Nine mikvaos around Israel were selected in a contest of 100 mikvaos that were inspected; all operating under the responsibility of religious councils nationwide. The contest was to determines which women’s mikvaos are the nicest. Parameters included in the decision-making process included appearance inside the building and out, cleanliness, privacy, accessibility, the presence of supplies including towels, the service given by the balanit, and energy efficiency.

The Council for a Beautiful Israel used hundreds of volunteers nationwide to conduct inspections and the judge was Kosel rav Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz.

Devorah Efferman, who oversees buildings used for religious services for the Ministry of Religious Services explains that there are many beautiful [women’s] mikvaos among the hundreds supervised by religious councils nationwide and unfortunately there are those in need of immediate refurbishing. She feels the competition will increase awareness and increased awareness may compel decision makers to act and spiff up the mikvaos that are in need of modernization. Deputy Minister Rabbi Eli Ben-Dahan supported the competition, for he too agrees that heightened awareness will bring the condition of mikvaos to a more prominent place on the desk of decision-makers.

Director-General of the ministry, Elchanan Glatt adds “this is just another example of our efforts to make religious services friendlier to the tzibur at large.”

The winner mikvaos are located in Maale Ephraim, Kfar Tabor, Mitzpei Ramon, Mazkeret Batya, Meron, Li Ora (in Ohr Yehuda), HaRambam (in Kiryat Malachi), Rabin (in Carmiel), and Erez (in Kiryat Gat).

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem /Photo: Mikve in Kfar Tabor)