we could call it the... mayim rabat?
The other day I was talking with someone about publishing a guide to synagogues, comparable to the Zagat guide for restaurants. That sounds fine, I said, but what the Jewish community really needs is a Zagat guide to mikvahs.
What would you want it to cover, he asked? So many things, at first my brain was working too fast for anything out to come out of my mouth. The number one question, if you ask me: is the bathroom inside the prep room, or do you have to drip down the hall in your bathrobe to get to it. How crowded is it / is there usually a wait. How much do they charge, and is tipping expected. Which prep items they provide and which they don't. Where can your husband wait to pick you up.
Is the mikvah lady nice, he volunteered. YES!! I can't believe I forgot that one. How many questions will she ask. How much will she poke and prod your fingernails. And does she have a meshugas [crazy idea in her head] about not touching the wall.
Obviously there would be some controversy about negative ratings; no one wants to embarrass people who give their time and energy to serve the community. On the other hand, we all know of cases where the mikvah staff could benefit from answering to the public, where the reluctance to talk about bad experiences is doing no one any good.
It could also be the first branding opportunity for Mayim Rabim. T-shirts, anyone?