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August 2, 2002/Av 24 5762, Vol. 54, No. 46
Only one choice
Jews have single Valley option for ritual purification
JESSICA BARBER
Editorial Assistant
Phoenix Jews dedicated to the ancient biblical laws of mikvah suffered a blow in January when one of the two ritual baths in the Valley closed its doors.
The mikvah located on the campus of Beth Joseph Congregation in Phoenix was in serious disrepair, leading to its closure and leaving only one Valley mikvah, located at Chabad of Phoenix.
"Because of the state (the mikvah) was in and the work that it needed, it really presented more negatives than positives," said Rabbi David Rebibo of Beth Joseph. "Therefore it was best to close it."
A mikvah, or pool of water for ritual purification, allows a person who has become ritually impure to become pure by immersion, explained Tzipi Levertov of Chabad. Most commonly, women use a mikvah on the seventh day after the menstrual cycle ends to become spiritually clean. For those who follow the laws of Taharat Ha-Mishpacha (family purity), marital relations may not resume until the ritual has been completed.
Chabad has taken steps to allow all local Jews access to the mikvah, which has been in use for about five years, Levertov said.
"Not only women from our congregation use it," she said. "We have people from Chandler, Scottsdale and whoever decides to take it upon themselves to come. Any Jew can use it."
Approximately 45 people visit the mikvah each month, explained Levertov. She believes that visitation has increased "a little bit" since the mikvah at Beth Joseph closed.
According to Levertov, most visitors are women, although some men immerse themselves in the water before prayer or services.
"The usage for men is very low," she said. "The biblical obligation to go to the mikvah is only for women."
Some also use the mikvah to toivel, the process of immersing dishes and other material items for sanctification, said Levertov.
Chabad does not, however, allow the mikvah to be used in conversion ceremonies.
"We don't do conversions - even Orthodox conversions," said Levertov. "In order to do conversions you have to be a (religious) judge and you have an order of the court (of Jewish law) and there is no rabbi in Phoenix that does (them)."
As an alternative to using a mikvah, some synagogues, including Temple Emanuel of Tempe and Temple Beth Sholom, hold conversion ceremonies in natural bodies of water.
"Generally we hold the ceremonies at Saguaro Lake," said Marilyn Leff, administrative assistant at Temple Emanuel, a Reform congregation.
The two synagogues also conduct joint conversion classes, according to Kay Lapid, administrator at Temple Beth Sholom, a Conservative congregation in Chandler.
Until it closed, the mikvah at Beth Joseph was available to all community members and for all ceremonies, including conversions.
"It was opened on the condition that it would be available to the entire community," said Rebibo.
Although the mikvah was located on the Beth Joseph campus, it operated as a separate entity, explains Rebibo. The two entities shared the campus for more than 30 years.
"It does not belong to Beth Joseph," said Rebibo. "We allowed (the mikvah) to be here, but it was run independently by a group of volunteers."
Frequent visitors of the Beth Joseph mikvah now go to Chabad, according to Rebibo. However, distance and inconvenience have prompted discussions of renovations or new facilities at Beth Joseph. The synagogues are about two-and-a-half miles apart.
"The ideal would be to have an independent mikvah that is not attached to any organization," he said. "However, I think that takes a lot more money. In the next several weeks we are going to take some time to determine ... costs and if the funds are available for it."
Rebibo estimates the cost of a new facility at $200,000-$300,000. Renovating the existing facility would cost less.
For those dedicated to observing the laws of Taharat Ha-Mishpacha, the absence of the mikvah is troubling.
"It is important because without a mikvah, there cannot be a family," said Levertov. "A woman who observes the laws won't touch her husband without it. If there is no mikvah, there are no Jewish people."
Contact the writer at jessica_barber@jewishaz.com.
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