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Do Conservative Rabbis insist upon Mikvah for brides?

From Rabbi Barry Dov Lerner, for About.com

Rabbi Barry Dov Lerner

Rabbi Barry Dov Lerner

Question: Do Conservative Rabbis insist upon Mikvah for brides?

Answer: I can't speak for all Conservative rabbis, but I would like to believe that they, like me, would love to see many more brides (and grooms) using the mikveh before marriage - and afterwards as part of family purity programs.

More and more Conservative congregations are building mikvaot today, and they should be used for more than just conversions.

I myself have used the mikveh for spiritual purposes and moments, including before concluding a sefer Torah scroll, and it was an experience of indescribable religious fulfillment. I would want every bride, at least, to have such a moment of beauty and significance to add to her weddding.

Ultimately, of course, the question is one for your own rabbi to answer.

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