It was just over one year ago that ground was broken for a large and beautiful new Chabad community center, including a beautiful mikveh, in Ohio’s fourth most populous city.
Despite aggressive challenges by some disgruntled area residents, construction proceeded at a quick pace and the community gathered to revel in the completion of the impressive nearly 9,000-square-foot edifice.
The new mikveh has been warmly welcomed by the local Jewish community, as the existing mikveh, affiliated with Congregation Etz Chayim, which has faithfully served the community for decades, could no longer be repaired due to its age.
At the grand chanukas habayis ceremony on Thursday, 12 Elul, Rabbi Yossi Shemtov, the local Chabad Rabbi, shared a fascinating summation of Toledo’s Jewish community growth through today, when there are dozens of locals who daven at Chabad each Shabbos and hundreds of local families who interact with the Orthodox communal leadership.
Rabbi Shemtov then presented a plaque and gift to Rabbi Yitzchok Bistritzky, founder and president of Mikvah USA, who traveled to Toledo to attend the event.
The message of appreciation was echoed by local resident Mr. Don Solomon, who expressed the community’s excitement and optimism as a result of this milestone.
What has particularly struck Toledo residents about Mikvah USA’s leading role is that the organization’s leadership and donor base virtually all reside in major New York/New Jersey communities, a great distance from Toledo, in more ways than one.
During the early stages of the project, one local resident remarked, “It’s never going to happen from Brooklyn.” As time went on, this member could not believe how Mikvah USA came through, even beyond its original commitments. She became active in community outreach as a result.
This reality was foremost on Rabbi Bistritzky’s mind as he addressed the Toledo community at the chanukas habayis. He stressed how grateful he and the others at Mikvah USA are for the opportunity to help transform the community.
“The new mikveh presents a historic opportunity for the Toledo community to grow in taharah and other areas,” Rabbi Bistritzky implored. “Please take advantage of it. With Hashem’s help, your future is bright.”
The original Rabbi Rabbi Nechemia Katz was the brother-in-law of Rabbi Moshe Feinstein. His sister was Reb Moshe’s wife.