I’m often asked, “Why would a nice Jewish boy like me join a board of a mikvah?” 

My name is Richard and I’d like to tell you about my journey through the mikvah waters. I recently had the opportunity to travel to Israel on a men’s trip. I went on this trip with an open mind, looking for something that would touch me spiritually. One of our many stops was to a most unusual place- a mikvah; a mikvah for men in Safed – the Ari Mikveh; located adjacent to the Old Cemetery. I immersed and as I finished this most interesting experience it piqued my interest to learn more about this ancient ritual.

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Based on the written Torah, mikvot were used by men for spiritual purification in certain circumstances: before going up to the Temple to pray, before marriage, after having marital relations and as the final stage before conversion to Judaism.

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After telling my story to a few close friends I learned about MACoM. MACoM is the most pluralistic sacred space in Atlanta. Jews across the spectrum of observance are welcomed and encouraged to immerse for any reason. In fact, you don’t even need a reason; you can immerse because it simply feels right!

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I took my third immersion at MACoM and it was profoundly satisfying. The calming warm waters and beautiful facility allowed me to take in all that I had previously experienced coupled with a new and deeper sense of closeness to G-d.

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I was invited to serve on the board and yes, this seemed the right thing to do.  I’m committed to engaging more men in the ritual of spiritual immersion to help others connect with being Jewish and our Jewish past. Mikvah helps men with a change of status, rebirth and self-renewal. This is a reason many Jewish men immerse before Kol Nidre on Yom Kipper.

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MACoM, prides itself in having the highest hallachic standards. What makes MACoM an easy destination to immerse is that the building is open in the day and evenings – even on Sundays.

There are so many reasons to immerse – below are just a few to consider:

• Before Shabbat and holidays

• Grooms entering into marriage

• Celebrating the marriage of a child

• Anticipation of becoming a father or grandfather

• Becoming a Bar Mitzvah

• Celebrating the Bar/Bat Mitzvah of a child

• A partner’s pregnancy loss

• Recovery after an illness

• Death of a loved one and/or pet

• To mark a milestone in live: empty nest, new job, divorce, retirement

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