New Shluchim to Mikvah.Org

By COLlive reporter
Photos: Levi Percia

Rabbi Yitzchok and Bina Lerman of Crown Heights have recently joined the Taharas Hamishpacha International organization as official Shluchim.

The two join the organization’s current Director, Mrs. Chaya Sarah Zarchi, who has been running the organization since 1975 after its founding by Rebbetzin Chave Hecht following a Bracha from the Rebbe, and Mrs. Kraindy Klein, the organization’s Associate Director.

The long-running and vital organization, which works to teach Jewish couples around the globe about the Mitzvah of family purity, held a Melava Malka this past Motzei Shabbos to officially welcome the new Shluchim.

The event was hosted at the home of Sholom and Esther Laine of the Printhouse, longtime supporters of the organization.  

At the event, Mrs. Zarchi thanked the many individuals who have assisted with the maintenance and growth of the organization, which has spearheaded many educational campaigns throughout the years, and welcomed the new couple.

“Yitzchok and Bina are a dynamic, promising couple, who are passionate about Taharas Hamishpacha,” Mrs. Zarchi said. “They threw themselves into the work, and our moisad now has a new force, a new energy going forth.”

Rabbi Lerman, while expressing his thanks to the organization for welcoming himself and his wife into their “family,” spoke about the importance of the Mitzvah of family purity.

“The Jewish people are called ‘Baashanim’ – shy – yet it is known that we are also a stubborn, stiff-necked people. How do we reconcile this seeming contradiction? By nature, we are not shy,” he said.

“But at Matan Torah the Jewish people were given the gift to be baashanim. Even though we might be a shy people, who may not feel comfortable to talk about this sacred Mitzvah, we learn from this that the midah of shyness cannot compromise the way we do a Mitzvah. And if we feel that we are too shy or quiet to learn this, then this is just the Yetzer hara trying to cool us down from fulfilling the Mitzvah properly.”

Mrs. Chassi Rivkin, who has been working with the Taharas Hamishpacha organization since 2009, gave an overview of the organization’s history, from its beginning in 1975 through today, with the worldwide Mikvah database directed by Mrs. Chaya Klein, speaker’s bureau directed by Mrs. Chana Seligson, and high-tech online Mikvah calendar among its most known projects.

Mrs. Rivkin reminded participants that it was this organization that originated the ‘Shir Hamalos’ campaign, encouraging all new mothers to place a shir hamalos in their newborn’s crib from the moment of birth, while still in the hospital.

Mrs. Lerman thanked participants for attending and summed up what she and her husband see as their mission in running the organization, quoting the sage Rabbi Hillel.

“‘Ubemakom she’ein anashim, hishtadel lehiyos ish – In a place where there are no men strive to be a man,'” she said. “This is the mission of our organization. While the world is trying to redefine the meaning of marriage and relationships, our organization will stand up for the Torah’s view on it.”

“We will work to teach frum and not yet frum couples about family purity, to expand programs and classes for Chabad houses, campuses, and our own community,” said Rabbi Lerman. “We want Mikvah.org to be the address for anything and everything about Mikvah.”