Ronnie Malka, Chair of the Mikvah Advisory Board, is thrilled Rachel’s Well fits the needs of Portland’s Orthodox women and men, while also allowing for contemporary uses, like immersions for b’nai mitzvah, recoveries from illness or marking any life milestone/transition.

Toni Jaffe, 61, thought she was past the point in her life that she could use a mikvah. After touring the Safed mikvah on a recent trip to Israel, she felt connected to the ancient practice. “Mikvah is so amazing and mystical and I thought, ‘Wouldn’t this be lovely on Friday night,’ but I’m divorced, post-menopause,
and gay.” When she learned about the mikvah project being accessible to all, she remarked, “I find the mikvah healing, spiritual, cleansing, getting back to where we all came from,” Jaffe said. “Having someone say, ‘We will invite you, we want you to be here,’ was incredible.”

For Michael Rosenberg, a leader in the Orthodox community, the opening
of the mikvah marks an opening for his renewed spirituality. He said he’s
looking forward to “having a real mikvah to use on erev Shabbos.” “The
mikvah works if you believe it works,” Rosenberg said. “It’s not to be
clean or sanitary, it’s not anything but to raise yourself to a higher level
of kedushah (holiness).”