At the Mikvaot I go to in Jerusalem, you pay 20 NIS if you've prepared at home, and 30 NIS if you haven't. They provide towels, and also minimal toiletries. So I guess policy isn't uniform among the various cities.
I didn't mean to imply it was, just that all of the mikvaot in town cost the same.
Now there would be a cool blog. Best and Worst Mikvaot in the World, or Mikvaot all Over the World. Is there one? I know people, uh hem, who could write it, for sure contribute
There is a mikveh review site in Hebrew, but I haven't seen it myself.
Very fancy!
Shiloh's "new" mikvah, which replaced the original (modern, not Biblical) is in a very public place, thought convenient. No buzzer; call "yoohoo." One mikvah for three prep rooms, but it has the world's nicest balanit.
Sorry Batya, I'm sure your balanit in Shiloh is extremely nice, but the worlds nicest balanit is in the Katamon Mikveh. :D. I really miss her. They charge 20 for no prep, 30 for prep and you get toiletries and towels. They were trying to raise money for an overhaul, but it was fairly decent.
Abbi, I think Batya *is* the balanit.
I've been to a few Mikvaot in various Israeli cities and a couple in "America," too. I liked the rather old-fashioned one in Mevaseret. I lived there for a few years, and though it wasn't at all fancy (5 prep rooms for one mikvah, old looking, nothing too special about the brides room - it had a bathtub?), I really liked it, even better than the fancy mikvah in Telzstone where I went before my wedding. I've only been to the mikvah here 3 or 4 times (expecting my second since we moved in), but I just liked the Mevaseret atmosphere - maybe I was just used to it, and it was closer to my house...And my exceptionally amazing neighbor was one of the balaniot
I am stopping myself from commenting what I want to comment...
It looks very nice, Mom. The mikvah here in Modiin is okay. I still don't feel totally comfortable here--I get a little anxious every month...
PS Can we push off our "date" till after Pesach?--between work, ulpan and Pesach, I don't think I'll have time!
Baila--no problem. I have posts to write, you know.
It looks great!
Oops, sorry batya, didn't realize that.
I still think the katamon balanit is the best!
i'm glad i read this one at home, even without the pink background.
so do hassidim get to use this mikvah during the day?
LOZ, I think there are a few private mikvaot for men who go daily or before Shabbat. They open the public ones for Erev RH and YK.
oh my goodness -- who is going to clean the avnit off of all that clear glass?
Nikki, if they would only take a dry cloth and wipe all of the fixtures at the end of the night, the avnit wouldn't buildup. But they won't,and that's why most mikvaot look like they do.
Just a note on mikvah differences. American ones generally don't charge different prices for using the bath or just getting a shower before dipping. Most put out everything, from toothbrushes to saline solution for the patrons' use. And for your tznius files, the Far Rockaway one had a kit that included a shower cap. Obviously, one can't wear a shower cap while doing chafifa, so its purpose is to keep hair covered on the walk from the prep room to the mikvah.
Prices seem to be $18-$20 on average, from what I've seen, though the Far Rockaway one offers a membership option of $180 for use for the year.
Ariella, our mikvah in Highland Park, New Jersey charges only $15/person. And that includes many amenities like the ones you mentioned. My guess is that the fees don't cover all the costs.
We didn't get toothbrushes and saline solution when I lived in the US. I haven't worn contact lenses in years--too much sand over here. "for your tznius files"--funny line.
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