Our visit included a tour of a working modern mikveh. Our discussions focused on the how and why of mikveh. Our teacher discussed the 4 critical concepts and purposes of mikveh:
Reconnection
Release
Recommitment
Renewal
These concepts included the notion that the Magic of being in love is having passion. The teacher also mentioned that as women we are here to connect and explore and deepen and that we are beings in a constant state of becoming.
While I found much of the discussion profound and interesting, I also found myself analyzing and intellextualing the intent of the discussions. Later in the day, I decided that I was over analyzing and experiencing a bit of analysis paralysis. I decided I needed to be more open of the whole thing and see how the interpretation of these laws has worked for the women who were speaking to us. The mikelvwh has worked hard to be accommodating to women of all abilities. We were able to see a mikveh space developed for women with physical disabilities - it was truly remarkable the lengths this community has gone through to help the women who so Anat to partake in mikveh but were in the past not able to.
One of the highlights of my day was learning that all 3 of the Michelle's on the trip all have Moroccan mothers. A connection so rare that I look forward to developing it. I loved speaking with Sandi who had a very similar upbringing as I as she has both a Moroccan mother and father! I enjoyed sitting with different women on the bus and at lunch and during the lectures so that i could learn from them and about them. I also loved that at the end of it all on a long walk to and from dinner in Tel Aviv and then when we got back to our room, I could process and analyze the whole day's discussion with my roommate Nancie. I enjoyed the conversation immensely - deep and non judgemental it was fuel for the soul. Thank you Nancie.
Oh by the way, we had an amazing dish dinner at Benny Ha Dag at the Namal Tel Aviv topped off by some Delish gelato - crème brûlée and chocolaté wafer favors. Yum!
