Mikveh

To put it as simply as possible, the Mikveh is a spiritual “bath” which is used for Jewish ritual purification.

It’s traditional (and required by the Rabbinute) for a Jewish bride to immerse herself in the Mikveh shortly before her wedding.

The mikveh is either built into the ground or a permanent part of a building, must contain a minimum of 200 gallons of rainwater that was collected and added to the mikveh pool according to very detailed Halachic regulations.

One can find Mikvehs in every municipality in Israel – an English language directory of Mikvehs by region can be found here.

Chabad has a detailed explanation about the importance of the Mikveh here.

If you are getting married through the Rabbinute, you will be required to go to a class on the topic of Jewish laws, as related to family purity (Taharat Mishpacha). These classes are available via Rabbinute-approved private tutors, non-profit organizations, and through Rabbinute-organized group classes.

They will issue you a certificate or proof of attendance, which you will take with you to the Mikveh in the days before the wedding. After immersion, the Mikveh attendant will sign it and you will give it to the rabbi at your wedding.

Israeli law specifically forbids Mikveh attendants from asking questions about a woman’s personal status (if she’s getting married with a rabbi, if she keeps Shabbat, if she’s a convert) and women have the right to immerse themselves in the Mikveh without an attendant present at all.

While it’s recommended for Halachic and safety purposes to have an attendant supervise, it is not mandatory.