New Canberra Mikvah Inaugurated

Under the guidance of Rabbi Aharon Serebryanski and in the presence of communal leaders and diplomats, the US Ambassador to Australia, His Excellency Jeffery Bleich, officially opened Mikvah Chaya Mushka Canberra on Tuesday.

Joined by interstate Rabbis and communal leaders, the event was also well attended by the local Jewish community. The event was opened with a priestly blessing – which due to flight cancellations was delivered by phone – by Rabbi Pinchus Feldman OAM of Chabad NSW HQ. Following Rabbi Feldman, ACT Jewish Community President Manny Waks said in his speech, “Today’s inauguration of the Chaya Mushka Mikvah is a great milestone for the Jewish community in our nation’s capital. There is no doubt that a Mikvah is an essential component of the foundation and infrastructure of a Jewish community.”

Rabbi Yanki Glasman, representing the Rabbinical Council of Victoria, highlighted the life giving and future- oriented dimension of the mitzvah of Mikvah, and strongly encouraged the local community to support the use of the facility.

Mr Eliezer Kornhauser, principal patron of the Mikvah under the direction of Rabbi Serebryanski, paid tribute to the longstanding relationship between the United States government and the Chabad-Lubavitch movement saying that the refuge afforded to the Jewish people in general and the Chabad movement in particular, by the United States government, has allowed Chabad to grow into a worldwide movement at the forefront of Jewish growth and continuity. Mr Kornhauser also indicated that it was vitally important for the community to secure a disused pre-school facility a few hundred metres South West of the Chabad House, to facilitate Canberra’s first fulltime Jewish school.

Ambassador Bleich reiterated the strong bonds between the US government and Chabad while also paying tribute to Lubavitcher Rebbe and his contribution to education and sharing. The formalities culminated as original initiators of the Mikvah project, local community members Anita Shroot and Shoshana Creigh, assisted Ambassador Bleich in the cutting of the ribbon, which saw the Mikvah officially opened.

Rabbi Dan Avital of Chabad of the Australian Capital Territory paid tribute to all the supporters of the project to date, emphasising the special role of the Israeli Ambassador His Excellency Yuval Rotem in Chabad of the ACT’s establishment, and thanking all the distinguished guests and community members for their support. After the ceremonies concluded guests enjoyed tours of the Mikvah and an informal morning tea.