Mikveh Aharon is open by appointment only.
Supervisor cell no 072 954 8242 (calls only)
Mikveh 021 434 3148
A mikveh is the first religious facility that is built in a new community. It is of primary importance, surprisingly even more essential then a shul. The centrality of mikveh is evidenced in our history. We can see early mikvaot on a visit to the Kotel or at the desert fortress of Masada. All through Europe there are examples of ancient and pre modern mikvaot.
A mikveh is used as the final, essential step in the processes of changing the spiritual status of a person. Integral to the processes of conversion, is the converts immersion in the waters of the mikveh.
On a monthly basis a married Jewish woman’s spiritual status is altered when she becomes a menstruant, following which intimacy with her husband is prohibited. In order for her to resume intimate relations with her husband, she must immerse herself in a kosher mikveh. So too brides immerse in the mikveh before their chuppa.
The Torah mandates these laws, which are explained in detail in the Talmud and the Codes. Thus the construction and continued maintenance of a mikveh is paramount to the existence and continuation of Jewish life.
In Cape Town we have only one dedicated ladies mikveh, Mikveh Aharon, which is situated behind the Morasha shul in Arthurs Rd Sea Point. The mikveh was constructed in 1979 by Rabbi M Popack, thus making it 35 years old.
In that time we have seen the use of the mikveh growing substantially. In its inception a handful of women in Cape Town used the mikveh. Today we have over 100 monthly users of the mikveh.This number increases enormously over the summer holidays when tourists from other parts of the country flock to Cape Town. As Cape Town is a year round international tourist destination we have many women from around the world using the mikveh annually.
All brides getting married at an Orthodox shul are required to learn about the laws of family purity and mikveh. They put their new found knowledge into practice by going to the mikveh the night before their wedding.A new awareness among modern Jewsih woman, the Rabbinate and community leaders have sparked a new trend in mikveh construction. Beautiful, lavish mikvaot complete with foyers, fully equipped preparation bathrooms, and well-designed mikveh pools are being built in South Africa and around the world. Mikveh Aharon is now of a quality that allows it to stand proudly amongst the other mikvaot in South Africa and internationally. Modernization ensures that Mikveh Aharon can proudly hold its own against other trendy mikvaot world wide, and give to its patrons an unforgettable experience of body and soul.
We are honoured that Julian Michaels, a talented architect from Johannesburg, who specializes in designing Religious spaces has redesigned Mikveh Aharon to make it stunningly attractive, while taking into account the very real need we have to increase capacity and enhance the privacy of the mikveh user.
Features:
- Inviting foyer/waiting room which will also be able to be used for educational talks and tours
- Separate entrance and exit system insuring the privacy of the mikveh user
- Increased capacity of the mikveh from two bathrooms to four bathrooms. One of the new bathrooms will be designated as a bridal bathroom for extra pampering of our brides. This will also do away with the need for ladies to prepare at home. They will be able to come to the mikveh and prepare for their immersion in the tranquility and holiness of the mikveh
- Enlarging the mikveh pool area
- Refurbished the mikveh pool entirely
- Added a hair drying room to take pressure off the bathrooms and enhance the modesty of the ladies after immersion
- Added a laundry onto our technical room, so that we can do our own laundry in house
- “Greening” the mikveh complex to ensure energy efficiency
It is evident that we need a considerable amount of money to make this project a reality. Julian Michaels, our architect, estimates that it is going to cost us in the region of R2 million. A Quantity Surveyor is currently getting an exact budget in place.
We would like to offer you the opportunity to be one of our prized donours. The following opportunities for major donations are available: Silver R90 000, Gold R180 000 and Platinum R360 000. Our “Water Wall” will be made up of “raindrops” @ R10 080 and “dew drops” @ R5 400. In so doing you will be investing in the spiritual future of the Cape Town community.
Your donation can be made by eft to:
CT MIKVEH VAAD
ABSA
Branch code:632005
Account number: 4084963208
(Email a copy of deposit to ctmikvehvaad@gmail.com).
You can contact Lee Liebenberg, the chairperson of the Vaad, on 021 671 9007 for further information.
CT MIKVEH VA’AD: Chief Rabbi Goldstein, Rabbi Kurtstag, Rabbi M Popack, Rabbi Ziegler, Sarah Feldman, Ivan Klitzner, Eric Berger, Taryn Baron, Marc Sternberg, Tanya Sternberg, Lee Liebenberg (chairperson)