations as we establish this foundation of Jewish life.”

For more information, visit www.chabadwmc.com.