Chabad's New Mikvah: Opening Ceremony Marred by the Mumbai Tragedy

Chabad have opened a new Mikvah in their community centre:
"The mikvah is located in the basement of the Chabad center, and,in fulfillment of the requirement for a fresh source of water, is partially fed by rain collected at the roof, said Leah Teichtal, the co-director of the center with her husband. The rabbi called his wife the “mastermind” of the project.

[...]

The guests descended a brightly lit staircase to the mikvah rooms, including one with showers and bath, and another with the turqouise-tiled pool itself, its several steps leading downward into clear, warm water that is filtered constantly.

The rabbi said the steps are there because “some women are tall, and some are, well, not so tall.” He added that the mikvah for men is not yet finished.

Mikvah users can get a manicure and pedicure, and classical music will be piped in, Leah Teichtal said." (Source: Baltimore Jewish Times)

The opening ceremony, however, was marred by the tragedy of the terrorist attack in Mumbai and the death of Rabbi Gavriel and Rivkah Holtzberg.

It should be noted, that this Mikvah is now Berlin's third, as Berlin's Jewish Community also has two Mikvahs. It is not clear if the number of Orthodox women and new brides in Berlin really justifies so many Mikvahs...

In our Jewish Tour in West Berlin, you can learn more about the two "western" Mikvahs and visit the sites of both. We can also do a tour to cover the sites of Chabad in Berlin, including where Rabbi Schneeorsohn has lived during his Berlin era.

New Chabad Yeshiva in Berlin

Chabad's website reports of "the first Chabad-Lubavitch yeshiva in Western Europe for Jewish youth who did not grow up in traditional homes." : "Tora Kolleg – it’s pronounced “Torah college” – opened in September at the Rohr Chabad Center, a grand structure that houses a synagogue, restaurant, student and education center, library, Jewish ritual bath and Judaica shop. The yeshiva offers students the chance immerse themselves in a comprehensive study of Jewish texts while completing their secular degrees. Those still in high school can elect to complete their general studies requirement through an affiliated school, while those in university can supplement their secular course load with classes in Torah, Talmud, Jewish law and Jewish mysticism."

What they might neglect to say in their article, is that there one other Orthodox Yeshiva in Berlin (the Beth Zion Yeshiva), as well as Abraham Geiger Kolleg, which trains and ordains Reform Rabbinical Students.

The Chabad House and the place where Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson has lived in Berlin could be visited as part of Jewish-Berlin's Jewish Life in West Berlin and Jewish Life in Tiergarten tour.

More information about Synagogues in Berlin is available on Jewish Berlin as well.