Scottsdale Chabad Plans new Mikvah

Scottsdale, AZ — Chabad of Scottsdale plans on building a mikvah, or ritual bath, this year to offer Valley Jews a convenient place to perform the mitzvah of tevilas keilim (immersion of vessels). It will not be used for taharat ha-mishpacha (family purity).

According to tradition, when dishes and utensils are made by or previously owned by a non-Jew, they must be immersed in a mikvah before their first use. Therefore, many observant Jews dip their dishes in a mikvah before bringing them into their kosher kitchen. The new mikvah will be located immediately outside of Chabad of Scottsdale, at 10215 N. Scottsdale Road, so visitors can park their cars in front of it for easy access, according to Rabbi Yossi Levertov, the synagogue’s spiritual leader.

A mikvah for dishes follows the same halachic requirements as one for family purity, Levertov said. However, the new one will be smaller than one used for family purity and built so one does not need to lean over to dunk the dishes.

Currently, there is only one mikvah in the Valley, Mikvah Chaya Mushka, at Chabad of Phoenix. A community mikvah is scheduled to be finished this year at Congregation Beth Israel, a Reform synagogue in Scottsdale.

Building the Scottsdale Chabad mikvah is in response to both the growth in the area’s Jewish community and an increase in people expressing an interest in keeping kosher, Levertov said.

The Chabad mikvah will cost $20,000-$25,000 to build, according to Levertov. So far, the synagogue has raised $10,000. The goal is to have the mikvah completed by the end of the summer, he said. The project is part of a large-scale renovation of the synagogue.

Call 480-998-1410 or visit chabadofscottsdale.org.