Welcome to the Aventura Turnberry Jewish Center
Our Work
Ma'ayan Or מעיין אור
Community Mikveh
Dedicated by the Leight Family
Mikveh
The word mikveh literally means “collection” and refers to a pool or gathering of water. The concept of using a mikveh for spiritual purposes is mentioned in the Torah “A spring or a cistern where there is a collection of water shall be pure” (Vayikra 11:36). While a river, large lake, or even the ocean would be considered kosher mikvaot, most communities choose to construct a building to house a man made mikveh pool which is constructed according to strict traditional guidelines. Most modern mikveh pools are filled with heated, treated tap water and are connected to smaller pools of collected rainwater which is also filtered and purified.
This tradition, deeply rooted in Jewish history, offers a profound way to connect spiritually—with God, with oneself, with ancestors, and with the natural water cycle of our planet.
Spirituality
The ATJC Ma'ayan Or Mikveh is a sacred space dedicated to supporting Jewish rituals and personal transitions within the Jewish community. Traditional uses include monthly immersions, preparing for marriage, converting to Judaism, koshering dishes, and spiritually preparing for Shabbat or holidays. We also welcome creative reasons for immersion, especially around significant life events, such as celebrating a milestone birthday, marking the end of mourning, becoming a bar or bat mitzvah, or celebrating an anniversary.
Before immersion, one must be meticulously clean, as the mikveh’s waters are solely for spiritual purification. Profound Jewish philosophers, mystics, and Rabbis explain the use of water in spiritual purification. Water is the source of all life: God created the world from water, and all living entities require water for survival. An embryo develops enclosed in a sac of water. Immersion in a mikveh is unique among mitzvot (commandments) in one crucial way—all other mitzvot involve the usage of just one limb or some other part of the body. In contrast, when immersing in the mikveh’s waters, the entire body must be completely submerged. Emotionally, this submersion, combined with an appreciation of the process's holiness, a sensitivity to spirituality, and a feeling of connection with God, provides true personal transformation. It is a rejuvenation or rebirth and an intimate connection with creation and the Creator.
Immersion
Immersing in the mikveh is a deeply personal and spiritual experience. We are committed to respecting the privacy and dignity of each person who uses the mikvah. Immersion in a mikveh marks the transition to a new spiritual status and attunes our bodies to a heightened level of holiness. This practice of ritual purification dates back to our earliest history. In the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, Cohanim (priests) immersed in a mikveh before performing Temple rituals. Mikveh immersion has always been essential for traditional conversion to Judaism. Many men immerse before the Sabbath and High Holy Days, and many married women do so monthly, in accordance with their menstrual cycle, to foster personal and marital renewal. Brides and grooms immerse before their wedding day. Additionally, some liberal Jewish communities have adopted mikveh immersion to recognize other life cycle events, such as milestone birthdays, personal loss, or recovery after illness.
Connection and Continuity
The maintenance of a mikveh is a communal responsibility rather than an individual one. Traditionally, a community was required to allocate funds to build a mikveh even before constructing a synagogue or purchasing a Torah scroll due to its central importance to the continuation and growth of Jewish life. The Leight Family has generously taken on the responsibility to build a modern, beautiful, and accessible mikveh at ATJC for the entire Jewish community's use. We hope you will join us in supporting these efforts to help maintain this vital resource.
