Lexington Miqvah Fund: 2022

Lexington Miqvah Fund

Our mission is to build a small, attractive, egalitarian, kosher miqvah facility in the Central Kentucky area. We want to be able to enjoy the convenience of a local facility to observe mitzvot and to commemorate both private and public lifestyle events, broaden our spirituality, and connect with our ancestors in an unbroken line of observance stretching back to antiquity - and on into the future!

We wish to participate in the growing spiritual trend that is sweeping the nation to reclaim and reinvent one of Judaism's most ancient rituals - immersion in the miqvah - for contemporary spiritual use. We will teach about this resource for all men and women who are interested in new ways to express their individuality, and make the miqvah a sacred space that is open and accessible to all Jews including Reform, Conservative, Orthodox, Renewal, Reconstructionist, Unaffiliated, and Secular, including those in the process of becoming Jews.

In order to fulfill this mission, we have these goals in mind:

1. Provide a welcoming, beautiful place for traditional and creative miqvah uses.
2. Foster new ceremonial uses for the miqvah relevant to the 21st century Jewish community.
3. Provide information and accessible hours for those observing the mitzvah of niddah.
4. Recognize and promote the unique interests of men and women in traditional and contemporary miqvah practice.
5. Provide educational resources (both classes and teaching materials) regarding the uses of the miqvah.
6. Secure the financial future of the facility by operating in a fiscally responsible manner and through such means as debt avoidance, annual fund, and endowment development.

The Bluegrass area has been without a community miqvah for many years now. Join the Lexington Miqvah Fund in this historic opportunity to being both tradition and a modern spiritual practice back to the area.

Sunday, January 2, 2022

We're not dead yet...

Well, two of the three officers of this proposed nonprofit moved away from Lexington. One potential major backer said if we didn't install the miqvah at OZS instead of a community-wide independent facility they wouldn't fund it, I spent 3.5 years pf classes working on getting smicha as a Kohenet to run the facility, and, of course, covid hit. Talk about bad timing! But, we're not dead yet. One of my goals now is to revive this idea, perhaps in conjunction with other things in the facility to help fund it. It may take a winning lottery ticket, lol, but I plan to begin looking at properties that might be suitable. If the Divine wants this to happen, it will. If you are in agreement with the above stated ideals of what this miqvah facility should be in order to best serve the wide range of Jewish practice in the Central Kentucky area, let me know. Peace, Gayle RoshChodeshLex@AhavahAriel.com