Susan Jacobs - Jewish Chronicle

Mikveh - Illustration Picture

STATE COLLEGE, PA — Chabad Penn State recently inaugurated its own, brand new mikveh.

Constructed behind the Chabad house in State College, the ritual bath is located in a freestanding building that includes a waiting room and a spa-like preparation area - including a whirlpool and large shower with glass doors - in addition to the room that houses the mikveh itself. The official dedication was held on Dec. 9.

New Mikveh Opens in State College

Susan Jacobs – Jewish Chronicle

Mikveh – Illustration Picture

STATE COLLEGE, PA — Chabad Penn State recently inaugurated its own, brand new mikveh.

Constructed behind the Chabad house in State College, the ritual bath is located in a freestanding building that includes a waiting room and a spa-like preparation area – including a whirlpool and large shower with glass doors – in addition to the room that houses the mikveh itself. The official dedication was held on Dec. 9.

“To have a mikveh there is a very exciting thing,” said Rabbi Nosson Meretsky, who, with his wife Sarah, runs Chabad Penn State. “It opens pathways and possibilities for the Jewish community.”

Jewish law dictates that a newly established Jewish community build a mikveh before other communal institutions, though in practice, it is not always possible to do this.

“In Jewish law, the first thing you build is a mikveh,” said Meretsky. “It’s very significant, a foundation stone.”

Previously, women in State College who needed a mikveh for monthly immersions traveled either to Harrisburg or Pittsburgh.

Having a mikveh makes Penn State a more viable choice for some couples considering graduate school. “It means a lot,” said Meretsky. “It’s a big thing.” This is not the first time that central Pennsylvania has had a mikveh. Years ago, both Lewistown and Altoona had their own mikvaot. However, as those Jewish communities shrank, the facilities closed.

According to Meretsky, three women in State College are regular mikveh users, and others have expressed interest in performing the ritual.

Jewish law requires mikveh immersion for a variety of circumstances, including conversion, but Meretsky said the Penn State mikveh will be used primarily by women who observe the laws of taharat hamishpacha (family purity).

It may also be used to immerse dishes and other utensils and will also be open for use by men, who traditionally visit a mikveh before Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and other holidays.

“I don’t see it being used for conversion,” said Meretsky. “We have no structure of a beis din (rabbinic court).”

Plans for the mikveh began more than three years ago, and $160,000 was raised from a variety of donors, including New Yorker Abe Bistritsky, who donated $25,000 to have the facility named the Mei Menachem Mikvah.

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