Water has always been an essential part of Jewish ritual for marking a life change, a rite of passage or a new beginning. Immersing in a mikveh, or ritual immersion pool, is one of the oldest Jewish practices—one often done right before Rosh Hashanah.
Mayyim Hayyim (which means “living waters”) is a Greater Boston mikveh rooted in ancient tradition and reinvented for the 21st century to serve the Jewish community of today. Join hosts Miriam and Dan as they wade further into understanding this Jewish ritual with three experts from Mayyim Hayyim: Carrie Bornstein, executive director of Mayyim Hayyim Living Waters Community Mikveh and Paula Brody & Family Education Center, Jessica Rosenberg, director of Rising Tide Open Waters Mikveh Network, and rabbinic intern Amalia Mark.
If you’re familiar with the mikveh or only learned about it recently from watching Netflix’s “Unorthodox,” this episode is for you! Tune in as we dive into the unique challenges Mayyim Hayyim has faced during COVID-19, the creative process of developing new rituals for new challenges, and debunking myths and misunderstandings about the mikveh.
Warning: This episode is swimming in water puns.
Note: Carrie Bornstein referenced this article in the interview: “5 Times TV Shows Took a Dip in the Mikveh.” You can also learn more about mikveh guide training at Mayyim Hayyim here.
Edited by Jesse Ulrich, with music by Ryan J. Sullivan.
