A Brand New Year, A Brand New Decade!

by Dorothy Stott

On Shabbat our Rabbi asked, “What is the most significant event that happened to each one of us in the last ten years?” After the next Aliyah, our hands went up with answers.

Here is my answer and my life changing event:

For me, March 4, 2009 is the day that changed my life.

I am not talking about my ex-boyfriend rear ending a police car with MY vehicle on this important day or my insurance rate tripling as the forever reminder of a truly bad mistake, I am talking about meeting our Rabbi at the Mikvah for my conversion to Judaism.

 First, was my debate with the Bet Din.  Rabbi Brockman prepared me for this with his wonderful History of Judaism class and his valued time trying to teach an ex-Catholic school girl to learn to speak up and debate with strong conviction. Rabbi Steinberg painstakingly helped me with Hebrew and our Rabbi Levenson spent many hours with me, my emails and silly questions which always were answered!

As a result from this, Rabbi Levenson had a series of questions I needed to answer for him in essay form to be shared with a Bet Din. (A Rabbinical Court)

 My Bet Din was Our Rabbi, Cantor Josh and Rabbi Tilsen who I had never met before! Rabbi T was not the “bad” cop for the debate.  Not knowing me, I believe he had the hardest decision because he had to determine that my heart is a true Jewish heart that always wants to learn and grow in love.

 After the debate which lasted for about an hour, Rabbi Levenson gave me the thumbs up to complete the ritual that goes back in time for thousands of years! I passed the Bet Din

with all the questioning and debating and I was moments away from entering the Mikvah bath. The Mikvah has two tributaries of rain water that fill a large pool.

Yes, the water is heated!

Natalie, who tends to the Mikvah, helped prepare me for what I needed to do next and to be my witness as to doing the ritual correctly.

 The Mikvah Ritual:

 First, I took a shower.  The week before, I wore no makeup, no nail polish and no jewelry.  I ate sparse because I wanted to be one with G-d. 

 After the shower, I wrapped into a large towel and proceeded to the bath. Natalie, with grace and dignity closed her eyes when I dropped the towel to walk down the stairs totally naked into the pool. 

When I was submerged to my neck in the warm water and standing on the landing, I knew the ancient ritual was about to begin.  

First, I said a prayer called a B’RAKHAH in Hebrew.

I listened to our Rabbi outside the door say the prayer and repeated it the best I could, word for word, with help from Natalie.  Then, I pushed off the landing to submerge. 

The water went around my body as I brought my knees up to my chest. I could feel my hair floating all around me as I kept my eyes gently closed to represent my time floating free in my mother’s womb. This time while I am floating, I reflect on my past life before this very moment in time.

Then, I come up for air and back to my position on the landing. Again, I repeat the prayer after our Rabbi and repeat the same floating technique. 

This second time I focus only on the experience and feeling of this very moment. Then, I am up for air and back to the landing for my third and last submersion. 

I repeat the prayer and the floating form.  This time, I think of my future, the years to come and the unknown I will be facing as a Jew.   

 During these three submersions, Natalie and I were crying.  I can not put into words the profound joy and beauty while this was going on because I know this closeness I am experiencing with G-d will be what binds me forever with the Jewish people and everyone I love at B’nai Jacob.

 Now at this moment in time, as I come up for air, I am a Jew. As Cantor Josh said, “I cast my lot with the Jewish people for all time.”  

Then, I walk up the stairs a Jewish woman leaving my past behind me. I am naked. Yet, I am one with G-d and do not feel my nakedness. Eve must have felt this in the early days of Eden.  

From here, I get dressed and meet our Rabbi in my beloved chapel at B’nai Jacob. In the chapel, Our Rabbi takes out the Torah from the ark and gives it to me. “This Torah is yours as much as it is mine.” These words and our Rabbi’s voice saying these words to me are with me forever. Then, I read an affirmation of faith and I am given my Hebrew name: Davida bat Avraham v SarahI picked this name because King David is my role model, a sensitive artist like me,

strong in battle which I am learning to be with Irving Perlmutter’s help, and a ladies man like my handsome father was! Our Rabbi gave me official papers to keep with me always in case anyone question’s my faith and we were done to start a brand new day!

On the way out, the very first person to see me as a Jewish woman was Evelyn Krevolin! Her warm smile and her beautiful red coat is just as much a part of this day as Our Rabbi handing me the Torah!

So when our Rabbi asked this past Shabbat, “What is the most significant event that happened to you over the past decade?”  I have the one event that takes the Kosher cake!  I am forever bound to you, the Jewish people and to Abraham with my heart. 

 Attached is an approved drawing for the Jewish Children’s book I am illustrating called A Brand New Year!  I thought the drawing is significant to share with everyone because I just saw on the news large crowds in Time Square shredding and throwing away last year’s mistakes. This is what we do on Tashlich!  The inspiration for this drawing came when we all walked down Rimmon Road to throw away last year’s mistakes.

The words I illustrated written by Rochel Vost read:

Say goodbye to each mistake,

Throw it in a stream or lake.

So glad Rosh Hashanah’s here,

Time to start a brand new year!

Dorothy Stott

Davida bat Avraham v Sarah