When my husband Josh z”l passed away on May 18, 2023, I felt as though much of my own identity was lost with him. There are countless books on aveilut, on personal grief, and on family grief... Yet I have not found words that speak to the widow’s loss, to my loss, of religious identity.

What does it feel like when someone witnesses you with love in their eyes? A mikveh attendant has incredible power as a witness.

At its core, Judaism teaches the concept of Tzelem Elokim—that every person is created in the image of the Divine. That means your body, exactly as it is right now, holds holiness.