We often celebrate the baby, but what about the parent? Jewish tradition offers equally profound support for the person who just gave birth. At Mayyim Hayyim, our “After Giving Birth” immersion ceremony is a vital part of how we support parents through the physical and emotional transitions of the postpartum journey. We are thrilled to share insights […]
Continue ReadingBy Arielle Kaplan Back in 2008, I first learned about an incredible place tucked away in a quiet residential neighborhood in Newton, MA: Mayyim Hayyim. A haven of ritual and renewal, it has become an anchor in the story of my Jewish life. As a convert to Judaism, my mother wanted to ensure that my […]
Continue ReadingBy Maya Shwayder I grew up in a secular household and didn’t even know what mikveh was until college. I learned about mikveh from my more religious friends. I was curious, but never really had access, and friends had relayed to me some less-than-stellar experiences. As someone who didn’t really know what she was doing, […]
Continue Readingby Nina B. Lichtenstein As a convert to Judaism, I have always said that “doing Jewish” is how my chosen identity anchored and deepened itself, and it has helped explain (to myself) why I embraced so fervently (relatively speaking) the laws of Shabbat, kashrut, and taharat ha-mishpacha (the laws of family purity). These three pillars […]
Continue Readingby Jordan Namerow, Incoming Board President Tonight, as I gazed at my fully illuminated hanukkiah, I reflected on the importance of rituals in the face of uncertainty. Now, more than ever, rituals are helping me stay tethered to my history and my people, as we strive for a brighter future. That’s why I’m proud to […]
Continue ReadingWe’re resharing this past blog post about Beyond the Huppah, our program for engaged and recently married couples. Know someone newly engaged or a couple married in the past five years? A new cohort begins December 7. by Annie O. My husband and I were both raised Jewish, and attended Reform and Conservative religious services […]
Continue Readingby Maiya Edelson When my now husband and I started planning our wedding, we sat down together and talked about the values and priorities we wanted throughout the planning process and the event itself. We spoke about the “feel” of our ceremony and reception, and how we wanted it to be fun and festive and […]
Continue Readingby Molly Goldmeier, Intern I received a text message from a friend last week asking for a “huge-next-level-favor.” When you get a message like that, you never know what you’re getting yourself into. It turns out she wanted my help driving a U-Haul truck from Cambridge to pick up some heavy furniture from her childhood […]
Continue Readingby Julie Sullivan, Administrative Director Two weeks ago, I had the pleasure of traveling to Boulder, Colorado to attend the wedding of my oldest niece. Since my family lives all over the country now, the occasions where we are all able to gather are increasingly rare. I was so grateful to have four whole days […]
Continue Readingby Julie Sullivan, Administrative Director This quote from the Hebrew Bible has always been a favorite of mine. So much so that it was actually my senior quote in my high school yearbook more than 20 years ago. Even back then, I loved the thought that life is a journey filled with highs and lows, […]
Continue Readingby Rebecca Sher My eldest daughter got married in late September a few days after Yom Kippur. She was the one who encouraged me to experience my first mikveh at Mayyim Hayyim the summer of 2005, eleven months after my mother passed away. We had just moved back to the Boston area after living in […]
Continue Readingby Rabbi Salem Pearce Two weeks ago, I immersed at Mayyim Hayyim with almost a dozen people. The calendar full of appointments, one after the other, we took over the mikveh that early Friday morning. I immersed with my classmates, all of us candidates for rabbinical ordination from Hebrew College. We were to receive smicha […]
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