Mikvah in Israel | Imamother

amother

Tue, Oct 26 2010, 5:21 am

I've never been to the mikvah in Israel and I need to go, and I'm just wondering what I should expect-- what the procedure is like, what I need to bring, approximate cost, etc. Thanks so much!

BeershevaBubby

Tue, Oct 26 2010, 5:26 am

It all depends on where you go.

Here in Ariel, it's totally no frills in the rooms, towel is extra. When I was living on a Yishuv, they provided everything, robe included....

Marion

Tue, Oct 26 2010, 5:42 am

Bring everything. I think the cost is the same everywhere (unless you're using Zayit Ra'anan; I hear their fee structure is different): 25NIS just for a shower room, 30NIS for a bath. There is no procedure. Show up, wait for a room, tovel, go home. If you're lucky (or you're in a quiet area) you won't even have to wait for a room, you'll be able to go straight in.

amother

Tue, Oct 26 2010, 5:47 am

I've only been to one mikva in Israel, the Mattersdorf one (in Jerusalem), and there it's about 50NIS if you get a room with bath to prepare there (they also have rooms with just showers if you prepared at home, but I've never used those) and use their towels. They have everything else in the room, but I bring my own nail clippers, combs etc, just because I prefer not to share such things. There are robes available too (in the corridor, so remember to take one while still dressed). If you want a particular shampoo you should bring your own. At least in the rooms that haven't been refurbished yet (the ones that have get taken very quickly, and I've never managed to get one) there isn't a toilet in the room, but there are a few available via the corridor.

Not sure what else you want to know, nor how other places compare. The mikva ladies I've met are all lovely, and many of them there speak English, which makes sense in the neighbourhood. I've never had to wait to get a room, nor more than a few minutes for the mikva lady after I rang the buzzer, but I always so far manage to go near the opening time, and so far always mid-week, so I can't comment on how busy it gets at other times.

chanchy123

Tue, Oct 26 2010, 6:04 am

Everywhere is differnet. The fee also may vary (ours is 20 without a towl 25 with). All mikvaot I've been to (about ten very differnt ones) supplied towels and basic hygenic products - in a minority of mikvaot there was an extra fee. Some charge more for a room with a bath (and have rooms with only a shower), most I've been to have baths in every room. All mikvaot I've been to provided robes for women who say the bracha outside of the mikva itself.
If you live in a small yishuv you will probably have to mae an apointment, in a city or large yisuv the mikva should be open every evening at set times.
Some mikvaot are nicer than others. Sometimes, you might be happier with your own towel (some may be a bit rough and scratchy).

amother

Tue, Oct 26 2010, 6:33 am

Thanks everyone for helping the nervous nelly. Do you wear a towel to go from room to mikvah or a robe? I need larger sizes of everything and I don't think I have a robe, will I be okay if I just bring my own towel?

Marion

Tue, Oct 26 2010, 8:58 am

I use my own towel. Like I said, bring everything.

Zus

Tue, Oct 26 2010, 3:57 pm

If there is a robe in the room I wear the robe, otherwise I wrap the towel around me.

Here in GZ a bath costs 15 NIS, a towel is 1 NIS.

amother

Tue, Oct 26 2010, 4:03 pm

I went to the mikvah in Beit shemesh and it was great they supplied everything which really helped since I was there on vacation

amother

Tue, Oct 26 2010, 4:10 pm

amother wrote:

I went to the mikvah in Beit shemesh and it was great they supplied everything which really helped since I was there on vacation

Which one?

Liba

Tue, Oct 26 2010, 4:10 pm

We pay 20nis if prepared, 30nis if you need a bath. It is 5nis for a towel. They do not provide robes, I bring my own and I bring my own towel. Before I figured out to bring a robe I just wrapped up in my own big towel.

Shampoo, soap, etc you can pay to use, but I just bring so I have no idea how much it costs.

Cotton swabs and citric acid they provide. Smile