Earlier this month, United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and Tidewater Jewish Foundation teamed up to raise funds for the new Tidewater Mikvah. The brief, one-day campaign raised nearly $8,000 for the project.
“This was a very successful campaign,” says Sarah Lipman, president of the Jewish Women’s Institute. “We were able to raise more awareness and the much-needed funds for the new community Mikvah. It has been a pleasure to work with the Federation and Foundation in this endeavor.”
The expansion, called Mikvah Taharas Chaya, will serve the needs of women in the Tidewater Jewish community and bring them together to engage in their personal and spiritual mikvah experiences.
“There are women who use the Mikvah every month, those who go before their wedding or holiday, those who are curious, and those seeking spiritual rejuvenation. It is one of our most ancient traditions—the ritual bath—that binds us to generations that came before,” says Naomi Limor Sedek, president and CEO of Tidewater Jewish Foundation. “Not every woman will choose to use the Mikvah, but every woman in the Jewish community should have the opportunity and access to a mikvah if they so choose.
Accessibility to building blocks of Jewish life is a commitment of the Jewish community, it enables Jewish life to flourish.”
The funds raised will help complete the Mikvah’s expansion. In addition to a much more comfortable and beautiful space, the Mikvah incorporates innovations in water treatment, energy conservation, and is handicap accessible.
“It has been a pleasure to work on this community-wide campaign,” says Barb Gelb, director of development at the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater. “The response we got from community members from every denomination was very supportive and generous. We are taught that building a Mikvah should precede building a shul or even the purchase of a Sefer Torah. By building the new community Mikvah, we will ensure Jewish continuity in Tidewater for decades to come.”
While the waters from Tropical Storm Isaias flowed into the Mikvah, the storm created complications for those who wanted to support the Mikvah campaign, but were without power on August 4. The link to support the Mikvah campaign, jewishva.org/mikvah, will remain active for the remainder of the month to enable more opportunity to support the Mikvah.