West Side's Luxury Mikveh

After six months of delays and three years of construction, a luxuriously modern new mikveh opened last Sunday on the Upper West Side, a far cry from the funky but soulful ritual bath that served the neighborhood for years.

Located on 74th Street between Broadway and West End Avenue, the mikveh has three immersion pools and 13 preparation rooms for women, as well as a men's mikveh with its own entrance, and a mikveh to immerse new pots and pans in order to make them fit for use by those who keep strictly kosher.

The reception area is clad in palm wood, with gold-leafed ceilings and mosaics in rose and gold hues based on those from ancient Israel. Preparation rooms feature Frette robes and a new kit with shampoo, soap and nail clipper for every visit. The women's immersion pools are lined with glass tile and surrounded by white marble.

It's all part of the trend to make new...