(COMMUNICATED CONTENT)

“Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom…” From day one, this has been the motto of not just US postal workers, but of those involved in the Inwood Community Mikvah; the community activists who have wholeheartedly devoted themselves to this cause with complete strength and determination. The event this past Sunday, November 5th, was no exception. The Groundbreaking event marked the beginning of the building stage of this project. While the weather was downcast, the atmosphere was anything but. The rainy morning did nothing to dampen the mood or turnout for the groundbreaking, which attracted over 300 individuals, including Askanim, Roshei yeshiva, politicians, and residents from the Inwood and the Five Towns/Far rockaway community at large.

Somewhere over the railroad, the Inwood community began to flourish about ten years ago as an attractive option for young, Orthodox couples looking for an out of town atmosphere close to home. A few years in, the need was identified for a local Mikvah, a cause that was undertaken by Inwood residents Yehuda Michaeli and Simcha Stoll. Their enthusiasm was contagious, and residents of the Inwood community as well as the Five Towns community at large, were quick to contribute their time, money, resources and most importantly, their words of encouragement for the project. A property was bought, permits obtained, plans finalized and finances raised. Thanks to the tremendous efforts of board members Dovy Brazil, Yossi Fischler, Nesonel Goldman, Leon Lantsman, Yehuda Michaeli, Simcha Stoll and Yehuda Zachter, the project has raised $980K to date, out of its projected budget of 1.3 million dollars. Collaboration with architect Lawrence Schreiber and Mikvah Rav, Rabbi Trieger, has resulted in a complete set of plans for full Men’s, Women’s, and Keilim Mikvahs. The plans are designed to accommodate not only the Inwood community but also surrounding areas.

Mikvah Sara Laya Binyan Liba is dedicated in memory of two exceptional women in Klal Yisroel. Mrs. Marion Berkowitz, grandmother of Inwood residents and brothers, Reb Yanky Brazil and Dovy Brazil, dedicated the Mikvah in honor of her late daughter Sara Laya, first wife of Reb Shmuel Brazil. Rabbi Yehoshua Kurland, a close friend of the Brazil family, spoke about Rebbetzin Sara Laya at the groundbreaking. He highlighted her tremendous tznius and ahavas Yisroel, and shared personal memories of the Rebbetzin. Reb Yanky spoke about his mother as well, expressing his deep hakaras hatov to his grandmother for generously providing the entire extended family the opportunity to carry on their mother’s memory through the mitzvah of Mikvah.

Warren Stoll, father of community member Simcha Stoll, is credited with being the one to mention the need for a Mikvah to Rabbi Pinchas Weinberger. Mr. Stoll dedicated the building of the Mikvah in memory of his grandmother Liba Sokol. As Simcha spoke about on Sunday, Liba was a Russian immigrant who dedicated her life to her husband’s Torah learning. She prioritized Torah and Mitzvos above all else, fleeing the pogroms of Russia for the tenements of Brooklyn so that her husband could learn Torah peacefully.

Rabbi Pinchas Weinberger, Rav of Bais Tefillah of Inwood, expressed his admiration and gratitude towards the board and the ground breaking committee; Gud Meir Adler, Shmuel Flaum, Louis Greenspan, Rabbi Eli Katz, Shlomo Salamon, Meir Shuvalsky and Nussi Tempelman. Rav Weinberger spoke about the Mikvah as the source of the perseverance of the Jewish Nation, and expounded on the fundamental role that it plays in the halacha and hashkafa of Judaism. Rabbi Weinberger also spoke about the koach that the Mikvah has to actualize potential that people may be unaware that they possess.

On that note, the board would like to extend a tremendous amount of appreciation to all those who gave of themselves, of their energy, of their finances, and of their resources, in order to convert this project from potential to reality. From those who gave of their time even though their days are full, to those who gave of their money even though they had little to spare, there are countless individuals who stretched themselves to the limit in order to contribute in any way that they could. As Rabbi Pinchas Weinberger mentioned in his speech on Sunday, “Yehuda Michaeli reached into pockets people did not even know that they had.”

The master of ceremonies of the event was Yehuda Zachter. He and his wife, Mindy, are pillars of the community, who play a pivotal role in this project and the development of Inwood at large. Zachter spoke about the power of the Mikvah as a vehicle of rebirth and renewal for the Jewish nation. He expressed his hope that the Mikvah’s power of transformation will serve to propel the blossoming Inwood community into further stages of Torah growth and development.

Attendees of the event were treated not only to food for thought from the aforementioned speakers, but also to a hot buffet generously sponsored by Elite Caterers of the Katz Family and Seasons of Lawrence. The Katzes have been facilitators of the growth of the Inwood community since its inception. Their involvement includes hosting the young Shul in its commissary on Doughty Boulevard as well as catering many community events over the years, aside from the Katz children and grandchildren that live in Inwood. Seasons provided a lavish spread of cakes, fruit, and beverages to complement the hot buffet. The large crowd of participants at the event went home both physically and spiritually nourished.

The Inwood Mikvah would like to especially thank the Corporate Sponsors of the Groundbreaking event. Thank you to Camp Areivim, Vintage Pharmacy, Mas Travel, Gourmet Glatt, 718-Insurance, Dr. Mendel Warshawsky, Seasons, Elite Caterers, CNSLT Real Estate Group, Maidenbaum Property Tax Reduction Group, and Goldman Roofing. The generosity of these sponsors has facilitated a beautiful welcome of the Inwood Mikvah Project into the building stages. The Board would like to thank the entire community for participating in this event. The constant words of encouragement, from those inside and outside the immediate Inwood community, are appreciated by all of those working on this project. To those who came without giving, to those who gave without coming, to those who gave and came and encouraged others to do one of the same, and to all those who stepped up to the plate in whatever capacity they were able, we extend much appreciation and tremendous admiration.

For more information, or to donate to the Inwood Mikvah, please visit the project’s website: www.inwoodmikvah.org our mailing address is 312 Sprague Rd. Inwood N.Y. 11096

To donate please visit https://thechesedfund.com/cause/help-build-inwood-mikvah-mikvah-sara-laya