dave@utcsrgv.UUCP (Dave Sherman) (06/12/83)
Jews do not exactly practise "baptism by immersion". There is total immersion, in a "mikveh", which essentially is a pool whose water is at least partly rainwater. Married Jewish women immerse themselves at the end of their (minimum twelve-day) period of separation from their husbands following their menstrual period. Jewish men immerse themselves on certain occasions, such as before the High Holidays, and some do so weekly (before the Sabbath) or every morning. (There are separate mikvehs for men and women, of course.) New food utensils and dishes are also immersed before they are first used. Converts to Judaism also immerse themselves in the mikveh at the time they convert. (This is the only thing which approaches "baptism", I guess. There is nothing like this for Jewish-born babies.) The laws relating to the mikveh are not followed by most (i.e., non-observant) Jews. Dave Sherman Toronto