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Germany - City Of Dresden Breaks Ground For First Kosher Mikvah |
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The orthodox Shul in Dresden
The Mikveh construction is being funded by international entrepreneur and philanthropist Mr. Samuel Mouli Cohen 
. Rabbi Schneur Havlin, rabbi of the Jewish community of Dresden, said, "We are extremely grateful to Mouli Cohen for his involvement in this project. The city of Dresden is populated by 1200 Jews for whom, until now, the closest Mikveh was located in Berlin or Prague at a distance of over 6 hours of travel. With his generosity many of the Jews in this community will be able to experience a Mikveh in their community. The vengeance for the holocaust is reflected in the image of this purifying pool."
The city of Dresden is known as one of the leading German cities, marked as a prominent culture center in Europe and remaining as such since WWII. During the war, the city was known for the heavy bombing over it by the allies, which claimed the lives of 35,000 citizens. This bombing served as retaliation for the horrifying holocaust initiated by the Nazis and their associates.
Traditionally the Mikveh was and continues to be referred to as a symbol of holiness and of the continuity of the Jewish nation. Seemingly though, there is even more significance for this particular city which so closely symbolizes the dreadful holocaust.
The new Mikveh construction is being overseen by Rabbi Schneur Havlin, rabbi of the Jewish community of Dresden. "This purifying Mikveh symbolizes the continuity of the Jewish nation and is extremely important for the Jewish community in Dresden, The Rabbinical Center of Europe and for the Matanel Foundation," said Rabbi Havlin.
"I am extremely pleased to participate in this vital project alongside the Rabbinical Center of Europe and the Matanel Foundation since this incentive is conducive to the perpetuation of the Jewish nation and of its future existence," said Mr. Cohen.
The Mikveh construction is slated for completion in 2010.
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Read Comments (15) — Post Yours »
1
Jul 14, 2009 at 12:47 PM Anonymous Says:
I am surprised that there would be a need in Dresden ( outside the Chabad shliach)
2
Jul 14, 2009 at 01:50 PM Yehuda Says:
Why the surprise. Part of the shliach's outreach is to eventually convinve the married women to use the mikvah. Wherever you have chabad you will find a mikvah. Sometimes it takes a few years but it is eventually built.
3
Jul 14, 2009 at 01:46 PM AH Says:
“ I am surprised that there would be a need in Dresden ( outside the Chabad shliach) ”
This page, on the city's official website, says: "The Jewish community in Dresden presently has around 350 members." So that's certainly enough to warrant a mikvah - and having one available will probably boost the number of women who keep taharas hamishpachah.
4
Jul 14, 2009 at 02:13 PM Milhouse Says:
"If you build it they will come". It's almost impossible to convince a woman to keep taharas hamishpocho when the closest mikveh is 6 hours away. Once there is a mikveh in town the rebbetzin will be able to create customers for it.
5
Jul 14, 2009 at 02:52 PM Mikvah Says:
“ I am surprised that there would be a need in Dresden ( outside the Chabad shliach) ”
What many people perhaps don't even know, is that Chabad Shluchim, by the Rebbe's inspiration, have introduced the Mitzvah of Mikvah to countless thousands of Jewish families. There are many, many families, who on the outside many not appear to be overly observant, who are, thanks to these Shluchim keeping many mitzvos, including the discreet mitzvah of Mikvah.
6
Jul 14, 2009 at 03:55 PM anonymous Says:
I wonder from all places Dresden Germany there are Yidden who need a mikvah
7
Jul 14, 2009 at 04:25 PM A. Says:
I suppose this is a good thing, but I can't help having my first reaction be "oh joy, we're building up communities in Germany again, great."
8
Jul 14, 2009 at 04:19 PM Milhouse Says:
“ I wonder from all places Dresden Germany there are Yidden who need a mikvah ”
There are many Jews living all over Germany, especially immigrants from the former USSR. And what Jew doesn't need a mikveh?
9
Jul 14, 2009 at 04:44 PM Anonymous Says:
ashrechuh shluchim, you are the real heros,
the life of emese mesiras nefesh!!!!
10
Jul 14, 2009 at 04:27 PM Rina Says:
A few points:
1. It is questionable whether Dresden has 1200 Jews. It probably doesn't have half that number.
2. Prague and Berlin are only 2 hours away from Dresden, a fact which can easily be checked on GoogleMaps or Mapquest.
3. For a year now, there has been a kosher mikvah in Leipzig, just over one hour away from Dresden. It was supervised by respected Rabbonim, including Rabbi Meir Posen, and it is maintained by a mekarev and ben Torah.
11
Jul 15, 2009 at 06:17 AM Josh Says:
“ A few points:
1. It is questionable whether Dresden has 1200 Jews. It probably doesn't have half that number.
2. Prague and Berlin are only 2 hours away from Dresden, a fact which can easily be checked on GoogleMaps or Mapquest.
3. For a year now, there has been a kosher mikvah in Leipzig, just over one hour away from Dresden. It was supervised by respected Rabbonim, including Rabbi Meir Posen, and it is maintained by a mekarev and ben Torah. ”
Rina's points 2 and 3 are totally correct. I know the jewish community of Dresden very well! Dresden has a reform jewish community with around 300 members. Chabad's orthodox community is much, much larger! I dont know about 1200, but at least 900+!!! Once the mikvah is open, it will be a success for the whole area. Leipzig has a kosher mikvah, the other jewish city in the state of Saxony Chemnitz has also a mikvah, now comes Dresden, finally! Then all three jewish communities in the state of Saxony will have a functional mikvah!
Go Shneor and Chana! I wish you only the best in your Shlichus!!
(If you have only money for a synagogue or a mikvah, first you build a mikvah! -> Halachah)
12
Jul 15, 2009 at 06:50 AM Anonymous Says:
One hour or even two hours is fine for people who are already frum, but when someone is working to get Yidden closer to Yiddishkeit, it is awfully hard to convince them to travel even a half an hour for something like mikve which to a secular Jew does not seem at all meaningful or necessary. With a kosher mikve in town, it makes it so much easier for women to make it a part of their lives.
Besides, with gasoline prices the way they are in Europe, that one or two hour drive can be very costly which is another turnoff. Also, two hours each way is four hours, which still is not six (assuming that the six hours the rabbi mentioned does not include city driving once in Berlin or Prague) but is a very long trip. Even one hour each way is a lot for someone who is at the point of just being ready to accept the idea of mikve.
1200 Jews in Dresden probably includes those individuals who are halachically Jewish but who do not necessarily identify as Jews. Chabad in Europe does excellent work at getting such people to recognize that they are in fact Jewish and to be proud of that fact as they join and grow in the Jewish community.
13
Jul 14, 2009 at 11:08 PM AH Says:
“ A few points:
1. It is questionable whether Dresden has 1200 Jews. It probably doesn't have half that number.
2. Prague and Berlin are only 2 hours away from Dresden, a fact which can easily be checked on GoogleMaps or Mapquest.
3. For a year now, there has been a kosher mikvah in Leipzig, just over one hour away from Dresden. It was supervised by respected Rabbonim, including Rabbi Meir Posen, and it is maintained by a mekarev and ben Torah. ”
1. So? And if there are fewer than 1200 Jews, they're not entitled to their own mikvah? Besides, I would think that the rabbi of the city has a much better handle on the number of local Jews than you or I do.
2. If a person has a car, sure. But in Europe many people get around by train; that would probably take a lot longer.
3. Again, so? Does that mean that Lakewood, for example, doesn't need its own mikvaos because it's only an hour away from Brooklyn?
14
Jul 16, 2009 at 04:15 PM Anonymous Says:
the point of 10 is not whether dresden should have a mikvah or not. of course it should. the question is why rabbi havlen says things which are incorrect. isnt it enough to say that dresden needs a mikvah? why say that berlin and leipzig are further away than they really are? and why ignore the mikvah in leipzig? because it is not bor al gabei bor? because chabad didnt build it? why not just say, dresden has many jews and we need a mikvah. but dont ignore or pasul other things and play with the truth. emes is a pretty important principle.
15
Jul 16, 2009 at 06:28 PM Rina Says:
AH - You respond to my points as if you think I was using them to claim that Dresden does not need its own mikvah. Chas veshalom. I was only surprised at the misinformation and ignorance of important facts, and I wished to correct it.
1. Even one Jew should have a mikvah within easy travelling distance. The number of Jews in Dresden given by the Zentralrat der Juden in Deutschland is 727, dated 2007. There has been almost no immigration from the FSU since then.
2. The trains can be even faster than car - they go up to 200 km an hour. Check the Deutsche Bahn for times - www.db.de . Prague is 2:08 hours from Dresden; Berlin is 2:16.
3. Again, every community should have it's own mikvah.
I am very happy to hear of this mikvah being built. But clearly the writer of this article wasn't aware of certain facts. I think that events going on in small places in Europe should be presented accurately to those who are unable to experience them firsthand.