My daughter, Shayna G.K., was married in 1999. She desired to go the mikvah, for the first time, before her wedding. I contacted our lovely friend, Bluma Rivkin, whose husband is Rabbi Zelig Rivkin, at the Tulane Chabad House. A few days before the wedding, Shayna's future mother-in-law, Norma, and I went with Shayna to meet Bluma at the Chabad House mikvah. Bluma was waiting for us with open arms, a big smile, a bottle of wine and a bouquet of flowers for Shayna.
She accompanied Shayna in her first mikvah experience, making it so meaningful and beautiful for my daughter, that Shayna has continued using the mikvah in the city where she and Eric live, now with 2 precious daughters, ages 5 and 7.
On that day, Bluma also invited Norma and me to perform the mitzvah of mikvah. I had immersedin the mikvah priot to my own my marriage, but did not regularly continue to do so, and besides, at this point in my life I was beyond menopause. Bluma explained that a woman can immerse in the mikvah one final time at this phase in her life, but then was no longer obligated to continue. I accepted and so did Norma. As she did with Shayna, Bluma made it a very beautiful and fulfilling experience. I know that Norma has continued to use the mikvah, after that satisfying experience here.
Thanks to Bluma Rivkin, Shayna and Norma and I shared a lovely experience, making our generational and family ties even closer, and providing Shayna with a unique, spiritual preparation for her wedding.
