(PHOTOS IN EXTENDED ARTICLE)

By: Shimmy Blum

The Mill Basin area Jewish community has never had an event like this. Period.

Hundreds of residents of the fast growing Jewish community bloc of Mill Basin, Bergen and Georgetown in Brooklyn gathered at Manhattan Beach Jewish Center Monday evening for a special “PUR” event commemorating the beginning of construction of a brand new mikvah – the community’s first ever full service mikvah.

The food, flowers, décor, Kedem wine selection, souvenirs, music, and all were nothing short of exquisite. Even more striking than that was the breadth of the community that attended and the positive, united spirit in the air. The Mill Basin area now has 1,200 and counting Jewish families of various levels of religious observance who are affiliated with one of eleven Orthodox Shuls. The area includes a thriving Yeshiva and a growing number of Kollel families.

Rabbonim and other representatives of all Shuls and segments of the community were in attendance, as were a diverse group of community members – all dressed as if they were attending a child’s wedding.

Everyone is Celebrating.

When Rabbi Baruch Cywiak, Director of Special Projects for Mikvah USA, began working on the Mill Basin mikvah project in 2013, even he – ever the visionary – could not have dreamed that an event like this would take place. Much of the community was apathetic, at best, to this ambitious project. Many locals tried to discourage him from undertaking it; it will never work out, they warned. Two previous community attempts to build a mikvah unfortunately failed, and locals did not think another attempt would turn out any differently.
However, when Rabbi Cywiak heard from his childhood friend – Rabbi Yirmi Levy of the local Tiferet Ovadia Shul – how badly the fast growing community needed a mikvah of its own, he would not let anything get in the way. Currently, the closest full time mikvah was a significant drive – and even more significant bus ride – away, placing major hardships on Mill Basin users and discouraging many locals from observing tahara.

Mikvah USA took the bold and unusual step of acquiring the Mill Avenue property for the mikvah, with $300,000 towards the cost of the property donated by the organization’s Board members alone. This project clearly was a top priority.

Slowly but surely, the community came to realize that this project is for real, that a majestic, modern mikvah will soon be in their own backyard. Enthusiasm spread through all corners of the community, including amongst previously vocal skeptics. Locals of all stripes gained an increased appreciation for the importance of tahara, as well as the transformative difference the mikvah will make for their community’s convenience and spiritual growth. There is a Mikvah Board, Mikvah Design Committee, Mikvah Oversight Committee and Mikvah Fundraising Committee, comprised of local residents, all dedicated to moving the project forward in the quickest and most upscale manner.

This all came to fore at the PUR event: Everyone is excited for construction to commence, with target completion scheduled in time for Rosh Hashana 5779.

“I’m an investor. This is a great investment.”

The building plans have been finalized and approved, and the contractors have been signed up. Groundbreaking is set to take place within the upcoming weeks. Enough funds have been raised to complete well past Phase One of construction, including the pouring of the boros.
“I am not a member of Mikvah USA; I am a businessman and an investor,” philanthropist Melly Lifshitz told the audience. “And this is a great investment.” The Mill Basin mikvah is the fifth Mikvah USA project that Mr. Lifshitz has contributed a significant sum towards. He is proud to do so, having seen the transformative difference that the other mikvaos made in their respective communities.

A local community member, C. Levy, shared the sentiments of the entire community, delivering heartfelt words of appreciation to Mikvah USA, and a beracha for the successful completion of the project. Renowned local businessman Robert Izsak, who heads the mikvah’s Oversight Committee, gave the audience a detailed summation of the fundraising and construction progress this far, and the plan for the road ahead.

“Mikvah USA has, with Hashem’s help, already successfully completed fifty-nine mikvaos,” shared noted askan and prominent Mikvah USA Board Member Reb Yaty Weinreb, who contributed a significant sum towards the Mill Basin Mikvah.

The audience’s confidence and enthusiasm for this project kept on growing as they learned more about the Mill Basin project, and the dedication and stellar track record of Mikvah USA. Rabbi Cywiak praised the organization’s Board members, supporters and Mill Basin community members who have together enabled this mikvah project to become so successful, b’ezras Hashem.

The final presentation was given to Jeff and Agnes Shemia, longtime Mill Basin pillars and philanthropic figures who were given a hero’s welcome at the dinner. Not long before the dinner, the Shemias undertook the primary sponsorship of the mikvah building with an exceptionally generous anchor grant. (Dedication of the mikvah name is still available.) “From the outset, we were confident that this beautiful mikvah would be built,” Rabbi Cywiak exclaimed. “We just didn’t know who would be the shluchim to get the project off the ground with a bang. Now, thanks to the Shemias, we know that too!”

Photos by JDN