I was brought up very Reform. I never heard of family purity laws. Even when I married in Israel, I was just told to go to the mikvah before my wedding. I never received any instructions at all. And, my mikvah experience in Tel Aviv in 1975 was horrible. No compassion. I actually was afraid I would drown! It wasn't until 33 years after my divorce when I lost custody of my son, my only child that I learned about family purity laws. Being post menopause in my mid-60s, and married to my second husband that I went to the rabbi's wife at Chabad in Albuquerque, NM USA where she arranged for me a post menopause immersion. I read it's supposed to make up for all the years I never knew about it. My 1st husband turned out to be physically abusive and I lost custody of my son, my only child in exchange to receive my Get. Maybe Hashem was punishing me. But, I would gladly have raised my own son no matter how he behaved. He is secular Israeli living in Tel Aviv. He thinks I'm crazy for trying to become baala teshuva. My husband calls me a religious fanatic. But, BEH, I plan to return to live the rest of my life in Israel and enjoy my grandchildren if Hashem can convince my current husband to make aliyah. BH, my son and daughter in law have 3 lovely children. And, I hope to be zechus to be there for them.
1/07/2019
I never knew about family purity laws
I was brought up very Reform. I never heard of family purity laws. Even when I married in Israel, I was just told to go to the mikvah before my wedding. I never received any instructions at all. And, my mikvah experience in Tel Aviv in 1975 was horrible. No compassion. I actually was afraid I would drown! It wasn't until 33 years after my divorce when I lost custody of my son, my only child that I learned about family purity laws. Being post menopause in my mid-60s, and married to my second husband that I went to the rabbi's wife at Chabad in Albuquerque, NM USA where she arranged for me a post menopause immersion. I read it's supposed to make up for all the years I never knew about it. My 1st husband turned out to be physically abusive and I lost custody of my son, my only child in exchange to receive my Get. Maybe Hashem was punishing me. But, I would gladly have raised my own son no matter how he behaved. He is secular Israeli living in Tel Aviv. He thinks I'm crazy for trying to become baala teshuva. My husband calls me a religious fanatic. But, BEH, I plan to return to live the rest of my life in Israel and enjoy my grandchildren if Hashem can convince my current husband to make aliyah. BH, my son and daughter in law have 3 lovely children. And, I hope to be zechus to be there for them.