Mikve tahare

When the Kehile was founded in the year 1892, the members used the Mikve that belonged to the Shul on the Kleine Pieter Potstraat next to the port.

Around the year 1900, when the Kehila was officially recognised, they started building a Mikve on the Van Noortstraat , and when that got too small, a new one was built on the LamorinierestR’

The person responsible for the Mikve in those times, was R’ Chaim Fink z”l, father of R’ Hershel Fink z”l. Once, on Erev Yom Kippur, the boiler exploded. R’ Mordche Klein z”l, who lived in that building, was in danger, and R’ Chaim run to his rescue trying to save him, but sadly R’ Mordche passed away on Yom Kippur, and R’ Chaim less than 3 weeks later, leaving behind a young widow and little orphans. Both were buried in Putte next to each other.

During the war the Mikve was shut and destroyed completely. After the war, from about 1955 both kehilos used the Mikve of Shomre Hadas on the Van Diepenbeeckstraat.

With the growing of the population, this Mikve got too small, and the Kehile bought a huge compound on the Oostenstraat, next to the main Shul, with an entrance on the Steenbokstraat.  

The building of the new Mikve started. At that point it was the biggest Mikve in the world!!

Originally the authorities promised subsidies but then they reneged on their promise and the enormous costs endangered the whole existence of the Kehila! Emergency campaigns were held to raise the missing funds and Be”H the debts were covered.

The building was finished in 1972 and the Mikve is Be”H being used daily already for over 50 years!

The intensive use has led to such erosion that there are technical problems almost daily in the plumbing, and the electricity is very used and outdated too. 

More than once it has happened that workers from our community are called to save the situation at impossible hours!

The heating system has also crashed and, by lack of an alternative solution, has been connected to the system of the new Mikve that’s being built. Obviously, even after this connection was installed, there are still regular problems, mostly because the pipes are old and used.

Moreover, the constant very high level of humidity literally causes the ceramic tiles to crumble, besides the other technical limitations and difficulties that are caused by such humidity!

Needless to say, the kashrus of the Mikve is under constant vigilant control of the Rov and the Bais Din Shlit”e.

A few years ago the Kehile started the gigantic project of building a new Mikve with all the Hidurim, the latest technological advances and the highest level of comfort that are available nowadays in the top Mikvaos all over the world!

It has always been a given that the main Mikve be built according to the highest level of Halocho, Kosher Lechol Hade’ois to ensure the continuation of the Kedusho of Klal Yisroel.

The worldwide biggest experts in the field were called in to advise and direct the planning and building! As the Divrei Chaim said: it’s correct and supremely important for a Kehila to invest it’s maximum in the Mikve - after all, a businessman would choose the safest option to protect his investments, how much more must we be prepared to invest into the Kedusho of Klal Yisroel!

At beautiful fundraising dinners here in town, the local population took part generously and enthusiastically in this important project! The Rov Shlit”e, who heads this venture, even travelled abroad to solicit funds from former townspeople and other supporters.

Boruch Hashem the special rain-collecting roof is almost ready too, after delays caused by the rainfalls of this winter.  The interior part is up to the finishing stages!

And quite soon Be”H we will be able to sing Hashem’s praises upon the completion of this enormous and special project!

An important point: according to the Poskim, a Mikve that isn’t under proper supervision by a Rov may not be used for Tevile needed Min Hadin, such as Tevilas Keilim!

Sadly, the reality has repeatedly proven that this is indeed a big problem!

The following Mikvaos are under the supervision of the Bais Din of our Kehile:

• The Kehille-Mikve on Oostenstraat
• The Mikve in Knokke, Van Bunnenlaan 30

For Keilim:

• The Kehile’s Keilim-Mikve on Oostenstraat 46
• The Keilim-Mikve in the yard of Bobov Bais Hamedrash, Lamorinièrestraat 68
• The Keilim-Mikve by Bilsen, Lge. Kievitstraat 65