Luxury and Hiddur Combine in New Kingston Avenue Mikveh
Nobody frequenting Kingston Avenue can have failed to notice the gorgeous new building just completed between Crown and Montgomery Streets, just to the left of Auction Ware. Many know that it houses a brand new men’s mikveh, and quite a few of those have already tried it out. Yet there’s more to this story than meets the eye.
Conceived some 7–8 years ago by Rabbi Don Yoel Levy of the OK Labs, the project soon evolved into a joint undertaking of the Levy and Rabkin families, according to Rabbi Chaim Fogelman, an official of the OK and chief overseer of the project. The mikveh, which officially opened Yud Shvat, is on the basement level of the three-level structure and has been built and maintained by the Rabkin family in memory of their father, Reb Meir Rabkin, a”h. It is to be called “Mei Meir,” or “Waters of Meir.” The second floor of the building houses a magnificent and truly inspiring (it has 15-foot ceilings with a dome!) shul built by the Levy family in memory of Rabbi Levy’s brother, Reb Eliezer Yitzchok Levy. It is scheduled to open in time for Pesach, and will IY”H be known as “Beis Eliezer Yitzchok.”
As the photo accompanying this article shows, the impressive classical façade of the building suggests that no expense was spared in designing and constructing this important community facility, which will relieve some of the pressure put on the neighborhood’s men’s mikvaos by the flourishing growth our community has, baruch Hashem, experienced in recent years. The external appearance alone is a credit to Crown Heights, and befits the Rebbe’s shechunah, about which the Rebbe paraphrased the verse (Tehillim 133:3), “[Kan] Tzivah Hashem es HaBerachah”—“G-d has directed His blessing [here].” Nevertheless, one must see the inside to properly appreciate the gift given to us all by the Levy and Rabkin families.
Upon entering, one finds oneself on the ground floor of a three-level structure. It serves as an entry hall, and also contains, discreetly tucked away behind closed doors, such necessary facilities as the bathrooms, boiler, and the machinery for the mikveh. Rabbi Fogelman, who personally designed the façade of the building, the shul, and most of the layout of the mikveh, explained that this allows the entire basement level to be used for a more spacious and luxurious mikveh. It also enhances the decorum of the shul, which would otherwise have been on the ground floor. This is so because the physical orientation of the building is such that the entrance is on the mizrach (east) side, the direction worshippers face at prayer. It would have been disruptive and undignified, said Rabbi Fogelman, if congregants looked up to see who was coming in each time the door opened. Furthermore, he noted, locating the shul on the second floor eliminates the need to walk through the shul in order to use the mikveh.
The new Mei Meir mikveh has been well thought out, and may well be one of the most efficient in the world. For the time being, Shmuel Graybar, the courteous and conscientious attendant, is present to let people in, but the facility has been designed for fully automated operation. Users can purchase an electronic card that, when swiped at the door outside, will let them into the building; then, once downstairs, swiping again will open the door to the mikveh and deduct the appropriate user fee. (Cards can also be refilled using an automated machine on the ground floor.) A one-way gated turnstile, not unlike those found in subway stations for admission during off hours, will ensure that no one enters as another is exiting.
Once inside, the luxury of the facility is immediate apparent. Beautiful tile, laid out by designer Abe Jerome, lines the walls and floor—which, incidentally, is heated for user comfort. The entire basement level (which, according to Rabbi Fogelman, is 30 feet deep (even the basement level has spacious, high ceilings) and 25 feet longer than the building itself, extending out under Kingston Avenue as well as behind the building) is planned for one-way, circular flow of traffic: users enter into the dressing room, from which they proceed through the shower area to reach the mikveh. Showers are fully automatic (using electric eye technology to turn on the water when a person has stepped into one of the 14 stalls and turn it off when they leave), yet can be adjusted to one’s preferred temperature. Everything is of the highest quality; for example, stainless steel has been used throughout so rust will never become a problem.
The shower area leads directly to the mikveh, which combines luxury with halachah and hiddur. It was designed in consultation with Rabbi Gershon Grossbaum, a shliach in Minnesota and expert on mikvaos who has consulted on some 100 such projects to date; uses the bor al gabei bor (one pit above another) architecture; and incorporates many hiddurim. The floor of the mikveh has two levels, to accommodate those of shorter than average stature, and the latest exhaust and filtration technology assure the cleanliness of both air and water. Tiled walls and tasteful lighting convey the impression that one is in some upscale health spa.
Facilitating the circular flow of traffic, the mikveh has two staircases, one for entry and one for exit. The exit staircase leads one into a drying room (there are 2,000 oversized luxury bath towels, by the way, which cannot be cleaned on premises and must be sent out daily for professional laundering), from which one proceeds back into the dressing room, completing the circle. Interestingly, Rabbi Fogelman believes mikvaos in ancient times also utilized the two-staircase design. The Talmud, he notes, contains numerous references to the principle that, if a vessel (presumably brought to the mikveh for immersion) is found in a spot leading down into the mikveh, it must be considered tamei (ritually impure); whereas if it is found leading up from the mikveh, it is probably tahor (ritually pure). If there had been only one staircase leading both into and out of the mikveh, argues Rabbi Fogelman, how would such statements make sense?
Finally, in case of emergency (chas veshalom), there is a direct line to Hatzalah: picking up the telephone handset automatically makes the connection.
Another carefully thought out aspect of the new mikveh is the rate schedule and hours of operation. The Rabkin family anticipates having to subsidize the facility on an ongoing basis (Rabbi Fogelman estimates than even an ordinary mikveh costs about $70,000.-$80,000. a year to maintain, let alone one of this caliber), and has tried to set rates compatible with users’ standing. Several categories of user exist, facilitating special rates for bachurim (those under 17) and kollel yungerleit, as well as discounted monthly rates—all of which are programmed into the automatic card reader. The basic daily rates are: $3.00 on weekdays and $5.00 on erev Shabbos and Yom Tov; monthly rates work out to half that.
Also, although other cards work whenever the mikveh is open (about 4:30 a.m.–11:00 a.m.), the cards of bachurim are functional only during hours appropriate for that category. For example, at 6:00 a.m., most bachurim will not be found using the mikveh; instead, users at that hour will tend to be working people. Likewise, a bachur’s card will not work during the hours of seder in the yeshiva. This feature is not necessarily intended as a “supervisor” for bachurim, but will enhance traffic flow and reduce overcrowding.
“Both families—the Rabkins and the Levys—deserve a heartfelt yasher koach from the community,” concluded Rabbi Fogelman. “The mikveh is the best it could be, and the shul is like a jewel.”
What about us?
I love this. We should have many many more (people going out of their way to do good things- is always a good thing).
But what about having more Women Mikvas?
Why in Crown Heights, Chabad Lubavitch headquarters do we only have one women mikva… (We are building mikvas all over the world and teaching Tarash Hameshpucha to every one, yet here in Crown Heights there is only one Womens mikva!?)
Please don’t tell me that because it was the Rebbes Mikva we don’t want to make a new mikvas! (I don’t think the Rebbe him self would agree).
Why is it that many women from our community must go out (to Bora Park and else were) to find a decent mikva?
a kollel yungerman
you forgot to mention that kollel yungerleit can only use their cards after 9:00AM. total descrimination!
We appreciate the beautiful Mikvah that was built, but why are we descriminated against? It is practically imposible to go to the mikvah, Daven [with a minyan], eat breakfast all in the 2 hour time phrame between the end of Chassidus at 9:AM and the start of the next seder at 11:AM.
I think any kollel yungerman who goes to the mikvah on a daily basis would go only before seder [before 8:AM], when the kollel cards don’t work?!
Satisfied Customer
With all due respect, I don’t know why so many people complain about the women’s mikva. Sure it’s not fancy, but its clean and well stocked. The mikva ladies are friendly and knowledgeable. I personally have only had to wait a couple of times and I’ve been married for years. Certainly, I have never felt compelled to go to Boro Park.
My husband on the other hand has been made physically ill from immersing in unsanitary waters. I am very happy that now he too will have a pleasant and clean place to immerse.
Just my 2 cents
resident
Enough about the womans mikvah. Its not so bad. Those who complain are the ones who complain about everything and can’t see the good in what we have. ITs a shame that some woman can even think of going out of the neighborhood when all they gain is NOTHING in return.
B”H our neighborhood is big and busy, if you live here you do with what you have.
talmid of oheli torah 73----76
WOW !!! humane nature : just like the jews in the midbar. “ just complaints ”
YOSSIE RABKIN….WOW !!you brought a lot
of chasedahshea naces to your father
ofcorse with your family.may many more family`s go in your direction
and making the shecunah a better place.
“ moshiac now ”
JJ
this is awesome
finally i don’t have to swim in hairballs in unuion mikvah
Talking from epirience...
I was in the new Mikva the first week it was open, and i must tell you the flat TRUTH (unlike the above article).
FACTS were, that the concensus of most (if not all) people after using the Mikva (and no, there werent 2 or 3 people there, the Mikva was literaly packed) was that it was poshet Bizui Momoin, to sum it up everyones comments: instead of spending a fortune on beauty and faulty technology, spend it on practicality, and cheaper prices, the majority of the usere had negative thoughts after using the mikva.
Before you cry “stop complaining” or “where’s your Hakaras hatov?” or “All you C.H.’er’s know how to do is complain”, let me explain, MEN (i talk for most Lubavitcher men & especialy Bochrim) are not interested by mikvas in the beauty, beautiful Mikvas are for women not men, men and especially Bochrim dont appreciate, dont care for and are not interested in jerusalem stone or any other kind of luxurious tiles or beautiful ceilings, the women ARE yes interested in that kind of stuff, you dont have to be a scientist to figure that out, so, from my lengthy mikva experiences, what ARE the men interested in? They are interested in CLEAN mikvas, HOT mikvas, CHEAP prices and good, hot, well pressured showers..thats what we care about!
Instead (Ouch! I it hurts when you say the word waste and afterall it’s a “chessed”!!) they waste who a fortune on fancy tiles- great for women but waste of Yiddishe Gelt for men, on “technologicaly advanced showers, which work HORRIBLY, an example of putting too much trust into faulty technology all to save a few cents on water, let me explain, you must stand in an exact centimeter for the sensor to put the shower on, you make one move, and the shower goes off, not only that but the showers had HORRIBLE pressure i thought i was in union M., and not only THAT, but some of the showers were cold and hence unusable, so much for Heintike ”technology“! so there goes the showers, you could’ve spent half the price on showers that realy work PROPERLY! and then the mikva, Are kids ever gonna learn how to Toivel if they always have a higher level to be on, and also it was full of chlorine and there is a lack of railings inside the Mikva, BUT, it WAS nice and hot, ah Geshmak! And then comes the next waste the towels, Oy Vey, their so thick and fancy their like slippery, listen it’s Alts Shein but the facts are, most Chassidishe men and Bochrim have no interest in luxuriously thick towels that need ”special cleaning“, were interested in simple decent towels that do their job, (no, i dont mean the ones with the holes in them or that are the size of a face towel- lefferts)…
Point is, this would have made a beautiful womens mikva, but not for the men, leave the luxury for the women, were willing to sacrifice all the extra ”luxury“ for cheaper clean and well maintained Mikva, who needs a fancy one??
and so concludes megilas OK’s Mikva, please dont waste your time with comments that contain the words ”stop complaining“, all i did was give the plain hard facts, i know it hurts, that after you spend a mil.$ on a projet this is what is said but next time before you undertake such a big project, maybe take a survey before.
Moshiach now!
P.S. I think if you would have topped it off with a shvitz and a Jaccuzi that would have completed it ”with a cherry on top”!
psst!
the Rebbe was the one that made a fuss about the laides mikvah.
enough already
I hate when I hear people bashing the CHLadies Mikvah. If any of the other “newly built” mikvah’s in other communities would get as much traffic as ours does – 30 -40 women a night- it waould also have wear and tear. Also – do you know how much these out of town mikvah’s cost? between $25 and $35. I am sure that if EVERY single person who used the CH mikvah was forced to pay $25 each time – we would be able to update out mikvah every year. – So stop complaining. If you really want to do something about it – YOU raise the money to build a new mikvah and you maintain it.
aaa
are the mikvah’s in boro park “Bor Al Gabei Bor”?
sg
I like our Women’s Mikvah, and yes, I’ve used Pupa and in comparison, ours is much nicer and certainly friendlier!
satisfied with the service
Although I would never go elsewhere and only use “a bor al gabei bor” mikva. The women above do have a valid point. True, the staff in the women’s mikvah is welcoming, and the the rooms may be clean, but the actual mivkahs are not very clean, if you come a little later than opening time the water is not clean at all and that is due to the fact that the tiles haven’t been cleaned in a while… requesting a new facility is not a complaint. I’ve been around and seen other lubavitch mikvahs , they do make you look forward to going again next time…. it should be something to look forward to and not the opposite.
resident in this shcuna
The last two comments must have been written by people involved in the women’s mikveh because any objectively thinking person would agree that the quality, and yes the staff at the crown heights women’s mikveh need a lot of improvement. and in my opinion we do not necessarily need a NEW mikveh because the current one can be renovated
two points
I love this new mikveh and think it is a major asset to the community and it proves that people in this neighborhod can get stuff done for Crown Heights. It shows the ridiculous fist fight nursery school poltics that is such a disgrace and causing others to view this kehillah as a dump and a laughing stock comparable to the Knesset, does not represent th majority of us, as most us actually want progress.
I also think that efforts should be made to improve the women’s mikveh. Let us not forget that for us guys its a minhag to use the mikveh, for married women it is halacha, and among the most serious at that. Let us do what the Rebbe always wanted Jews to do and beautify mitzvahs and not just do them quickly, annoyingly, uncomfortable, and just to get it over it with. Let us at least aknowledge that we should try to make the womens mikveh nicer
Goer
Its time to update the ladies mikva which is seen every day on the tours of Crown hights. How about a chineese auction? Any other ideas?
out of towner
I was born and rasied in crown heights I was always told how beautiful the mikvah was. I went to the mikvah before my wedding and moved shortly after out of state to an area that already had a beautiful mikvah. I have been to the crown heights mikvah a few times since while visiting and you know what? You woman do need another mikvah. Aside from the Rebbe using the mikvah there is a lot be desired and all you woman do deserve one.
friend
You are all right, it is extremely unpleasant to hear women complaining about the lack of a fancy mikva or whatever else they find wrong with the Crown Heights mikva.
However, with all due respect, there has been much talk and fanfare about the new mikva for men on kingston – we have all heard about how beautiful and practical it is, and YES this has brought to the minds of the many women the need and desire for another mikva in crown heights.
There is no reason in the world that there shouldn’t be a nicer mikva for women in crown heights.
your sis
ATTENTION: What about us? wrote
Woman who go to boro park for their mikvah, obviously do not care about mikvahs that are made bor al gabei bor.
eliezer
stop complaining start the auction & build t over!
mendee
Talking from epirience… wrote:
FIRST OF ALL…1]learn to spell
2]then learn how to talk like a mench.
3]if u do not like the mikva stay out
you have big chutzpa to nock yossie R. when you only spent 3.00 to walk in
you just a none fargenning person . go back to yeshiva . or back home to mommy
upset
Please reconsider kolel times – i daven in kolel at 9:15 how can i use that mikvah which is only available for kolel guys at 9!
also the showers are very strange, you have to be really fat in order to keep the sensor on and have the water hit you at a normal angle (if you’ve tried to use the showers there yo will know what mean!)
BrookAve
Attention Half Baked Women!
If you like terra cotta tiles, then buy some, contract someone to do your kitchen counters or bathroom vanity.
Since when do you view the monthly Kedushadik Tvila as a spa? Like fluffy fabric softened towels? Buy some at the Kingston shlock store and get a gallon of downey softener. Half-Baked Women: Remember, go,dunk,get home to your waiting husband. The end.
bochur
To two points:
Its only a minhag for the men, that is true. But as chasidim we try to go every day and unfortunally the mikva gets dirty pretty fast every morning, and the more mikvas the better. As for the ladies mikva,its a great idea but someone who relly cares has to get the ball rolloing because it wont renovate itself.
I Know
To: Talking from epirience
No Kehilah’she money was used. This is a private project offered to the community to use. Is it for us to decide how a person spends his money? If this is how they wish to honor their father’s memory more power to them.
Yasherkoach!
Great job to the Rabkins, Kol Hakavod!
Your keeping the cheaper mikvas cleaner!
Thank you!
Mike
what is the address of the mitvah? Is there a website too?
Mike
wow, I experienced this mikvah for the first time today; what a great place, clean, convenient, not too crowded (I was there after 9am). More people should know about this and those that do should not take it for granted; the price is right and reasonable; who could ask for anything better.