Susan and Dr. Martin Schear in the women’s changing room of the Miami Valley Mikvah. The Schears have personally overseen the building and decorating of the ritual bath facility. They, along with Brenda and Allan Rinzler, are the lead donors to the mikvah.

Dedication, open house scheduled for Sept. 13

By Marshall Weiss, The Dayton Jewish Observer

Six months after its groundbreaking, the Miami Valley Mikvah, located at Sugar Camp in Oakwood, is officially open.

“We put together a dream team, a mikvah team of people who could get it done, and it happened — it came together,” says Susan Schear, who volunteered as decorator for the new ritual bath facility. Her husband, Dr. Martin Schear, oversaw the building of the mikvah for the Miami Valley Mikvah Association Committee. The Schears, along with their cousins, Brenda and Allan Rinzler, are the lead donors for the project.

They will dedicate the facility at a ceremony and open house on Sept. 13.

In accordance with halacha (Jewish law), a mikvah is a ritual purification bath where observant married women immerse themselves following their monthly cycle. Mikvahs are also used for conversions to Judaism and for immersion of new kitchenware products.

Though not required by Jewish law, some men immerse themselves in the mikvah as a spiritual exercise.

The women’s pool at the Miami Valley Mikvah

“We were very cognizant about bringing the project in within our budget, and we did,” says Martin Schear. The budget for the 1,000-square-foot facility, he says, is approximately $375,000; to date, the Mikvah Association has raised $200,000.

Located near Beth Abraham Synagogue, the mikvah features separate pools and changing areas for men and women; women immerse at night, men during the day. The men’s pool, which is used less frequently, is also available for taveling, immersion of new kitchenware.

Both men’s and women’s areas have spa-like settings, with heated floors. The men’s side of the mikvah has its own entrance and is handicap-accessible.

For the exterior, the builders incorporated stone from other Sugar Camp buildings, available during renovations, to blend well with the other facilities on the campus.

The mikvah’s supervising rabbi is Rabbi Baruch Hertz of Chicago. Rabbi Gershon Grossbaum of Minneapolis serves as a rabbinic consultant for technical issues.

Martin Schear’s cousin, Paul Schear, of Heatwave Pools, was the project manager; their cousin, Lee Schear, is overseeing the mikvah’s finances.

“This is a very sophisticated building,” Martin Schear says during a walk-through with his wife. “It’s pretty well computerized. We can control the temperature — including the water temperature, so when it’s not in use — we’ll lower our energy costs. Everything is controlled over the Internet.”

He anticipates that annual membership dues and usage fees will pay for the facility’s maintenance, upkeep, and a regularly-scheduled cleaning service. Rochel Simon of Chabad is chair of the facilities committee.

The Miami Valley Mikvah Association Committee was established two years ago. Its members are from all four local synagogues and participants at Chabad of Greater Dayton. Rabbis Nochum Mangel of Chabad and David Sofian of Temple Israel helped organize the association, with the goal of establishing a centrally-located mikvah.

Another new community mikvah, operated by the 51-year-old Dayton Ritualarium Society, opened in January on the grounds of Beth Jacob Synagogue in Harrison Township.

Amy Bloom, chair of the Miami Valley Mikvah Association Committee, says the dedication will include educational programs meant to demystify the concept of mikvah.

The Miami Valley Mikvah

“We’ll tell people what’s involved in going to the mikvah,” Bloom says. “Simone Lotven Sofian will lead an overview of the history of mikvahs. We just want people to come and see it, to be able to peek in and ask questions.”

Bloom says the association will offer individual and family memberships. “We’re going to offer the first three visits for free. And if anybody wants to use it and price is an issue, we can work that out for them.

“The mikvah is open to anybody who wants to experience it. It’s not just there for those who are already accustom to using it. It’s there for the entire Jewish community to use.”

Miami Valley Mikvah dedication and open house: Sunday, Sept. 13, 1 p.m. The mikvah is located at 600 Sugar Camp Circle, off of Schantz Ave., in Oakwood. For more information or to schedule an appointment at the mikvah, call Devorah Mangel at 974-8648.