Mayim and Mindfulness Women’s Wellness brunch in Edmonton was worth the wait

by Regan Lipes, Local Journalism Intiiative Reporter

(AJNews) – The build-up to the Women’s Wellness Brunch: Mayim and Mindfulness, was definitely well deserved!  Leading up to the event, hosted at Beth Israel Synagogue, organizers were anticipating around thirty people, but on October 18 – brunch day – well over sixty women from across the Edmonton Jewish community joined to nosh on an assortment of delicious nibblies, and engage in some meaningful learning while supporting the BI Mikvah. Notable among the extensive smorgasbord was an egg and potato kugel prepared by Phillip Kirman; no leftovers remained.

Nina Bernstein, one of the Mikvah Ladies, welcomed attendees and the sizeable crowd filled the social space impressively.  For all the volunteers who support the Beth Israel mikvah, duty comes from a sincere desire to support the spiritual health of Jewish families.  Bernstein shared an overview of the costs associated with operating the mikvah and expressed her sincere gratitude to the attendees and sponsors for their vital and much-appreciated support.

The first speaker of the day was Karen Sadovnick. She grew up in Victoria, British Columbia, where the nearest mikvah was a ferry ride away on the mainland in Vancouver.  For anyone who has ever experienced the BC Ferry system, this trip might theoretically sound manageable but can be quite the odyssey.  She explained that there is now a new, beautiful mikvah in Victoria, but that when she was growing up she knew Jewish women who made this voyage monthly, uncertain if the ferry would be overcrowded necessitating a later sailing, delayed, or even cancelled due to weather.  Despite all the difficulties this trip entailed, for these women, monthly immersion was essential, and these were the incredible values that Sadovnick was fortunate to grow up with.

The keynote speaker of the afternoon was Olga Muradov, a Nurse Practitioner and longtime veteran of the healthcare system.  Speaking to the central theme of the event, after Sadovnick inspired ladies to keep their spiritual selves healthy, Muradov jumped into the science of how to maintain physical health during perimenopause and menopause. Even for those without scientifically wired minds, Muradov’s explanations were practical and understandable. Heads bobbed with acknowledgement as she described the symptoms most commonly experienced by women during perimenopause and menopause. Muradov, who works part-time at TruMed focussing on hormone treatment for women, reminded everyone that there are effective ways of staying healthy during these important life transitions.  She stated many times: “We need to honour our bodies.” She reminded women that even before making an appointment to visit their physicians, it is never too early to make daily walking and weight training a part of a healthy routine.

Following the formal program, Rebbetzin Chaya Sarah Blachman took a group of seventeen ladies on a guided tour of the BI mikvah. She reminded them that immersion in the mikvah waters is a retroactive mitzvah that even a woman past menopause can partake in.  Preparing to immerse is a time to gaze inward, and amidst all the activity and demands of keeping a family healthy and happy, taking this requisite time is an incredible way to indulge in some quiet thought before feeling the rebirth of spiritual purification. For Jewish women of all levels of observance who are in a Jewish marriage, this is an incredible self-care routine to consider taking part in.

The event was graciously supported by Edmonton’s local Naamat chapter, and the Edmonton branch of NCJWC. With twice as many guests as anticipated, the Women’s Wellness Brunch was certainly a great success, and left attendees empowered to take an active role in their physical health, and inspired to care for their spiritual wellbeing as well.