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Updated Mikvah Protocols (as of September 14, 2023)

Mikvah Guidelines

 The Louisville Community Mikvah welcomes and encourages use by all Jews of any background and/or affiliation.    Our mikvah was built with community funds and is currently maintained by the Louisville Vaad HaKashruth through  fees from member congregations (presently Adath Jeshurun, Anshei Sfard, Keneseth Israel and Chabad of Kentucky),  families, individuals and donations.  In order to help cover the ongoing costs of maintaining a clean, safe, and  comfortable environment, we ask all mikvah patrons to contribute to the mikvah.

UPDATED MIKVAH PROTOCOLS: These policies remain in place until further notice:

 

ALL USERS –Anyone wishing to use the Mikvah for any purpose must provide advance notice of at least 2 full days (48 hours). Several people are contacted in order to have the Mikvah clean, filled, heated and available at the times requested. Failure to provide adequate notice may create situation where the Mikvah is empty. Filling the Mikvah takes time. The shower in the Mikvah is available for use. Please wipe down and remove all hair and debris after using the shower.

 

PLEASE BE CONSIDERATE AND GIVE THE REQUIRED NOTICE.

 

WOMEN – Please note that all of our Mikvah Attendants are volunteers, and are performing these duties as an act of Chessed for our community. Please show them the proper Hakaras Hatov and respect. Please be on time for appointments. If you and the attendant schedule an appointment for a specific time, please be on time. Although we are a small community there are times when multiple women are scheduled to use the Mikvah on any given evening. When someone is late, it effects all other users and attendants. Women who wish to use the Vaad’s towels and robes will be charged a fee of $5, and payment is expected at time of use.

 

Please schedule Mikvah use with one of the following Mikvah attendants: 

            Goldie Litvin – text or call (502) 494-3774 (only attendant available for Friday night)

            Rivkah Lederman  – text or call (347) 662-7285

            Ariane Barrie-Stern – text or call (347) 907-1660

            Sheila Lynch – email sgltcher@aol.com or call (502) 896-9736

 

MEN –use of the Mikvah before Shabbos and Yom Tov is in the afternoon hours from 3-6 pm in the summer, and 1:30 – 4 p.m. in the winter. Advance notice of intended use and time of use is required for men, as it is for women. Please call R. Lederman (347) 665-7249.

 

Conversions and Tevilas Keilim– The Mikvah is available during the daytime ONLY and only by advance appointment made by contacting Carla Crum, the Vaad’s secretary – carla@ansheisfard.com; (502) 724-7983. All items immersed must be new and devoid of stickers. People immersing dishes must bring their own towels. The mikvah and its surrounding area including all floors and waiting area must be left clean and dry and void of any boxes, papers, etc.

 

DO NOT LEAVE PERSONAL BELONGINGS BEHIND AS THEY WILL BE DISCARDED

The Vaad requests that anyone who wants to use the Mikvah give as much advance notice of the need to use the Mikvah, if possible at least 5 days advance notice but no less than 2 days (48 hours). Failure to give adequate notice may create a situation where the Mikvah will not be available. 

In case of urgent need for use of the mikvah during the daytime that does not conform to the

above guidelines, a person should contact Rabbi Yaakov Lederman at (347) 665-7249.

Night time use is strictly for women.

 Fees:     The Mikvah serves several constituencies:

  • All Jewish congregations/organizations in Louisville are encouraged to contribute to the Louisville Community Mikvah. Each member congregation/organization shall pay an annual fee of $1500. This entitles the congregation/organization’s rabbis and its members the use of the Mikvah.

 

  • Households unaffiliated with congregations shall pay an annual fee of $180. Households are defined as a person or group of people occupying a single dwelling.

 

  • Individuals shall pay a fee of $18.00 for one-time use. Fees must be paid prior to using the Mikvah.

 

  • Utensil/Dish Toveling (Immersion) shall pay a fee of $9.00 per session.  There are no fees for members and member congregations/organizations.

 

No one will be prohibited from the use of the Mikvah due to inability to pay.

 

 All fees must be collected from patrons that are not currently a member or member congregation/organization by the person  providing the service and/or by Rabbi Yaakov Lederman prior to use of the Mikvah. All fees collected shall be placed in the secured  mailbox located on the wall in the waiting area.

 

Rabbi Yaakov Lederman at (347) 665-7249         Email: rabbilederman@ansheisfard.com

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