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Bat Mitzvah Mania

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Written by Lisa Berman Oh to be a 12 year old girl these days. No, not because of all the Justin Bieber look-alikes in their classes, though surely that doesn’t hurt. And yes, being a 5th, 6th, or 7th grade girl is still rife with challenges – academic, social, sports, bullying, peer pressure, etc. Add […]

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Mayyim Hayyim's First Born

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Written by Anita Diamant There’s a new mikveh in Raleigh! I was in North Carolina a few weeks ago and Rabbi Jenny Solomon gave us a tour – “us” being me, my husband Jim, who is a Mayyim Hayyim mikveh guide, and my daughter Emilia, who was a Mayyim Hayyim intern long before we opened […]

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The Secret of the Sea

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Written by Miriam Anzovin “Would’st thou,”—so the helmsman answered, “Learn the secret of the sea? Only those who brave its dangers Comprehend its mystery!”                                                                                                                    -Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, The Secret of the Sea Last summer, right after the Deepwater Horizon oil disaster, I swam in the ocean for the first […]

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The Long Road

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Written by Todd Kates On July 26, 2011, the 6th anniversary of his adoption by me from a Russian orphanage, my son officially converted to Judaism at Mayyim Hayyim.  On October 1, 2011, he celebrated his Bar Mitzvah in front of 145 family and friends.  It was probably one of the most profound moments since […]

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Ensuring the Future

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Written by Madeline Mayer While sitting in my Fundraising and Philanthropy class last week, someone remarked vehemently, “I think that more people should give anonymous gifts.  I think that it is self-serving when there are several buildings all with one family’s last name.”  Now, as a Brandeis student, I admit that I often am frustrated […]

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Breaking the Cycle

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Written by Rachel Galper Rachel wrote this monologue for Libi Eir’s “Scenes from the Mikveh Monologues” production. For as long as I could remember, I’d hated myself. I hated my body, my feelings, and the dark, nasty voices inside my head. I hated being a Jew and a woman- a living, walking target. And I was furious at […]

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Words of Reflection, Hope, and Healing

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In the midst of our month-long series honoring National Domestic Abuse Awareness month, we offer you a selection of quotes from our guest books.  These words of reflection, hope, and healing have been left for you to read by our visitors:   “This was my first experience immersing in a mikveh, and it will take […]

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Spread Over Us the Shelter of Your Peace

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Written by Rabbi Margaret Frisch Klein Another version of this post was first published on the Academy for Jewish Religion website. Sitting in a private bathroom stall on Rosh Hashanah at my synagogue, I notice a sign for a hotline for domestic abuse. I am saddened that we need such signs. I am relieved that we […]

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It takes elbows…

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Written by Aliza Kline What does it take to create real change in Jewish life? I mean real change, not just changing language from kiruv to outreach to engagement. I mean changing access to ritual, and reframing Jewish experiences so that they actually feel different. How different is it to make change in Israel versus […]

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This Woman's Work

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Written by Adrienne Query-Fiss Shalom Bayit, a “peaceful home,” is one of the key philosophies of an observant Jewish household. For a married couple, it’s a dance of give-and-take, an ideal relationship not just to one’s spouse, but to the acts themselves of compromise and reconciliation. True shalom bayit is about reconciling two selves, two […]

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Supporting Survivors of Abuse

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Written by Carrie Bornstein, Acting Director at Mayyim Hayyim Every immersion at Mayyim Hayyim is unique.  Each person brings his own reason for visiting, her own story.  But when I think of all the stories I have been blessed to know, one in particular comes to mind: “Marci” visited from out of town after she […]

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An Unexpected Experience at the Mikveh

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Written by Deena Blau I was fortunate to learn about Anita Diamant’s dream of a modern mikveh long before it came to fruition.  Her enthusiasm was infectious and I awaited our new mikveh with curiosity and excitement. When Mayyim Hayyim opened its doors in May of 2004, I had my first opportunity to actually see […]

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  • Closure Notice

    Please be advised that Mayyim Hayyim will be closed starting July 25 through August 7 while we install critical AC units. Existing appointments will occur as scheduled.

    Thank you for your understanding. We will be doing this work to ensure guest comfort during Elul, the month leading up to Rosh Hashanah.

    If you have any questions, please reach out to info@mayyimhayyim.org