Frequently Asked Questions

Mikvah is an ancient Jewish spiritual practice, designed to help mark life’s significant transitions (read more about mikvah here).

Some traditional uses of the mikvah include: conversion to Judaism, preparation for a wedding or for becoming a parent, readying oneself for Shabbat or holidays, and taharat hamishpacha, the practice of monthly immersion following a woman’s menstrual cycle. In addition, people come to our Community Mikvah to give a sacred dimension to other significant personal milestones, including birthdays, professional and relationship transitions, graduations, recovery from serious illness, pregnancy loss/infertility, and more. We welcome you to call us at 310-440-1221 for a confidential conversation about the many uses of mikvah, to see if it is right for you.

Our Mikvah uses an advanced, natural salt filtration system that makes sure the water is consistently pure and clean. PH levels are checked weekly by a certified pool professional, who oversees that the mikvah meets the strictest cleanliness standards. In addition, the mikvah is drained and completely scrubbed down every three months, in accordance with California State health codes.

Our Mikvah is heated to a perfectly comfortable body temperature of 98F/36C.

Yes. AJU’s Community Mikvah was designed by Rabbi Ben-Zion Bergman (of blessed memory), an internationally recognized authority in mikvah construction and longstanding member of the Conservative Movement’s Committee on Jewish Law and Standards. It is currently under the halakhic supervision of Rabbi Daniel Shevitz, Professor of Talmud at the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies.

Scheduling an appointment is easy!  Visit this link to arrange for a time that is convenient for you. Please feel free to call call us at 310-440-1221 or email us at mikveh [at] aju.edu (mikvahatajudotedu) with any questions. 

Ritual immersions are for those who are Jewish or are coming for purposes of conversion. We welcome people from any religious background to visit the Community Mikvah for a tour and to support family and friends who are immersing.

We welcome people of all gender identities and orientations to use the Community Mikvah.

We ask that you refrain from immersion during menstruation. We understand that this can sometimes cause difficulty with pre-scheduled conversion appointments, and we will work with you to schedule a time to return after the conclusion of your cycle.

You may immerse with tattoos. With regard to piercings, the general principle is that nothing artificial should come between you and the water. If a piercing can be safely removed, it should be taken out prior to immersion. However, we understand that some piercings cannot be easily taken out without professional assistance. In these circumstances, please contact us 310-440-1221 or email us at mikveh [at] aju.edu (mikvahatajudotedu) to discuss.

You are able to immerse with gel or acrylic nails, provided they are designed to stay on for 30 days or more. However, you must remove any nail polish before your immersion.

We ask that immersion does not take place when you may have a communicable disease, sores, or open wounds. Please be responsible, respectful, and aware that other people will be using the space after you and reschedule an appointment if you have reason to believe you might be currently contagious.

We provide everything you will need. You may choose to bring flip-flops/shower shoes and your own toothbrush, if you prefer. If your immersion is for conversion, please make sure you bring any relevant documents to your appointment.

Yes, a Community Mikvah team member will be happy to show you and any guests around the space and answer questions before your immersion.

When you arrive at the Community Mikvah for your appointment a Mikvah team member will warmly greet you and offer to show you around the space. You will then be shown to our private changing area, where you will prepare for your immersion by thoroughly cleansing your body. Once you are ready, you will give a knock on the door to let your Mikvah guide known that you are prepared to begin. Preparing your body for immersion generally takes 5-10 minutes.

Per Jewish law, mikvah immersions are witnessed by an experienced mikvah guide to ensure that the ritual is done correctly, meaning that the entire body is immersed under the water, and to provide guidance and support through this sacred process. You may choose the gender of your mikvah witness and those who are present for the immersion (if you have a preference). All others will be behind an opaque curtain for the duration of the ritual.

Our Community Mikvah takes the Jewish value of tzniut (“modesty”) very seriously, and therefore only one person can enter the mikvah at a time. The exceptions are for a conversion of a child, in which one or both parents may enter the water in bathing suits to help facilitate that child’s immersion and for those with mobility needs who require assistance getting into or out of the pool.

Depending on the type of appointment booked, the immersion ceremony may last 15 to 45 minutes. Please check with the Mikvah team member about how much time you have allotted.

After the ritual, all guides, rabbis, and guests will exit the Mikvah and provide you with personal time to do additional immersions, offer prayers, or just enjoy the reflective silence of this sacred space. You will exit the Mikvah in privacy and return to the changing area to dry off before meeting any guests. Since, traditionally, one refrains from showering immediately after immersion, this takes no more than 5 minutes.

When one immerses in the Mikvah, it is customary to recite blessings. A sample of the traditional blessings recited for conversion and other rituals is included here. If you would like to read additional blessings or reflections, you may choose from our extensive collection upon arrival or bring something with you.

Our mikvah is appointment based to ensure that everyone has an unrushed, peaceful experience. However, if you are on campus and would like to stop in and see if we have availability, we will try to accommodate.

We require 100% upfront payment to schedule an immersion. This payment is fully refundable up to two (2) weeks prior to the appointment date. Should you need to cancel less than 2 weeks before the appointment, you will be refunded the payment amount less 20%.

If you have additional questions, concerns, or special needs that we did not address please contact our office at 310-440-1221 or by email at mikveh [at] aju.edu (mikvahatajudotedu), and one of our friendly and knowledgeable staff can help you.

AJU Community Mikvah welcomes any ordained rabbi who is a member in good standing of one of the following professional rabbinic associations to utilize our Mikvah to officiate conversions:

• Central Conference of American Rabbis (Reform)
• Rabbinical Assembly (Conservative)
• Rabbinical Council of America (Orthodox)
• Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association (Reconstructionist)
• Alumni Association of the Rabbinical School of Hebrew College (pluralistic)
• International Rabbinic Fellowship (Modern Orthodox)
• Clergy and Alumni of the Academy for Jewish Religion, CA (pluralistic)
• Ohalah — for rabbis who received ordination from the Aleph Institute.

If you are unsure of whether your sponsoring rabbi is a member of one of these professional organizations, please ask them to reach out to us directly.