A flurry of construction and other activity surrounds the
National Center for Taharas Hamishpochoh. Even after building
over 900 mikva'os, the Center is not resting on its
laurels but continues the momentum of building for the sake
of family purity in Eretz Hakodesh.
The Chazon Ish zt"l wrote, "...It is better to give to
a mikveh taharoh in order to save bnos Yisroel
and bnei Yisroel from prohibitions that carry
koreis."
In a letter to Jewish benefactors written in 5722 (1962) the
Steipler wrote, "I, too, would like to extend a request
regarding this holy matter of building and maintaining
mikvaos taharoh in Eretz Hakodesh, where the number of
settlements and small towns has grown...and this is truly
hatzolas nefoshos in one of the fundamental aspects of
Judaism . . . "
HaRav Berish Weidenfeld, the gavad of Tchebin and the
Center's first nossi, said, "Our brethren everywhere
should know . . . we are responsible for them and the
generations to follow. This heavy responsibility falls on all
those who have the ability to help and assist and are not
doing so."
HaRav Yechezkel Abramsky was the second nossi and he
called it a "holy obligation on the generous-hearted among
the Nation of Hashem not to stand at a distance but to lend a
hand by being among the doers for the sake of saving purity.
Every individual should recognize the great responsibility
resting on his shoulders. Haboh letaher mesay'im
beyodo and they will be blessed with the fulfillment of
all of their wishes for good all the days."
The third nossi, HaRav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach
zt"l, occupied the post until his histalkus and
took an active role, encouraging and helping the organization
to develop and expand the construction of mikvaos
around the country. He appeared in person at mikveh
dedication ceremonies time after time, answered questions
regarding halachic problems that arose, visited and checked
the kashrus of mikvaos and dedicated his extremely
valuable time to encourage benefactors to use their money to
build mikvaos in Israel.
Rabbi Yehoshua Levy, director of the National Center for
Taharas Hamishpochoh, recalls another historical anecdote.
"The Admor of Gur, the Beis Yisroel, invited the heads of the
Center, saying he wanted to take part in the construction of
mikvaos. He gave tens of thousands of British liras,
an enormous sum at the time."
The amount of work that goes into the construction of each
mikveh is beyond description: from the preliminary planning
to the actual construction in remote locations under
difficult conditions to the completion of superb
facilities— both from halachic and aesthetic
standpoints.
Delegations dispatched by the Center, including engineers,
architects, building inspectors and professionals in every
possible field, work in cooperation with the Center's
rabbonim, who oversee the strict halachic specifications of
every mikveh, both at new and renovated facilities.
Extensive efforts are made to renovate and renew
mikvaos across the country. The Center's staff has
acquired extensive expertise in this area, both from a
halachic and a technical standpoint, and they respond to
every request.
The dearth of government funding affects not only on the lack
of buildings and the challenge of constructing them, but even
regular expenses involved in maintaining existing
mikvaos. Local rabbonim constantly ask for help in
paying for heating fuel or worker salaries after all funding
sources have been spent or failed to materialize at all.
Just last week an important town in the central region
requested assistance in paying salaries for its mikveh
operators and a town in the South asked the Center to
supply fuel, otherwise the mikveh faced a genuine
threat of closure.
Rabbi Levy, who oversees the large amount of work from the
main office in Jeruslem, says along with the momentum in
building and regular expenses the Center is also active in
informational campaigns and guidance in cities and towns
around the country.
Home visits are arranged and contact is maintained with
families in order to increase taharas mishpochoh in Am
Yisroel.
A women's organization operates in conjunction with the
Center to handle informational campaigns and practical
guidance. The organization has been in operation for over 50
years and reaches thousands of homes around the country, both
in large cities and suburbs as well as small towns and
communities, where many new immigrants are found.
The National Center for Taharas Hamishpochoh runs regular
informational campaigns in writing, printing hundreds of
thousands of booklets and short guides, announcements and
halachic information in 12 languages including Hebrew,
Yiddish, English, French, Russian, Persian, Spanish,
Portuguese and Georgian, in accordance with the respective
customs. This material is published in an attractive, easy-to-
read form and accompanied with illustrations and color
graphics. Every month thousands of copies are sent to new
immigrants at hundreds of locations around the country. Some
of the material is distributed through the Religious
Councils.
The Center also holds workshops and central gatherings—
including an annual national workshop—for the hundreds
of guidance counselors, providing them an opportunity to
discuss issues related to their fieldwork, to exchange
information and to gain from the accumulated experience.
As the annual fundraising drive approaches Rabbi Levy says
experience has shown mikvaos are built not necessarily
from major contributions, but from small donations of NIS
100, NIS 50 and even NIS 18 given by Jews of modest means
around the country and throughout the entire Jewish world.
