Accessibility and Inclusion, Jewish Community

by Julia Connolly and Alon Neidich

Alon’s grandparents came to America fleeing persecution. They came looking for freedom—the freedom to live a meaningful Jewish life.

At Mayyim Hayyim, we found what they were looking for and just what we needed. That is why we are asking you to join us in making a donation today.

 When we heard the word “mikveh,” in our Introduction to Judaism class, we were skeptical.  We didn’t know what a mikveh looked like. We couldn’t imagine what role it could play in our life.

But when we got there, we discovered that Mayyim Hayyim embodies the Jewish life we want: at Mayyim Hayyim, we get to be Jewish in ways that are meaningful to us.  We can celebrate our families and our traditions, and we get to create our own path.

Like Alon’s grandparents used to say: “This is why we came to America.”

We returned to Mayyim Hayyim for Julia’s conversion. What a joyous and meaningful day that was! Alon played the cello and gave her a beautiful tallit (prayer shawl).

A few months later, we immersed before our wedding. The mikveh was quiet, peaceful, and full of boundless love. In all the chaos of wedding planning, it was just the two of us, together.

And we couldn’t stay away. We came back again with Alon’s mother so she could immerse before the wedding, too. It was her first time at a mikveh. She loved that Mayyim Hayyim made Jewish practice accessible and exciting to us.

Mayyim Hayyim is our home-base, a place where we connect with our roots. It can be your place, too, a place to be Jewish, whatever that means to you. For us, it means a chance to renew our dedication to living a Jewish life and our love for each other.

Mayyim Hayyim is why our families came to America. Please make a generous gift so that other young adults can experience the warm, welcoming connection to Jewish life we found there.

With gratitude,

 

 

 

 

Julia Connolly and Alon Neidich